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<issue_start>username_0: I was the TA for a course a few years ago.
As part of the course, I was able to obtain a set of business case studies.
At the bottom of each page, it is written something to the effect of:
>
> This document is authorized for use by [my name], from [start date] to [end date], in the course [name of course] at [name of school]. Any unauthorized use or reproduction of this document is strictly prohibited.
>
>
>
Is it ethical for me to keep these readings after the course is over,
and to read them some time in the future?
### Conclusion
I appreciate the opinions of all who answered and commented.
I had asked this question because the licensing agreement
**sounds too bad to be true**.
The students had to pay more than $100 for all the readings for this course.
If the students were to purchase a textbook,
at least they are allowed to keep it and read it in the future.
I suspect that the publishers wishes they had the technology available
to make the case studies like the
"Mission Impossible" style self-destruct messages
which would explode once it is past the license end date.
This seems acceptable to me for software,
but strange for something like readings.
At the end of the day, I have to make my own decision
about what is the right thing to do in this instance.<issue_comment>username_1: That is a highly specific restriction, I'm not going to discuss whether or not it is legal and to what extent, but take it as it is. It clearly states the extent of your use of the readings, so after the licence expires you can't use them any longer.
That certainly includes presenting them in another course or the same one next year or putting them online etc. But, I don't think there are ethical reasons why you couldn't keep them for yourself, since you already had unrestricted access to that information for some period of time. So in that light, you could've learned them by heart or transcribed them into your notebook by the time the licence expired.
Bottom line, from the ethical point, I don't think the restriction applies for your personal use. From the practical point, you could contact whoever licensed the readings in the first place and inquire the specifics.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Technically, it may not be ethical to keep a case or data set past its license period. Most dataset licenses also specifically state that the holder should not hold material of both physical or digital form (or even preprocessed form) of the licensed matter past its license term. It also stated that the backup of all forms should be deleted.
Having stated above, it is still a widely practised taboo to use cases and datasets past their license periods. You may attain knowledge from it but will only get into trouble if you were to publish any material that relates to the dataset/case that you currently possess beyond its license. This also depends on how strictly the license owner enforces the license.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: It looks like the use outside of that particular course and date range is prohibited. You might probably keep the documents/data, but you can't use it at all. Even using it for a completely unrelated purpose (say as practice data for statistical analysis in another course) is not allowed even during said date range.
The conditions imposed are quite draconian, and might even be considered unreasonable. But that would be for a court of law to decide, and you don't want to go near that. You agreed, abide by them.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: The answer is implicit in the condition that you mentioned: the document is authorized for use by you, for a specific period, and only for a particular course. Anything else is prohibited. You may ethically keep the objects (printed pieces of paper) as long as you do not use them in any way whatsoever, which would include reading them. Bottom line, the restriction does not say anything about a personal use exception. As with any contractual matter, you can always ask for a free modification of the conditions, but you must ask.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: The definition of Ethical Behavior as defined in an entry from [www.businessdictionary.com](http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/ethical-behavior.html) is:
>
> Acting in ways consistent with what society and individuals typically think are good values.
>
>
> Ethical behavior tends to be good for business and involves demonstrating respect for key moral principles that include honesty, fairness, equality, dignity, diversity and individual rights.
>
>
>
As you are discussing your decision and your action and in general our society has an expectation that people will honor the terms of the contracts that they enter into, then in order to act ethically you would likely need to either
1. Destroy all of the copies of the business cases that you obtained under the license and not use them.
2. Request an extension as username_4 suggests
3. Purchase a new license to the material
4. Borrow a copy of the material from a library that has license to lend the material to you.
If you entered into and agreed to a contract, whether implicitly as was the case here, or explicitly, then violating the terms of the contract without agreeing to a change of terms with your contract partner or receiving a legal judgement that the terms of the contract are illegal and therefore you are not obligated to follow them would be an unethical choice.
To further add to this would be the idea of fairness, as you mention with regard to the fact that the students that took the class were required to pay for the readings where as you received the material to use in the context of teaching them. The license was either paid for by the school, which means indirectly by the students or from a grant obtained by the instructor for the course, or was a comp from the publisher for the instructor selecting the material for the course in the first place. So while you could argue that your use is not really harming the copyright holder, the fairness argument to those who had to pay for the license, namely the students, calls into question the ethics of using them and strengths the case for not using the material.
That being said, I find the ethics of the publishers that chose these types of limited licenses highly questionable. When I have seen these types of licenses, they are generally for texts that get updated with great frequency, and the updates to most every chapter are at most a few sentences or a figure or two. It is part of a broader business model to make used textbooks less valuable and to force students to purchase the version of the text that the instructor is using. This is more the case where an instructor assigns homework problems and the problems are renumbered or parts of the problem are changed so that either the instructor needs to manage responses from multiple editions or they need to insist that everyone buy the new version. Another way to devalue used editions is to sell and get instructors to use online material which is licensed only to a single user and expires with the end of the course.
The problem is that two wrongs do not make a right. So just because the publishers are behaving questionably does not mean that it gives license to act unethically in response. Can you do it and live with yourself? Sure. But that is entirely your choice. And as you said, only you can answer that question for yourself. Strictly, in a legal framework you are breaking the terms of your contract and their copyright. And as a few of the commenters above stated, if you were to then use that material for new work produced, you could likely find yourself in trouble not only with the copyright holder, but also your institution if you published based on material you did not expressly have license to access.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_6: I don't see how the ethical question can be answered completely without the legal question whether the statement is binding or not and to what extent.
* It is certainly ethical to find out whether the conditions are legal in your country - particularly, if the conditions seem to be "too bad to be true".
The fact that a publisher writes some conditions does not necessarily mean that they are binding in your legislation.
Copyright legislation here (Germany) allows teachers to copy e.g. a chapter of a book for their course - the university has to pay for that (via [VG Wort](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verwertungsgesellschaft_Wort#Zug.C3.A4nglichmachung_f.C3.BCr_Unterricht_und_Forschung)) but doesn't need to ask for permission - unless the publisher offers e.g. a dedicated teaching pack - which may or may not be the case in this question.
* My "legal feeling" again for my legislation (Germany\*) is that there is a big difference between going on the use the course material as a participant of a course (OK) vs. going on to use the course material as a teacher for a new course (not OK).
* In this question, what is ethical for me coincides with what is legal. I don't see any reason to apply ethical guidelines here that are more strict than what my legislation asks for. Nor do I think there are good reasons for not paying the legally required fees (AFAIK 0,008 EUR/text page/course) for use of teaching material (the more so as university teaching is privileged here over commercial courses where that easy procedure does not apply).
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_7: I'm not a lawyer, but my understanding is that the kind of disclaimer you've described is legally baseless in the USA, and you shouldn't feel bad about ignoring it. Feel free to keep your readings, refer to them, and cite them in the future. Once you've purchased a physical copy (without some agreement otherwise) nobody can legally place restrictions on the ways you use your physical copy.
If you want a strictly ethical answer, I would say that it's unethical for the editor of your readings to try and restrict the ways in which students use the material they've purchased. They've got no legal basis to do so, unless you've signed a contract or otherwise mutually agreed on some restrictions. You may upset someone by ignoring their wishes, but that's not the same thing as being unethical.
The relevant US legal concept is called the [First-Sale Doctrine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-sale_doctrine). It says that once you purchase or otherwise obtain a physical copy of a written work, you are then free to do with it whatever you want. You can take that physical copy and keep it, you can read it, you can sell it to another student taking the class next year. Once the owner sells the physical copy, they lose any interest or control in the physical copy, and you are free to do with it what you wish.
Note, however, that copyright law prevents you from freely copying a work. You have your physical copy and can do most anything with it, but you're not allowed to make your own copies and then distribute them.
As an aside, any teacher who is telling students that they can't keep written documents and notes from their class, without an extremely good reason (the course material is considered secret or privileged), is probably not a teacher you want to have. My guess is that the person who added that statement wants to encourage every student to purchase a new copy of the course materials every semester at full price. I would call that behavior grossly unethical- students are not a cash cow to be milked at every opportunity.
Upvotes: 1
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<issue_start>username_0: This question has asked previously for PhD in [mathematics](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/8939/non-academic-career-options-for-phd-in-math) and [computer science](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/37606/non-academic-positions-after-phd-in-computer-science) in this StackExchange forum. However, the situation will be completely different for Biology graduate because of the skills we learn during our PhD. Math and CS graduates have lot of open options (?) looking at their quantitative reasoning skills, which are not enough for biology. We learn lot of logic, reasoning and statistics, but is that enough to survive in a highly competitive world?. So I was wondering: is there any alternative career option for PhDs in biology?
P.S: There are few options I am already aware of, like teaching in school/university, quality control posts at various firms, R&D in pharmaceutical companies. I was wondering if there are any other options which are not very obvious from our skills.
**Update** (18 Sep 2015)
After reading comments and answers, Following more options have raised
* Science communication
* Librarian
* NGO and firms for data analysis<issue_comment>username_1: In general, the options for biology are very similar to those of other fields---the answers [on the computer science question you linked](https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/37606/22733) mostly apply quite well to any STEM discipline (with the possible exception of finance companies).
The one important caveat that I would add for Ph.D. students in the biomedical field, however, is to make sure you self-advocate and ensure that you are really getting educated as a scientist, not exploited as a lab technician. This can happen in any field, but anecdotally seems to be much more common in biomedical fields, and is extremely variable from lab to lab. Some labs are very good at giving their students a complete scientific educations, others (and it seems most likely to happen in big labs) mostly want somebody to run assays at the bench, and one can finish a Ph.D. with very little of the knowledge that non-academic employers may expect you to have.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: There have actually been some studies (if I recall Mike The Mad Biologist's blog covered them awhile back) suggesting that biology graduate students are somewhat less happy than their peers because many of the specialized skills they pick up aren't immediately transferrable. For some aspects of "biology" this isn't true - for example, a mathematical biologist is likely just as qualified to exit into a quantitative field as an applied mathematics student, some fields of biology involve code, etc.
Failing that, some other options colleagues who are biologists have pursued:
* Government positions. Some of these are "academia-lite", some of them are markedly different, but there are several branches of government that hire biologists in some form.
* Teaching at the high school level. You're likely overqualified, but that's not a bad thing, and there are private high schools that very much value "X% of our faculty have PhDs..." as something to tell parents.
* As you mention knowing exist already, there *are* biotech companies that exist, and employ biologists in many capacities.
* Conservation organizations, private foundations, etc. may be of interest, especially if you're more ecology oriented.
* Depending on your research area, what you did, etc. you may be able to brand yourself as a "data scientist" - at the moment it's pretty vague as to what exactly that means.
* Science communication - university offices that do outreach, news organizations, etc.
* With the addition of an MLS, a career as a research librarian is also potentially an option.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]
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<issue_start>username_0: I am applying to tenure track jobs at high research activity universities in the United State. Wading through open positions, I've become increasingly confused about what is the meaningful distinction between "programs", "institutes", and "departments". I understand faculty are organized into departments, and may participate in multiple institutes or graduate/undergraduate programs. However, for the particular position I am considering, the position is being offered by a particular program, and time is said to be split between the program (0.6FTE) and the appropriate academic department (0.4FTE).
My question is broad. What are the meaningful distinctions between programs, institutes, and departments within a research university?<issue_comment>username_1: *Program* is a plan of either tutor-based or research-based application, is which often designed for undergraduate or graduate studies and either instructed or supervised by faculty members.
*Department* is a division of the university, is which colony of the group of faculty members with the expertise in the specific area of the colony. The programs are often presented by departments.
*Institute* is a specialized division of a department, has which been established with a group of affiliated faculty members of the host society. Institutes generally conduct the research in highly-specific fields of science and technology and a plethora of graduate research stuffs would be pursued in such organizations.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Divisions vary. For example, we had Faculties, some 10 of them, a while back. So there was a Dean of Chemistry, with chemistry (as a science), chemical engineering and metallurgy (materials science), last mostly as an outgrowth of the previous ones. And a Dean of Sciences, with math and physics. The university was reorganized, into a Dean of Engineering (with some 11 Departments) and Dean of Science (with three Departments). Later the deans where abolished, there are 12 Departments now.
Sometimes there are Institutes within the University, but e.g. the Fraunhofer Institutes in Germany are independent entities focusing on research (and graduate studies, sometimes) on some specific area.
The subdivisions, and their names, are mostly historic accidents.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Some alternate definitions to matinking's based on my own experience, which moves the answer more toward "It varies, you need to ask":
*Program*: Where I have applied to faculty positions in "programs", they usually mean transdisciplinary fields (think 'Biomedical Informatics') that may or may not grant their students a defined degree (Ph.D. in Biomedical Informatics), have specific courses, etc. Usually, in my admittedly limited experience, the program is actually hiring one or a series of faculty who will be housed in specific departments, but whose main duties will be focused on the needs and themes of the program. For example, Biomedical Informatics might hire people in Computer Science, Nursing, Public Health, Statistics, etc. and house them in home departments for things like tenure.
*Department*: A free standing, degree and tenure-granting entities within the school.
*Institute*: At least in my field, an "Institute" can be either at the sub-department, sub-college, or sub-university level, but implies a specialty, and it's own funding stream. Often, universities have very specific rules about whether or not something can be called an "Institute" and what that implies. They can often be "Department-like", but may lack some powers of a department.
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer]
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<issue_start>username_0: I would like to firstly state that I do understand the essence of the reviewing process in scientific publications.
I have submitted my article to a material-science relating journal. The first round of revision was very fast; it took less than 10 days. One of two referees suggested a minor revision while the other asked for a moderate amount of questions.
Currently, it takes 3 weeks after two reviewers agreed to make the second round of reviewing.
Thus, is it common that the second (and later) reviewing process require more time as long as the first one?
P.S. Editor privately informed that they are same referees.<issue_comment>username_1: In my experience, it is usually the other way around. The first round of reviews typically takes longer, because the reviewers are new to the paper and first reading it and forming their opinions. In the second round, they are more likely to be simply looking at differences and seeing whether they agree with your adjustments and replies to their comments.
There is, however, a *lot* of noise in the process, because in most cases the main amount of time is not spent in reviewing per se, but rather in waiting for the reviewers to make time in their schedules to review. It differs from journal to journal of course, but sounds to me like in your first round of review you got unusually lucky with the reviewers' schedules and things went very fast, and the second round of review is taking a more "normal" length of time.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: To add to username_1's answer, the second (and later) rounds of reviewing are usually faster not just because the reviewers have already seen the paper, but also because the reviewers are less likely to not submit a review. A lot of the variance in the time taken is because reviewers decline to review, do not submit a review by the deadline, and so on, which forces the editors to invite new reviewers and start the clock from scratch. But after they've already reviewed a paper once they are more likely to agree to review again as well as submit a review before the deadline.
Also, many of the journals I've seen have set things up so that the deadline for the first round of review is slightly longer than the deadline for the second and further rounds - by about 25%.
Upvotes: 3
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<issue_start>username_0: Obviously, the college drop-out in question is me, so allow me to supply as much detail as needed for you to answer this question as it pertains to my situation.
I come from a "disadvantaged" background; bad schools, bad home-life, the works. The high school I attended was one of those under-performing schools that undergraduate admissions romanticize as containing token diamonds in the rough. Entirely ignorant of the concept of financial aid and misinformed about college admissions, I didn't work hard enough to become one of those angels. Regardless, I did well enough to barely graduate with honors and earned a near-perfect ACT score, and I earned a scholarship to a private college.
My mental well-being imploded during that freshman year. I transferred out with a GPA of 2.9 to a local state school for my sophomore year. Unfortunately, this wound up being the worst mistake of my life.
My sights have always been set on higher education. On top of my personal issues, however, that developed into a paralyzing fear of failure and perfectionism. I spent the next five years barely keeping my head afloat, being dismissed once, re-admitted once again, and then finally leaving out of my own volition to seek out the healthcare I desperately needed from day 1. It's been about three years, but for whatever reason, The bureaucratic nightmare that is my former school still lists me as a student with a GPA below 1. Complications regarding financial aid and my change in majors make returning to finish that degree an impossibility, as I cannot pay for the rest of my degree out of pocket or through private loans.
I've worked odd jobs to save up to move out-of-state to work for a year to gain in-state tuition at a community college, and to begin a bachelor's degree that's actually relevant to my field of choice.
The choices that I would make regarding my futures studies are predicated on contingencies that I'm not familiar with. The biggest looming question in my mind is, assuming that one day I complete a bachelor's sufficiently well enough to entitle me to the prospect of graduate study, would my first attempt at a bachelor's be too big of an obstacle to overcome? What general advice would you have for me in my situation?
EDIT: My question presumes that I start and finish a bachelor's degree now with a decent-to-strong GPA and then apply for graduate admission. That's a different scenario than compensating for a low GPA earned with a completed bachelor's degree.<issue_comment>username_1: Going straight to a well-funded, highly ranked PhD program would be difficult as we can't ascertain if you have the smarts, the drive, and the perseverance to last 5-8 years. I'd recommend looking into MA programs where you can build up more of a track record.
See also: [How does the admissions process work for Ph.D. programs in the US, particularly for weak or borderline students?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/38237/how-does-the-admissions-process-work-for-us-ph-d-programs-particularly-for-wea)
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: ("The biggest looming question in my mind is, assuming that one day I complete a bachelor's sufficiently well enough to entitle me to the prospect of graduate study, would my first attempt at a bachelor's be too big of an obstacle to overcome?")
---
From my own personal perspective, in addressing the above portion of what you have written in your explanation, is where I interpret your question to be. From this, what I hear you saying is that you did not complete a degree the first time you entered college due to other events and decisions in your life and now you want to complete a bachelors degree successfully in a different area of study. Assuming that this is what you are meaning, I relate to the anxiety you appear to have about possible obstacles and if it would be worth it. I want to be clear, I cannot give you the answer you are looking for. What I can do is share with you my experience. My background is as follows; raised with a father that was mentally and physically abusive, divorced my mother when I was fifteen. By then I had already begun making poor decisions thinking the world owed me something for my pain and suffering. Was pulled out of high school and placed into a "rehabilitation" hospital, sent to live with a relative so on and so on. I received my GED three months before my actual class had even graduated. At seventeen, I got an apartment and enrolled in college. I made it half a quarter before I quit due to other priorities I had in my life then. I spent the next three years making poor decisions, marrying an abusive husband, and having two children ten months apart. The next seven years were spent realizing my children needed better from me, divorcing, multiple trips to court and so on. I think you get the gist of where I'm coming from. Throughout a large portion of those latter years I managed to keep a job that I loved doing. I worked my way up literally from the bottom. During my annual vacation leave time I paid to take two classes to show that I was dedicated to my goal of applying to a specialized department within the same facility. It was enough to get me an interview and attain the job. From there the facility paid me to finish the rest of my classes and become state certified which took me another five years. I realize this is a long post however, my intention is to relay to you the work I put into getting where I have gotten both emotionally and productively. After being in that facility for thirteen years, five of which were in that department I felt forced to resign the position that I was so proud of. Due to a combination of political changes, a new supervisor with his own unethical agenda, and his initiation of hostile and retaliatory behaviors emotionally I was unable to handle it. I quickly found out that even though I am state certified with letters behind my name, I am unable to qualify for jobs in my area of study because the state passed a new requirement a year and a half ago that you must also have a bachelors degree. Upon inquiring at the only community college I would be able to afford, ironically the same one I attended at seventeen, I found out all the classes I had taken, even psychology, were unaccredited. They could not give me credit towards even an associates degree let alone a bachelors. And here is where I see myself relating to your perceived obstacle of, "is it worth it, or would I be wasting my time, effort, and resources". I looked at it this way, if I chose to give up on what I wanted for myself again, just because life threw me another unfair situation, then there would cease to be any purpose for the struggles I have fought to overcome in life. I did enroll and made the dean's list my first quarter in! But such is my life, the day after receiving my dean's list recognition I received a letter from the school notifying me that I was being placed on financial aid award warning status. After inquiring what this meant it was explained to me that because I dropped out of my college classes after the allowed drop time, while on grant and financial aid almost twenty years ago it counts against my overall completion percentage. Basically, I have sixteen credit hours of unapproved dropped classes. So, I am now in my second quarter working myself out of a negative balance in order to keep aid. I know this aspect differs somewhat from your situation. However, to sum it up, I found for myself that I love what I'm learning and may not even follow the same path I was previously set on. I can't change past decisions or consequences. My plan now is to let things, whatever they may be, happen on their own accord and view them as a guide towards finding the path I'm meant to be on. No obstacle is too big to overcome unless you allow it to overcome you. There are several grants and awards for non-traditional students such as ourselves. Even within our community college I know several students who were able to make use of alternative programs because of their background and previous failed attempts. There are several peer reviewed research studies showing that non traditional students excel when returning to academia. The research substantiates the movement towards colleges understanding that non traditional students come from a different psychological perspective than in previous attempts. If you are interested in any of these studies I will gladly post them.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_3: >
> The biggest looming question in my mind is, assuming that one day I complete a bachelor's sufficiently well enough to entitle me to the prospect of graduate study, would my first attempt at a bachelor's be too big of an obstacle to overcome?
>
>
>
My experience is of course anecdotal, but for me the answer was 'yes, it is possible to overcome a poor academic record in your first bachelors program'. I will outline my story briefly and then summarize a few takeaways.
---
My story
--------
I was a solid B student in high school, always doing well on exams but never taking homework very seriously. I overreached in my college applications and was rejected by five out of six schools. The one school to which I was accepted was the one I couldn't see myself attending, so I decided to enroll at the local community college instead.
I earned an associates degree with a ~3.5GPA and applied to three four-year schools, two for the linguistics major and one for the major in international agriculture. My associates degree was in social science, and I had been interested in linguistics since high school, but after working in coffee shops for a few years I was interested in the possibility of a career in the international coffee trade. I was accepted to all three programs, and chose to go to school for agriculture. My reasons for choosing that program over the linguistics programs still aren't very clear to me; in hindsight it was probably due largely to the fact that the agriculture program let me stay in my hometown while either linguistics program would have entailed a cross-country move. Regardless, I began at my new school and quickly got into academic trouble.
I didn't have the background for the courses I was enrolled in, I was still working full-time, I had an unhelpful advisor, I wasn't actually as interested in the subject as I had thought—any difficulty you name, it felt like I had to deal with it. I 'earned' a 1.0 GPA the first semester and a perfect 0.00 GPA the second semester, and withdrew voluntarily after that first year before the university could ask me to leave.
I got a full-time job and worked for two and a half years, but remained interested in linguistics and started to regret very strongly never entering a linguistics program. Finally fed up with myself, I applied to two schools: one of the two that had accepted me into the linguistics program three years prior, and one other. In spite of my poor showing in the agriculture program, I was accepted to both. I moved across the country to enroll in the program I should have enrolled in the first time they accepted me, and did very well there. I double-majored, earned my bachelors, applied to grad schools, and was accepted. I finished my masters degree this past May and am now in a PhD program.
So yes, it is possible. **But...**
---
Takeaways
---------
I've learned a few things from my own experience. Take all of the following with a big grain of salt; they feel true to me, and they fit my experience, but they may not be generalizable:
* Graduate schools are less concerned than you might think with your overall academic record and GPA. Rather, they are concerned with your ability to do graduate-level work in the program you've applied to. I had some terrible grades on my record, but they weren't in the subjects I hoped to study in graduate school. Over the entire graduate admissions process (I applied to five programs), *no one* asked about my poor grades from that year spent studying agriculture. It didn't come up once. That was very surprising.
* I was honest about my academic record, but I didn't try to make excuses for it. I provided all of my transcripts, even the one with that perfect zero on it, to graduate admissions committees. However, beyond that, I didn't acknowledge those poor grades. There are people who will say that you should explain any poor grades in the statement of purpose you submit with your graduate application materials. I disagree. The statement of purpose provides you a maximum of two pages (in my field, at least; yours may vary) to sell yourself as a researcher. Any space you devote to an explanation of a poor academic record: 1) explicitly brings the reader's attention to a negative, and 2) leaves less space for other positives. The statement of purpose should give the impression that it's difficult to distill your research experience and potential down to two pages. If you don't even need two full pages, though, I think that's a negative.
* The school in which I enrolled following that terrible year (academically speaking), from which I earned my bachelors, was one of the schools to which I had been accepted three years prior, before I had earned those low grades. I can't know for sure, but I can't help feeling like that fact worked in my favor.
---
>
> What general advice would you have for me in my situation?
>
>
>
Are you in school again now? If so, you've already cleared one big hurdle. Regardless, my advice is pretty simple: do everything you can to demonstrate that you can perform at the graduate level.
* Take challenging courses—I was able to take a graduate course during my last semester (which took special permission from the professor and the college) and it was hugely helpful to have an idea of the expected workload.
* Make sure your writing sample is the best it can be. A strong writing sample can go a long way in the admissions process.
* Don't make excuses for yourself, but demonstrate through your recent work that any past poor performance doesn't reflect your real potential. In my own experience this was not as difficult as it might have been: I earned decent grades in social science, poor grades in agriculture, and then good grades in linguistics. I expect that poor grades and then good grades in the same subject might cause more concern.
* Recognize that in many ways your extra lived experience (compared to your academic peers) is a strength. Many people go straight from high school to college and then straight from college to graduate school. Your experience working odd jobs and saving money for an out-of-state move might not be academic work, but it might give you a maturity and perspective lacking in other students. Compared to someone who's never taken time off from school, you might have a better idea what you want to do with your life.
Upvotes: 2
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2015/09/17
| 1,782
| 7,481
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<issue_start>username_0: I am an electronics engineering undergrad currently choosing a topic for my bachelor thesis.
I have always been interested in physics in general, and in quantum mechanics in particular. To make sure my attraction to quantum mechanics wasn't merely that of a layman reading about the cool properties of the quantum world, I studied as much textbook quantum mechanics as I could lay my hands on. I audited online courses offered by MIT and Stanford in addition to the studying I did from the best undergraduate textbook out there. And I was doing that parallel to my university engineering work.
Now I have the opportunity to apply for a bachelor thesis at a prestigious german university in the topic of Quantum Dot Qubits, which is, as you might have deduced from the name, a quantum mechanical topic.
But because physics is not my major, I had doubts about whether I am qualified to apply, so I looked at the university's undergrad physics curriculum and, not surprisingly, the Quantum Mechanics courses included titles that I know of but did not have the chance to delve deeply into. But I am quite confident (with a hope that I am not overestimating my abilities) that I can catch up to whatever I am lacking (which is not a lot - pretty much little chunks here and there) pretty quickly.
For the past couple of days I have been deciding back and forth on whether I should apply, with my leash being that ,whatever I have studied, I don't have as much experience as the physics students (I did not solve as much problems) to carry out the highly physical research that would be assigned to me. But I saw [this post](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/7252/what-are-the-main-differences-between-undergraduate-masters-and-doctoral-thes/7255#7255) and [this post](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/18665/what-makes-a-bachelors-thesis-different-from-masters-and-phd-theses), and after reading that "Bachelor theses are closer to literature reviews" I think my decision is going to be to apply after all and acquire the chunks of knowledge I am missing on the go. Would that decision be wise?
**EDIT (Jan. 23, 2017)**: 5 months ago, I successfully completed my bachelor's thesis in the field of quantum information, and I got the top grade. I am currently applying for grad studies in the same research area.<issue_comment>username_1: I'd say check carefully that you have the requisite knowledge (or can get it easily) and apply. Worst that can happen is that you are turned down. Don't limit yourself, let others do the limiting if need be.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: There are two dangers here. One is that you might feel deflated if you aren't accepted. The other is that you might spend too much time on the application.
If you can apply without letting yourself get carried away, then I agree, there's nothing wrong with applying to something that is a bit of a stretch.
---
Edited to add:
Oh. Thanks for explaining. Well, in that case, I will describe a possible course of action for you. It is called, in the vernacular, **"get 'er done."** In this scenario, you finish up the Bachelor's in a fairly efficient way, by sticking with your original focus, leaving yourself free to steer your studies in a slightly different direction, if desired, following graduation.
I don't think you would find yourself locked into sticking with your Bachelor's thesis topic area forever.
Perhaps you would enjoy doing some formal coursework in quantum stuff while you are finishing up your Bachelor's. That would help you fill in any small gaps you might have from the self-study approach, and also allay any lingering self-doubt you might have from having done the autodidactic thing.
Another thing you might want to work on concurrently with finishing your Bachelor's would be to do some networking with some quantum people, so as to make it easier to veer that way after finishing the Bachelor's.
In other words, maybe it would be less messy if you finish baking the cake, or at least get it in the oven, before starting to mix up a batch of cookies.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: I am myself from the territory of computer science and applying for the aerospace engineering is my ongoing hit to be marked...
BUT HOW?!... The seminal point is the relative interdisciplinary background, has which been acquired by the student within his/her undergraduate studies, in addition to high GPA.
In my case, there is a solid research background in the space robotics and planetary rovers. So, one might conclude that I had to learn many things from space dynamics to handle my thesis, was which about navigation of the space rovers. Now, with due attention to my final noticeable GPA, I has been succeeded to make an impact on a professor of aerospace engineering to recruit me as his graduate student... The high GPA let either the professor or the admission committee assumes that you are both smart and assiduous enough to learn all the things, could which be named as the prerequisites for successful entrance to the new program...
So, if you even have, for instance, some knowledge of the semiconductors, superconductivity, nano- or micro-electronics, you would be a good choice for the program, is which seemingly far-fetched from the context of your undergraduate major. Furthermore, the transition of the solid state experts to electronics and vise versa is considerably a resolved point, in the global research community. Finally, I am keen on insisting on you to pursue your aims, reasonably, and do not take them as abstract dreams, but the realizable goals...
Best
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_4: There are two major issues here: on the one hand there is learning and mastering a topic, on the other hand there is writing a thesis merely.
For the former: quantum mechanics is a very delicate subject that requires a deep understanding of classical physics and analytical mechanics, not to mention mathematical methods as theory of operators on Hilbert spaces and differential equations. Learning quantum mechanics is also about *understanding* quantum mechanics: it is already difficult for people in the field and it will especially be for whom is from the outside. Moreover, there are different sub-topics areas that you may be involved in, and they may differ from what you have read around (quantum mechanics is not what people *think* it is).
You will certainly finish writing your thesis successfully, but that does not mean you will have majored and understood the topic well enough to continue doing research about it. A thesis on quantum mechanics is useful if you want to continue investigating the subject in your further career (as, for example, trying to switch to a master's degree in a more related physics area, like nuclear or solid matter physics, or even theoretical physics). Most depends on what you are planning to do afterwards. If you will continue on the engineering side it is advisable to work on a topic that will get you a job as engineer, eventually, otherwise you are going to end up with a science salad without being expert in either field, neither physics nor electronics, since you could have invested your bachelor thesis time otherwise.
This said, **do** apply for it. It is always good to at least have the possibility to decide, rather than regretting not to have applied; in addition, always go for whatever makes you feel passionate.
Upvotes: 2
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2015/09/17
| 311
| 1,355
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<issue_start>username_0: I have a degree in *Social Education* (done in Portugal). I am wondering whether anybody can help me in finding organizations that can provide an *equivalency certificate (report)* for this degree. I have searched and a degree in *Social Pedagogy* is very similar to mine. However, I don't know how to obtain an equivalency certificate (report) for that degree either.<issue_comment>username_1: There are various companies that offer commercial services of varied quality for generating and delivering *degree equivalency certificates (reports)* as well as some other related services. One of the most well-known such companies is *World Education Services (WES)* (in their terminology, an equivalency certificate and the process of its generation are referred to as a *credential evaluation*). Please see my [related answer](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/46852/12391) for a bit more details and a warning about WES.
I would suggest you to consider performing an Internet search for finding similar companies and comparing their services against your specific requirements before finalizing your decision.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: In the UK, [NARIC](https://www.naric.org.uk/naric/) is the government designated agency for comparing foreign qualifications to their UK equivalents.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]
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2015/09/18
| 251
| 995
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<issue_start>username_0: I am part of the student council at my college and I would like to email a letter to all of the deans.
How can I start the letter without writing "Dear Deans?"<issue_comment>username_1: It might not be pleasing to most people of higher ranks to address with "Dear" at the start of a contact, especially if it is from a student. I suppose a better option would be to include this.
>
> Respected Dignitaries
>
>
>
This should be the most pleasing way to address rank officials such as deans, professors, and chief guests.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: One solution would be: instead of sending a single email addressed to all of them, send each one a separate message, addressed to them personally and with an appropriate salutation. This is also more likely to get their attention than something that appears to be a mass-mailed form letter. If it's important that they know the same letter is being sent to the other deans, say so in the text.
Upvotes: 2
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2015/09/18
| 1,618
| 6,103
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<issue_start>username_0: In my country (Vietnam), the professor title is bestowed by a national council. In Korean or USA, it is bestowed by the university. What about other countries (e.g. Japan, France, Germany, Australia, England, Russia)? And if the title is bestow by the university, is it still recognized when the person who hold the title move to other university?<issue_comment>username_1: In Taiwan, you need to pass the [Screening of Qualification on Teachers of Junior Colleges and Higher Levels](http://english.moe.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=440&ctNode=412&mp=11) by Ministry of Education to earn the title. In the page it says,
>
> Assistant professors:
>
>
> Those who apply for the screening of teacher qualification ... shall submit: Doctoral Award(s) or other equivalent certificate(s), transcripts and specialized publications ...
>
>
> Assistant professors
>
>
> Those who apply for the screening of teacher qualification ... shall submit: Doctoral Award(s) or other equivalent certificate(s), transcripts and specialized publications. ...
>
>
> Professors
>
>
> Those who apply for the screening of teacher qualification ... shall submit: Doctoral Award(s) or other equivalent certificate(s), relevant certificate(s) of seniority, transcripts and either one of the important contributions their creations, inventions have made to academia and their important specialized publications.
>
>
> Those who apply for the screening of teacher qualification ... shall submit: Certificate(s) of Associate Professor, relevant certificate(s) of seniority, transcripts and specialized publications.
>
>
> **...**
>
>
> Those who are employed by schools and do the actual teaching are entitled to apply for the screening ...
>
>
> The full-time teachers shall send the applications via the schools they serve ...
>
>
> **...**
>
>
>
and then
>
> Those who pass the screening of teacher qualification shall be conferred the teacher certificates; the format of the certificates **shall be prescribed by the Ministry**.
> The recognition of the seniority listed on teacher certificates **shall be prescribed by the Ministry**.
>
>
>
I could not find the document in English for moving to other universities at the moment. To the best of my knowledge, the title is transferable when you move to other universities.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: In the United States, personal titles are almost never legally protected or regulated by the government. This is a strong cultural tradition going back through the origin of the nation, and is in fact encoded in the US Constitution, in [the "Titles of Nobility" clause](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Title_of_Nobility_Clause):
>
> No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States: and no person holding any office of profit or trust under them, shall, without the consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state.
>
>
>
In the US, then, in general anybody can call themselves any title they feel like, including Professor, Doctor, President, and [Emperor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Norton). The title, per se, is only a matter of social convention and will be respected or disrespected based on whether other people believe a person deserves it.
The law typically only gets involved from a perspective of fraud, false advertising, public endangerment, etc. if a person uses such a title to give a false impression of your skills and certifications. To illustrate the distinction: [Dr. Dre](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Dre) is perfectly within his rights to use that name, but if he tried to give somebody a prescription, he could be arrested for practicing medicine without a license.
Thus, the US government does not name people professor (except incidentally, if it happens to be running the university, e.g. [NWC](https://www.usnwc.edu/)). Typically universities name people "professor" as a job title, but in fact, anybody can call themselves a professor or [set up their own fake university](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unaccredited_institutions_of_higher_education#United_States_of_America) to be a professor at.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: In France, the title of *Professeur des Universités* (as well as the lesser *Maître de Conférences*, another tenure-like position comparable to a lecturer) is defined by [a decree of the President of the Republic](http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000000520453). Both *Professeurs* and *Maîtres de Conférences* are State civil servants and depend on the Ministry of higher education, rather than on their university. They are officially named by a decree of the President of the Republic, but the actual decision process lies with academia:
* A university advertises a professor's position when one of their professors retires, or when the government grants them a new position (pretty rare);
* Prior to the selection process, candidates must be listed as "qualified" for the title of Professor in a given field by an official body, the national council of universities (*Conseil National des Universités*, CNU). Typically, it means that the candidate is a *Maître de Conférences* with enough experience, reputation and publications;
* Candidates for each position are selected by a committee, which includes academics from said university, academics from other institutions and non-academics (of course this is France - and academia, so there are a lot more rules about the composition of those committees);
* The president of the university elects a candidate based on the selection made by the committee (the first ranked is usually chosen, but politics may interfere in the process);
* The next nomination decree lists the chosen candidate among the newly appointed *Professeurs des Universités*.
The process is the same for the *Maîtres the Conférences*, except that the conditions for the initial qualification are not the same (typically, a few publications and some teaching experience).
Upvotes: 2
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2015/09/18
| 826
| 3,697
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<issue_start>username_0: I have gathered online that SpringerPlus is legit. thing and not some scam. But they emailed me (a PhD student) and called me a Professor and asked me to review an article which was accepted in some other journal.
I feel like i should do the review because it's good for one's career, but this seems very strange. What to do?<issue_comment>username_1: You should immediately inform the editor and let them decide how to proceed further.
If this is indeed a double publication, reviewing it is a waste of time for you, other reviewers and the editor. In the unlikely event that there is some good reason for this (e.g., the other journal is a scam), the editor should be able to find out quickly or already know about it and tell you.
As for your reputation as a reviewer: If you see something very suspicious, reporting it is the proper action and is a job correctly done.
You should also ensure the following:
* The other journal is really a journal and not, e.g., a preprint server like the ArXiv.
* The mail asking you for a review did not mention this fact.
* The mail asking you for a review really came from a reputable publisher (and did not only claim this).
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Double publication is considered to be a major ethical misconduct (as it is mentioned in nearly all journal licenses during manuscript submission). You should do the rightful regardless of the knowledge of the authors concerning your identity and notify this to the editor as suggested by @username_1.
But, before any hasty action, ensure whether the manuscript is an exact replica of the authors' previous publication. It is customary for authors to improve their methods over their past publications and publish them in another journal for better visibility. Such an act is not to be confused with "double submission". Nevertheless, the reference of the article suspected of double submission ought to be reported to the editor too.
Most reputed journal publishers use proprietary plagiarism tools that could also detect double publication. TBH, I guess the journal editor might have access to such tools (such a situation would not have risen otherwise). Which does give rise to another question of reliability of the journal itself. SpringerPlus is part of the SpringerOpen series, it is surprising that an editor from such a reputed publisher would provide a manuscript possible of double publication to an unsuspecting reviewer. It could be a security threat - a phishing attack to be precise. Does the mail provide any link other than the official site to submit the review result or for any other purpose? If so then it would be best to not to even reply to the sender. The rightful thing to do would be to contact the board of SpringerPlus mentioned in the site and report the incident to ascertain the reliability of your mail.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: I think I'd:
* make sure that the other publication is not in some conference proceedings (which might publish something with the same title but reduced content)
* talk to a senior colleague about it (if you can without running the risk that the paper author catches wind of it)
* check whether that other Journal belongs to Springer in some way -- maybe that's who you'd be reviewing for? Maybe they accepted based on one reviewers opinion but now need a second one?
If all of these things fail to remove the suspicion, tell Springer. They should not publish under such circumstances. Not saying anything in such situations only encourages people to continue doing it. There have been some frauds in the community who were not found out for decades...
Upvotes: 1
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2015/09/18
| 1,217
| 4,594
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<issue_start>username_0: Should I write *PDE* or *partial differential equation* in the body of a mathematics paper? In a similar way, should I expand *Dirichlet-to-Neumann map* or write *DN map* or *DtN map?*
A somewhat related question [Can I use abbreviations in the title of a research paper?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/7362/) considers only the title; I am more interested in the rest of the paper.<issue_comment>username_1: If the term is sufficiently long and sufficiently frequently used, it is reasonable to use abbrevations, as it may be very helpful for reading. I once reviewed a paper that was almost unreadable due to using some very long and complicated term all over the place (and I recommended introducing an abbrevation). For example, compare the following:
>
> Using a solver for partial differential equations to solve a problem after applying the Dirichlet-to-Neumann map was first suggested in Ref. 42.
>
>
> Using a PDE solver for a DtN-mapped problem was first suggested in Ref. 42.
>
>
>
However, you should explain the abbrevation the first time you are using it, e.g.:
>
> partial differential equation (PDE)
>
>
>
The only exception from this are abbrevations that are extremely common like *JPEG* or *Laser*, i.e., [abbrevations you could also use in the title of a paper](https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/7362/7734). Depending on your field, *PDE* might be such an abbrevation.
As a sidenote: I recommend to decide about the usage of abbrevations and explaining them in a piecewise manner. For example if you use a term as follows:
* once in section 1,
* not at all in section 2,
* a lot in section 3,
* not at all in section 4,
* a lot in section 5 and 6.
I recommend not to use or introduce the abbrevation in section 1, but only use it in sections 3, 5 and 6, introducing it when it’s first used in section 3 and 5, respectively. Depending on how likely it is that somebody reads section 6 without reading section 5, it may also be wise to introduce it again at the beginning of section 6.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: As a fellow mathematician, you can certainly use PDE without further explanation anywhere in the paper (title, abstract, body) but I would write "the DtN map (Dirichlet-to-Neumann)" in the first use and then DtN as suggested by the other answer. This is presuming you're submitting to a math journal.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: My personal rule is always explain the abbreviation first, even for stuff that is supposed to be "known". As mentioned in the comments, the same abbreviation can have several different meanings, even in the same general field.
Another issue is not to use several abbreviations in the same sentence, which is even worse if some of them are similar... the objective is to make the reader understand, not get him dizzy with so many letters :)
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: I use four factors to decide when an abbreviation should be used:
* **Is the "thing" known principally or exclusively by its abbreviation?** DNA, for example, is almost always called "DNA"; no one mentally expands it to deoxyribonucleic acid every time they encounter it. In cases like these, I would find it off-putting if you insisted on spelling it out; in fact, it even seems a little weird to define it as in "We extracted deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, by...." I suspect that PDEs are also treated similarly, at least for some audiences.
* **Do you want to draw attention to one component of the abbreviation?** If, for some reason, I were writing about the acidity of DNA or the partial-ness of PDEs, I would spell the words out. Otherwise, they can be abbreviated.
* **Do I want the reader to treat the term as a single entity?** Abbreviations tend to reify a concept. Mentioning rodents of unusual size makes one think about mice and rats that happen to be at the far ends of a bell curve: they're rodents, but rather large (or small) ones. If we call them [ROUSes](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RodentsOfUnusualSize) instead, then one begins to think about them as a separate thing. What are the properties of an ROUS? Why are they here? Why aren't they "normal" rats?
* **How often is the term used?** Each definition (and reference) of an abbreviation incurs a little bit of mental overhead. If you're only using the term occasionally, just write the words out (unless #1 applies). This is particularly true if the mentions are far apart. Pay attention to this when editing, since you may add or delete a lot of the mentions.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]
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2015/09/18
| 1,669
| 7,251
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<issue_start>username_0: (Context: theoretical computer science.)
I just received a review request; I have previously reviewed three previous versions of the same submission (twice for conferences, once for a journal), recommending rejection each time. For one of the conferences, there was discussion between reviewers and PC members; all reviewers agreed that the paper was “strong reject”.
Between each iteration, the paper has been lightly revised, but never addressing two fundamental problems: the novel content is very insubstantial, and the write-up contains substantial self-plagiarism.
The author(s) have/has extensive publication records, containing some genuinely significant work, but also a very large amount of repetition, often to the extent of self-plagiarism.
My current response is: accept to do the review (first letting the editor know that I have reviewed earlier versions and recommended rejection); then see what significant changes have been made, and if the major problems haven't been addressed, re-reject with essentially the same criticisms as before.
A generous referee might reasonably judge the work substantial enough for a third-tier conference, and not notice the self-plagiarism; so I guess the paper will probably strike it lucky and get published sooner or later. Is there anything else I can or should be doing to forestall this? Or should I accept that bad papers do get published, and that the damage the authors are causing to their reputation with referees/editors along the way is enough censure?<issue_comment>username_1: If it still doesn't cut it, reject, again. In your comments say that you saw the paper before, and have rejected it.
Let the editor know in more detail what you think.
That the paper has been lightly revised a dozen times doesn't make it good, according to what you state.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: This type of repeated submission of junk is something that I truly hate, but also don't know any good way of dealing with. The problem is that the same freedom that supports novel science also leaves room for this type of "publication-shopping." In essence: any more unified method of "disapproving" junk papers, to prevent them from wasting everybody's time, will also work against highly novel papers that are meeting resistance from entrenched communities---see, for example, [the decades-long fight <NAME> faced in getting her work on gene regulation accepted](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_McClintock#Rediscovery_of_McClintock.27s_controlling_elements).
We are thus left with the current and default system, in which each publication judges independently, and in which reviewers face frustrating situations like the one you describe. My recommendation, then, is simply to judge the paper on its merits, of which it has little. The biggest key strike is the self-plagiarism: once you've discovered that, the rest doesn't really matter, because self-plagiarism is an offense worth rejecting a paper over in and of itself.
I would recommend informing the editor, along with informing the editor about the history of the paper. They may then either judge whether to speedily reject the paper (and possibly initiate proceedings against the authors for the self-plagiarism), or whether to ask you to formally write this assessment as a review.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Your question raises two issues, one of which is merely annoying, but the other concerns a possible breach of ethics. I think it's helpful to consider those two issues separately.
Regarding the fact that the paper is of subpar quality, there is nothing you can or need to do other than to reject the paper. The author is within his/her rights to write a junk paper and submit it to as many journals or conferences as he or she wishes. If he/she eventually finds a venue that will accept it, that is probably not a reputable venue and no one will pay it any attention, so I don't see it as anything to lose sleep over.
The self-plagiarism issue is more serious. From your question it sounds like you are starting to ask yourself whether additional action is warranted beyond merely rejecting the paper, on account of what you perceive as unethical behavior by the paper's author. Indeed, I can see that being the case based on your description, though it's hard to know for sure without knowing the extent of the self-plagiarism. One natural idea in this case is to contact someone from the author's institution (department chair, colleagues, ethics committee...) to alert them of his/her behavior. A complication here is that as a reviewer you are likely bound by confidentiality to the journals that asked you to do the reviews. (Although arguably the unethical behavior may be cause for rescinding that promise of confidentiality, but that's a tricky argument that I would try to refrain from making.) So, if I were considering such a step I would first of all contact the editors of all four journals/conferences, tell them what I am contemplating doing and explicitly ask their permission to contact the author's institution.
Alternatively, if you prefer not to get so involved in the story by taking such action (which would possibly involve you losing your anonymity and making yourself an enemy, who despite being in an unproductive stage of his/her career may still exert some influence over your field), you can email the four editors together, tell them the details of the story and put in their hands the decision whether to contact the author's institution or take further action. Of course, they may decide to do nothing.
Finally, I'll add that the sort of self-plagiarism you're describing sounds more pathetic than outrageous to me, and would probably be perceived by most people as a minor ethical infraction at worst. Trying to do something to prevent such behavior may be more trouble than it's worth, but that's for you to decide.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: You could do the following; review the paper and make the review available on-line on [Publons](http://www.publons.com). This would also allow for a discussion where also the author could share her/his point of view.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_5: I don't think you should review it. Tell the editor that you have seen it 3 times before and each time you recommended reject and paper was. But don't spend your time on this thing once more. It's not up to you to set yourself up as some gatekeeper of all science.
If you were reviewing, sure hit the reject button. But you shouldn't be spending your time looking at the thing four times. If it gets in the literature, so be it. Again it is not your job to worry about things so globally. Purge it from your consideration.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_6: Keep track of *one* key issue that needs to be handled before the paper can pass the reject / don't reject stage. When you get a new revision, you check if that one issue has been handled. If it is not handled, you reply "one of several issues leading to rejection was X. Since X has not been handled, the paper is again rejected and will be rejected until X is handled." This can most likely be done with minimal effort.
Upvotes: 0
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2015/09/18
| 743
| 3,426
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<issue_start>username_0: I am applying for a junior faculty position (i.e. tenure track assistant professor level) at a research-intensive US university this fall. As a part of the application process, the university asked for CV, cover letter, employment application letter, a list of referees at the initial phase. Now they have contacted me again and asked to submit three reference letters, a teaching statement, and a research plan via email in order to complete my application. Most interestingly for the reference letters, I have been given the options of having my references email them directly or I can forward them their letters. I can do whichever is more convenient to me. My concern is with the second option. If I ask my referees to send their letters to me, I can see what they are writing about me. Will they feel secured in such a way? Please advise how I should proceed in this regard.<issue_comment>username_1: You should ask your references to send the letters directly to the hiring committee. Your references will be more candid in letters that you have not seen and this will increase the credibility of the letters in the eyes of committee members.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: The best way is you send your latest updates to the referees and request them to look into the updates before sensding the recommendation letters. Though sometimes many applications ask for open recommendation letters where the referee send/gives the recommendation letter to the applicant and the applicant finally attached them to the application, but your case is different to it. So have faith in your referees that they have given good recommendations for you.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Before electronic applications, it was not uncommon to give reference letters to the applicant in a sealed envelope with a signature on the back across the seal. The idea is if you do not trust the person you are writing a letter for, you probably should not be writing the letter. The sealed letter lets the hiring/admissions committee know it is confidential. There were/are also reference forwarding services.
That said, it is best if the letter writer forwards the letter directly. For the few old timers, they can print the letter and stick in an envelope. I have not been given, or given, a stamped and addressed envelope for a reference letter in a long time.
The one advantage of collecting the letters yourself, is you know they are submitted. This can be overcome by following up with the letter writers to make sure they have submitted the letter.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: I know different places have different customs, and especially when people leave a position, they will often get reference letters to take with them so their former boss does not need to continue writing references ( rather lazy... in some cases I know people were even asked to write the letter themselves...)
If the University asks for you to choose one or the other... I'd go with having the referees send them directly. A direct reference is more reliable (because it can be more candid and you'll never know) but I suspect they probably allow the indirect one because some people will just have the letters and don't want to or cannot ask another favour of the referee.
Meaning: I'd regard the "you can send it yourself" option as a fallback only, for cases where the other one does not work.
Upvotes: 2
|
2015/09/18
| 635
| 2,620
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am submitting a revised manuscript to an Elsevier journal. However, English is my second language and I am confused about the meaning of "Date Revision Due"!
The journal editorial system indicates "Sep 19, 2015" as Date Revision Due. Please tell me should I submit the revised manuscript before "Sep 18,2015 11:59 PM" or "Sep 19,2015 11:59 PM"?!
I guess the local timezone of the journal should also be considered. In addition, Can I submit the revised manuscript by automatic editorial system even if I miss this deadline?<issue_comment>username_1: Unlike conferences, a journal's "date due" is rarely quite so precise a moment; this is because papers are all being dealt with asynchronously, on an as-arrived basis, rather than as a massive batch of hundreds all arriving near-simultaneously as for a big engineering conference.
Most journals will be comfortable with you submitting a little late if necessary (though there are some that will automatically discard your paper if you don't hit their deadline). Thus, rather than fretting about time-zones, I would recommend that if you are worried about a last-minute submission, you instead email the handling editor and ask for a short extension.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Date revision due means the you should submit your revised manuscript by that date and time. However in case you think you could not submit, then you can always request the editor at least 3-4 days before to make an extension for a week or two.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: In all cases I know, submission dates mean "on that date", not "before that date". This means it's the 19th of September, 23:59, the publisher's local time.
...and if you think it's getting tight, you should be able to nicely ask for an extension:
This is not a conference or similar, where the server will stop accepting submissions at midnight. This is usually done to limit the number of abstracts that organizers have to sift through. If your article is already accepted for publication, they won't discard it because you submitted the revision half a day late.
That said: of course asking before things go awry is always better than saying nothing and submitting late.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: At the very bottom, they are doing you a favour publishing your paper. Don't make their job harder than absolutely necessary. I.e., try to submit on (or before) due date, or ask politely (with enough time beforehand!) for an extension. Or just submit your paper for the next issue (unless it is some special issue on your particular topic).
Upvotes: -1
|
2015/09/18
| 451
| 1,882
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am applying for Graduate Admissions to the Previous University where I graduated nearly 10 years ago.
Application says to send official copies of Transcripts from Previous University.
But I am applying to Previous University, shouldn't they have it?
Sure, I can upload photocopies of their transcripts (application process is online only), but what else do I need to do?
How do I address this in application?
How do I tell them "I am uploading copies of Transcript, but you already have official Transcript"
Thanks!
### Ok
I'll request official transcripts and return it back to them<issue_comment>username_1: As the comments say, you make the applications office job easier by getting them through the regular channels, and forward them as anybody else would do.
At least around here, the graduate admissions office is quite separate from undergraduate affairs, so it would be a significant hassle for them to ask for transcripts. They might even be pissed off enough to just file your application under "incomplete" in the round archive.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: In keeping with the tone of the existing answer and the comments:
**Just do what the application instructions say.**
*In the best case*, the university agrees that you do not need to send the transcript. You have saved yourself about 5 minutes of work.
*In the worst case*, your application is desk-rejected by an overzealous clerk. You never even find out why.
*In a plausible middle-of-the-road case*, you need to send some clarifying mails back and forth about why you haven't included the transcript. You initially saved 5 minutes of work, and then spent 30 minutes. Worse, somebody else *also* needs to spend some time on this.
Frankly, even writing this question probably already took longer than *just sending the transcripts*.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]
|
2015/09/19
| 947
| 4,159
|
<issue_start>username_0: I’m writing my master’s thesis about visual automated testing, which will be summarized to paper.
In my *theoretical study,* I reference other people’s work, papers and study about this topic. Meanwhile, there are some new commercial products that have the same functionality as my research project and they provide a 30-day free trail.
Now my questions are:
* Should I reference those commercial products too in my theoretical study or should I just ignore them?
* If I reference them, do I have to add a comparison of results between those products and my implementation in my *practical study?*
* There are no publications on the commercial product I found. So could I publish a paper on my work and if yes, should I ignore those methods?<issue_comment>username_1: I am not familiar with your area but I do not see a problem here. Basically about every book you reference is not for free anyway. Much of the laboratory tools used in natural science are neither for free.
If it is necessary that your experiments be reproduced then the facility will provide the means to the researchers to do so. Science has never been "for free" and research can cost quite a lot of money.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: You can totally reference non-free software in your work. The licence under which it is released has no impact on the technical and scientific merit of its algorithms and features. The only issue is that it is harder to know exactly what the system does if the code is not open, and that it will be harder (and probably more expensive) to reproduce any research based on it.
There are a lot of papers out there (often coming from private-sector reserachers rather than from academics, but still) which are exclusively focused on industrial products under proprietary licence. What is important is what is said about them, to which extent they are analysed, whether they are properly compared to other existing systems... Of course, it is easier to do that if you have inside knowledge of the product (i.e. you have participated to its design for instance), but it will remain difficult (not impossible) for the community to validate or refute your claims.
In a state of the art, if you know that a non-free system has a relevant feature, or solves a related problem, or contribute to the field, you just cannot ignore it, it would be a deep mistake, scientifically speaking (\*). However, it might be useful to take precautions about the verifiability of the system's claim.
For what it's worth, the software development attached to my PhD thesis relied on a proprietary framework. It's not ideal in my opinion, but it doesn't invalidate the corresponding research, as long as the choice is duly motivated (for instance, no other framework provides feature X).
(\*) "Listen to me: someone who doesn’t know the truth is just thick-headed. But someone who does know it and calls it a lie is a crook." (<NAME>, *Life of Galileo*, scene 9 - you want to be a researcher? This play is a must read).
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: I think you absolutely should mention the found products in your thesis or papers. If you can compare them with your work this is even better!
To show that you know about these products is usually appreciated and gives you a higher competence. When you do not mention them it might be interpreted that you either a) don't know the market and state of the art
or b) you try to make yourself appear smarter than you are by hiding/lie about competitors. It is likely that there are people in the reviewers or audience that know the other products so that this issue comes up sooner or later. It is always better to include discussion of your competitors (esp. in computer science), even if you were at the end of long work and find out last minute that there is something available very similar to your work. To lie or conceal the competitors does not improve your work and if this becomes known it will give you a very bad reputation (for good reason).
So write about what you found. I also don't see any problems for scientific publication.
Upvotes: 2
|
2015/09/19
| 757
| 3,002
|
<issue_start>username_0: I plan to apply for a tenured position at school B.
I am currently on sabbatical at my school, school A, for the fall semester of 2015. According to the rules of school A, I have to stay with school A for the whole year of 2016 (I heard that this is the case for most universities: you have to stay for at least six months or one year after you receive a sabbatical).
Therefore, if I get an offer from school B, the earliest time I could start working would be the spring of 2017. School B is hiring for the tenured position starting in September of 2016. And I am afraid that school B will not have openings in future after this hiring.
So my question is: Should I apply to the position at school B and telling them: "I can only start working with you starting the spring of 2017"? Also, if I say this, will it affect my chance of getting the job? Or, would it be the case that I will not be considered and I should simply apply for academic jobs that advertise a start date of September of 2017?<issue_comment>username_1: In the light my limited experience, if I was in your position, I would apply normally to school B and, if I get the position, ask them to defer my integration until the spring of 2017. If they accept (which they apparently tend to do), all is good. If they don't, then you cannot accept the position, but there was no clean way for you to get it anyway. This strategy does not affect your chances of getting the job *in theory*, since you already have the position when you ask for deferral. Of course, if the selection committee is aware of your situation, they might ask for your intentions during the selection process and your (honest) answer could impact the outcome. However, it would only be a sooner way to know whether the defferal is possible for them or not.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Your sabbatical time may be able to be "bought out."
If you leave your job after your sabbatical, the school may just want reimbursement for your salary. It is possible that the new school will be willing to pay that in order to hire you.
One case of this happening, I believe, was when [<NAME>](http://matt-welsh.blogspot.com/) left Harvard after getting tenure (although he left for a company).
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Personally, I would apply, but making the situation perfectly clear from the go. It might hurt your application, but it is better than to be interpreted as malicious by your potential future colleagues... Not the best way to start anything...
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: I would apply and not even mention this until it became a problem. You may not be interviewed, and you may not be offered the job even if you are interviewed. Cross that bridge when you come to it. I also doubt that the school would litigate against you, so, while it might create some bad feelings if you left, you'd be tenured at a place you were happier with, and that's what matters.
Upvotes: 1
|
2015/09/19
| 283
| 1,233
|
<issue_start>username_0: A paper contains three theorems. After submitting the paper, the author finds out that one of their theorems was already published by someone else with stronger result. Although their result is not as strong, the author’s method is much simpler.
They have two choices:
1. Keep the theorem and mention the result already done, and state that the method in current paper is simpler.
2. Just drop the theorem from the paper, and keep 2 theorems instead.
Given that they have already submitted the paper, the author just has to wait for referee's report. So their choice will come after the decision of the referee.
**What would be the best choice?**<issue_comment>username_1: Choice 1 seems pretty clear. It is honest about prior work (existing theorem) and the contribution (new proof).
You could also inform the editor that you have found a theorem that someone else has done, but that you believe your proof to be novel. This will allow the editor to better judge your work.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_2: Whenever you can, include the reference and specifically explain the differences of both approaches, including the shortcomings of your method. It is a related work after all :)
Upvotes: 2
|
2015/09/19
| 436
| 1,877
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am applying to two graduate programs in the same University (Electrical Engineering and Financial Engineering).
One of the required documents is the latest resume.
In the past, when I applied for jobs, I would tailor my resume to fit the job description and skills they require, and include only relevant accomplishments.
Now that I am applying to two different programs in the same University, should I
1. Write two separate resumes to tailor to each program, i.e. one for Electrical, one for Finance
2. Write identical resumes, because two resumes may be compared.
And the application is 100% online, if that is relevant.<issue_comment>username_1: I don't think the resumes will be compared. Because all the applications along with its documents always go directly to the respective departments. Moreover, in any case the materials of your CV will never vary greatly. So you can make two different resumes for two different programs as they fit to the program.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Write different resumes.
They will probably both end up in your file with the larger university, but that does not mean they will be compared -- each department will only see the resume you sent to it, and the larger university doesn't care.
Even if someone *were* to look at both, as long as there are no obvious factual discrepancies (e.g. one resume says you were working at BigEngineeringCo in 2012 and the other says you were working at BigFinanceCo in 2012), the normal process of shifting emphasis to present yourself favorably given the context won't bother anyone anyway.
When I read applications to the grad program I teach for, I absolutely look for relevant, apropos experience on applicants' resumes, so removing any of that for the sake of a single resume would damage your application in my eyes.
Upvotes: 2
|
2015/09/19
| 654
| 2,947
|
<issue_start>username_0: I once read that, for example, there are statistical techniques that are applied in social sciences that also are applied for Computer Science and other fields, for example: sampling, hypothesis testing, and so on. I was wondering if there are some statistical specific techniques that are used in the field of Computer Science and related to topics like information systems, software engineering and so on.
I know that there is the field of Computational Statistics, but that is more related to the development of algorithms for statistics, so it is somewhat different.<issue_comment>username_1: There is nothing special about statistical methods used in computer science compared to statistical methods in other fields. Once a technique has been developed, it can move freely from field to field as people find use for it.
There *are* techniques that happened to be developed first in computer science, due to the specific applications that drove their development, just as there are specific techniques that happened to be developed first in other fields. Places that you are likely to encounter such techniques include generally "machine learning" and "big data," but again, there is nothing particularly special about those fields, it's just that they happen to be dealing with large masses of data and data-centric problems that tend to drive development of new techniques.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Actually, statistics employed in computer science can be used in nearly any real life problems. This is so since computers were created at first to address them.
But there is a statistical measure that is known as a good practice when measuring accuracy of a proposed model. It's called the F score or F1 score.
>
> F score = 2PR/(P+R)
>
>
>
where
>
> Precision, P = #true positives / #predicted positives
>
>
> Recall, R = #true positives / #actual positives
>
>
>
The F (or F1) score is used in places like machine learning where prediction of an event is required. Predicted positives are those in which the event is predicted to occur.
True positives relate to the number of instances predicted correctly.
Actual positives are the total instances of the concerned event. This event may be an event of cancer in healthcare, defect manufacture, success in gene splicing, etc.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: Although statistical techniques are fundamentally the same, specific approaches to the use of statistics in experimental analysis of algorithms or more broadly in the analysis of computer systems performance (including aspects of hardware, networks, etc.) are an important topic. A couple of references to look at include:
<NAME>. A Guide To Experimental Algorithmics. Cambridge University Press, 2012.
<NAME>. The Art of Computer Systems Performance Analysis: Techniques for Experimental Design, Measurement, Simulation, and Modeling. Wiley, 1991.
Upvotes: 2
|
2015/09/19
| 1,538
| 6,150
|
<issue_start>username_0: The application season is coming, and I'm going to spam the mailbox of every professors.
OK, just kidding, but not completely untrue. Of course I will do my homework. As Anonymous said, it is fine to contact a professor if you are:
>
> asking detailed questions about the professor's research, or questions about the research group **beyond what you can discover on the Internet**
>
>
>
Does that mean that I need to spend time to dig into their papers (actually beyond the internet), or just reading the descriptions in their website is enough? I mean, sure, just like asking questions in SE, the more detail you give, the more likely you get the answer. But I cannot only concentrate on some particular professors, I need to increase the chance of being accepted by, erm, spamming other ones. One PhD student says that he had to contact **17** professors in order to find the **best** for him (good fund, good research, etc). I think contacting 17 professors, with all emails are careful prepared and worth to reply, will drain my energy soon.
Not to mentioned that in the email setting, you don't have to be obligated. If the email require you to spend a lot of energy to answer it, and if you are super busy, you will likely to ignore it. This will waste my effort.
**Q**: So, how likely is a professor to ignore an email even when the sender does their homework? How many professors should I contact in order to find the best one? And how much effort should I spend for a professor?
Also, there is a probability that after I read some papers of the professor,
* the paper is easily to follow, that I don't have any question. How should I email in this case?
* the paper is hard to follow, and I meet my limit of knowledge. Is this the gold chance for me to ask, or should I self-teach me this? This could be a trivial question, and asking it may bother them, increasing the chance to be ignored. Especially that I want to switch my field (a little bit).
Anonymous' comment on [Is it unwise to contact the professor directly before getting admitted to a program in US?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/54499/is-it-unwise-to-contact-the-professor-directly-before-getting-admitted-to-a-prog/54557#comment125594_54503)
Related: [How to contact professors for PhD vacancies?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/924/14341)<issue_comment>username_1: >
> Does that mean that I need to spend time to dig into their papers (actually beyond the internet), or just reading the descriptions in their website is enough?
>
>
>
I strongly suggest you at least look over 2 to 3 *recent*, *important* papers of this professor. Not only will this allow you to write a mail that has a higher chance of being taken seriously, it will also inform you whether *this kind of research is actually what you want to be doing for the next few years*. This will indeed take time, but frankly, you should be willing to spend one or two hours to look over the work of a professor that you consider working with for your PhD. You don't need to read their papers end to end. Just figure out what research problems they work on, what methods they use, and so on.
>
> I cannot only concentrate on some particular professors, I need to increase the chance of being accepted by, erm, spamming other ones.
>
>
>
Here's the thing: for me, if your mail **even remotely** looks like you have been spamming professors with applications, your mail moves directly to my "Will never be answered" mailbox. Seriously. I have a keyboard shortcut for that. I assume similar things are also true for most other people in PI-y positions. **Avoid spamming people at all costs**.
**Edit:**
I will answer Ooker's follow-up questions here as they seem related enough to me.
>
> "How likely is a professor to ignore an email even when the sender does their homework?"
>
>
>
Very likely. Cold mailing somebody about a position is always a long shot. The difference between doing your homework and spamming, from personal experience, is that the former has a small chance of success while the second seems completely pointless to me.
>
> "How many professors should I contact in order to find the best one?"
>
>
>
I am not sure I understand. Given that your success rate with cold mails will be very small anyway, you (a) need to have a fallback plan anyway (this can't be your primary strategy to get into grad school, right?), and (b) it seems rather unlikely that you will have multiple offers that you then need to choose from.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: As usual, you are trying to optimize the *form* of your application rather than the *content*.
**First you should have well-developed research interests.** Those research interests will naturally suggest papers for you to read. Those papers will naturally suggest further research problems for you to think about. You will naturally have several ideas about how to pursue those future research problems. Most of those ideas will be bad, but you'll quickly discard the *obviously* bad ones. Despite your best efforts, you'll get stuck on others.
At this point, it would be natural for you to contact the authors of those papers (or of similar papers), briefly discuss your ideas, and ask for further suggestions. And, oh right, by the way, you are also applying to their PhD program; do they think they might have any openings? But the important thing is to contact them **as a potential research colleague**, not just someone looking for admission or funding.
If you don't have a specific **research** question, don't bother to write. If your email to me contains only the titles of three of my recent papers and a few other buzzwords, I'll just delete it. But if you've thought seriously about and can write cogently about the kinds of problems I work on, I'm much more likely to take notice and respond.
Unless you have both *extremely* broad research interests, no other time commitments, and no need to sleep, you will not find 17 professors who share your specific research interests. Maybe three or four at most.
Upvotes: 4
|
2015/09/20
| 1,517
| 5,879
|
<issue_start>username_0: I'm a junior faculty in a reasonably good UK university. It seems to me that the non-research workload is quite high, and more than I would wish/expected for.
I have two courses per year. Which is okay. And then there's some admin work.
* **Question 1**: Is this a fair amount of workload? How would you characterize a standard amount of non-research oriented workload?
Further comments: I feel also that the admin concerning everything in the UK is very high in comparison to other higher education systems in the world.
For example, two courses and some admin seems fair, but the amount of bureaucracy and effort made in each of these tasks is overwhelming, in comparison to other places I've seen.
* **Question 2**: Is my impression that UK has a high non-research related
workload correct? Or do most standard faculty members have quite
high non-research related workload? How would you compare it country
wise?<issue_comment>username_1: That's like nothing.
In Pakistan people have a course load of three courses per semester (6 in a year) in addition to administrative duties and publishing. You don't get a TA. The number of students may range from 50 -100 per class.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: In my UK institution the expectation (at lecturer level, on the "balanced" role - neither teaching nor research specialized) is that the research/teaching/admin split is 40/40/20 %. How this splits into actual hours worked is a different matter.
The question, of course, is how much of the "teaching" or "research" percentage is "admin to support" teaching or research. My impression is that (in comparison the the US or Germany, which are the only other places I have limited experience of) the bulk of this admin is done directly by the lecturers in the UK, not by TAs or administrators.
As an explicit comparison, I will be responsible for 3 courses this year and will teach on 5, and will also do various PG training. Over the course of the year I expect this to fit within 40% of my time.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: Many universities, including those in the UK and US, talk about the split between research, teaching and admin. A split of time of 40% research, 40% teaching, and 20% service is not atypical at an R1 university (e.g., UK Russel Group). Some schools might go as low 20% on teaching and others might go as high as 80%. Some schools allow you to "buy out" of teaching with grant income and give teaching releases to new faculty.
In the UK, the work year consists of about 1800 hours (37.5 hours per week times 48 weeks a year). With a 40% teaching load, you should be doing 720 hours of "teaching". Teaching obviously consists of more than just standing in front of students lecturing. My UK university developed a work load model to capture our teaching. We were credited with time for supervising undergraduate final year project students, our mandated office hours, marking, tutorials, and lecturing. For every hour of tutorial and lecture, we are given either 4 or 8 hours of prep time depending on if it is new teaching or not.
For my school, a standard load includes providing 15 hours of "teaching and prep" for each of 6 project students, 10 hours of first year tutorials, and 10 hours of second year tutorials, and 40 hours for office hours for a total of 230 hours. Over the course of the year we typically have to mark 400 essays and 100 lab reports at 0.25 and 0.5 hours each. This brings our "teaching" outside of regular classes to 380 hours. This means we need to provide about 68 classroom hours a year or 3.4 hours of teaching time every week of term time. Depending on what you mean by two course a year, in the UK that could very well equal 3.4 hours every week.
Our workload model tries to capture admin work in a very superficial way. We get credit for attending faculty meetings, away days, and department seminars, but do not get any "prep" time. Committees are banded based on expected number of hours spent. Some drastically underestimate the load and others are about right.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: For the comparison with other countries, at French universities, lecturers and professors (which are both tenured position) have to teach 192 hours exercices classes/practicals or 128 lecture hours (or more generally a mix of both with 1 lecture hour counting for 1.5 exercice/lab hour) per year. Additional hours are payed and are not mandatory, but remain very common.
These are classroom hours and do not include preparation, marking, final project supervision or marking, teaching-related administration, etc. which are mandatory.
So, by French standard, 65 classroom hours per year are very light.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: I am a CS lecturer at a UK university. Officially I have an even teaching/admin vs research split, but
I spend my time teaching, marking, tutoring, supervising, writing reports, making assessments, and making assessments of assessments (moderation). Haven't done any assessments of assessments of assessments yet but I won't be surprised when the day comes.
Senior staff told me things didn't use to be like that.
The uni put a workload model in place. I designed a new module, the workload model grants 7h per hour of lecture. This is 14h/week for a 2h lecture to figure out what you want to teach, search literature, provide study material, create around 50 slides, create demos, labs and homework, and set up everything on the learning system. Altogether it takes me around 60h, I doubt anyone can do it in 14h.
The workload model tends to underestimate the time required for a task.
I really need to work evenings and weekends to progress on the research side and actually write grants. I've heard similar complaints from colleagues, so I don't think it's just me being too slow.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]
|
2015/09/20
| 1,743
| 7,584
|
<issue_start>username_0: Some time ago I switched departments within the same institution. Before leaving I had an idea of a paper and started to work on it. I shared my thoughts on it with my then-coworkers and they praised it. So now, after I settled things in a new department, I continued to work on that paper and completed it. Before submitting anywhere, I decided to look for a new papers relevant to my work.
To my surprise, I have found a paper with my idea (implemented in a somewhat narrower sense) by several of my previous coworkers, with whom I have discussed it. Without my name on the paper of course. The paper was published a few month after I left, so they probably started to work on it immediately after I left.
Most (if not all) conversations were done verbally, so I don't have any proof that I am the original author, and I also don't know any authority that I can go to and explain the issue.
What bothers me is if I publish the paper now (even in a broadened version of it) it would look suspicious to an external observer, as if we (together with ex-coworkers) are trying to overuse and multiply a single result or even worse that I'm plagiarizing over their work. As we are in the same institution and had previously coauthored some works, nobody will believe similar papers are a coincidence or a an independent inventions. (And they would be right. It's not.) I think that in the worst case it can destroy my reputation and career, or maybe it's a non-issue and I'm worrying too much.
I can see several possible extensions and further research paths to the paper. But if I'll try to develop these ideas and publish an advanced version of the paper, there is no guarantee that they aren't doing the same. They could even had already submitted them somewhere. And if I submit my version, the reviewers may reject it because of its similarity to theirs. This again can be devastating to me.
What options I have, as I see it:
1. Pretend I don't know about their work, and publish mine as fully original, without citing them. Even if it's still a more general view on the subject and I know I'm the original author, it doesn't seem ethical to me. And we're still in the same institution, what make things worse.
2. Do more research, make more advanced paper and cite them accordingly. But they may even have submitted an advanced version somewhere. I can't be sure if I'm overlapping with them or not.
3. Change the field of study completely to not overlap with them in the future. Seems to be an overreaction.
4. Change the institution and then publish. Will it help? I'd still be their co-author-in-the-past. Seems not to be a solution at all.
5. Mention them in the acknowledgements. Thank them for praising my work, and cite them through a footnote. After all, what acknowledgements are for if not to thank your colleagues? But I doubt any editor will let it pass.
**TL;DR** Several of my ex-coworkers rushed to publish my ideas as their own while I was working on these ideas. I worry that my future publications on the theme would overlap with theirs and be considered a plagiarism.
So what should I do? Am I right that my wrong actions could possibly damage my reputation and career?
**UPD.** Thank you for your answers, I see that I have to cite the paper by the old department researchers (still not sure how: through a regular citation or a footnote in the acknowledgements), but I'm not really convinced and just want to be sure that I would not get into any (more) trouble if I'll continue to do research on the topic (especially in the case when editor/reviewers will get similar papers from different people with the same affiliation). Maybe someone has had such an experience as a reviewer?<issue_comment>username_1: Option 2 is the right one. Do more research that builds on the ideas, advance the field more, and publish that, citing the first paper appropriately. Maybe they're also doing further work and advancing the field and will publish that too. If so, great! That's how science works. People publish papers and then they and/or others continue building on it.
While the authors of the first paper could have included you in the acknowledgements, the fact that you had talked about ideas with them isn't necessarily enough to warrant authorship and you certainly can't make the statement that "I am *the* original author." Unless you're accusing them of plagarism, one of the main points of free exchange of ideas within academia is so that somebody can build on those ideas and develop them out into a publication.
Imagine going to a conference and discussing ideas with people (incl. those from other institutions) and then somebody takes one of those ideas back and does all the work that's needed to develop it into a formal research contribution. They publish it, great. Then you read the paper in a venue for your field and build on the work, citing it and extending it further. That's basically how it's supposed to work.
>
> nobody will believe similar papers are a coincidence or a an independent inventions. (And they would be right. It's not.) I think that in the worst case it can destroy my reputation and career. Or maybe it's a non-issue and I'm worrying too much.
>
>
>
Yes, I think you're worrying too much. It's fine that you had some conversations with colleagues exchanging ideas, and then cited a paper they published, in your own new extensions of the work. It is even possible for you to have extensions that are similar to extensions they may be now independently developing. If your colleagues did a good job of making the path forward from the last paper clear (to an expert in your field), it wouldn't even be that surprising if one or more others were doing a similar extension elsewhere. Credit your colleagues' publication and move the work on.
If you're concerned about duplicating efforts in expanding the work, you could consider whether or not you want to formally collaborate with your former colleagues on doing that expansion. Maybe they just figured you weren't interested or didn't have time when you left, but would appreciate having you on the team for further work (if they're still working on it); it seems they like the ideas you have to offer.
It's also possible they don't even know that you feel offended, especially if they're under the impression that these ideas were generally percolating in the department for a while before they actually did the work for that paper. They may have discussed the ideas with other people in advance, who are in a similar position to yours, some of whom may still be in the department, and some of whom may just feel happy that somebody actually did that work. It'll be your decision about whether you perceive enough of a breach of trust to prevent future collaboration or not.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: I have experienced a similar situation, however with the important difference, that I could proove others plagiarizing me by various written drafts that dated back to before others came out with the idea.
Nevertheless I could proove the idea to be mine, it was not the same as if there were no other publications on this subject.
But maybe you could do the following:
Neither pretend to not know of their work nor mention them in the aknowledgements but continue self-confident and try to find some nuances where you can broaden it without doing a lot more research.
This would raise your work above the work of the others and gives the clear impression that you do know more on that subject.
Upvotes: -1
|
2015/09/20
| 2,767
| 11,555
|
<issue_start>username_0: We're currently interviewing candidates at my company and I'd like to verify if some of them really have the academic degrees they claim. One in particular claims a doctoral degree from a German university.
I've contacted the university, and the dean wrote back saying that they could not provide this information without the written consent of the individual.
I found this policy rather odd; I would have thought that the granting of a doctoral degree was public information. Is this normal? Is there anything else I can do to find out?
I obtained from the library a copy of the thesis in question but it was in German. I also found through Google [a spreadsheet](http://www.ifw.uni-hannover.de/fileadmin/IFW/04_Forschung/Dissertationen.xls) which appears to be a list of dissertations published by that university, but it is unclear whether these are doctoral dissertations or not. The person in question and his dissertation are in that list.<issue_comment>username_1: You could ask the candidate to provide written consent for the university to verify his degree. If he refuses to allow verification of his CV, then he's probably not someone you want to hire, regardless of whether his doctoral degree is legitimate or not.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_2: Instead of asking for a written consent, as suggested by @AnonymousMathematician, I would recommend to make providing a *proof of academic credentials* a part of **required documents** for a job application. That way you will *transfer the burden* of supporting an application to an applicant, which makes sense by definition and also will save you time and effort. This approach will also reduce the time for an application, since typically graduates are already in possession of proof of their academic credentials, furnished by their educational institution. The proof usually comes in a form of a *diploma* and/or an *official academic transcript* and, perhaps, an *official conferral letter*.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: When you get an academic degree from a German university, you usually get two official certificates. One (labeled *Urkunde*) is official proof that you hold the degree but does not include a grade. The other (labeled *Zeugnis*) is official proof of your grade but (according to some bureaucrats, though I suspect they just like to make life difficult) not of the degree. I think for doctoral degrees it is common that these two documents are combined into one, which is then also labeled *Urkunde*, or in this case *Promotionsurkunde*, but includes the grade. The grade for doctoral degrees is still often in Latin, in which case the best grade is typically *summa cum laude*, followed by *magna cum laude*.
A normal practice to make sure applicants actually hold the degrees they claim to hold is to ask for *photocopies* of their degree certificates *along with the application*. This timing makes it less awkward to ask for proof. Also, faking a certificate, even if it's only a fake photocopy, is a more serious offence than just lying about a degree, and at that point the reward of this more serious fraud isn't even certain yet. It is also possible to ask for a certified photocopy. I am not sure why this is done; maybe it repels a few more liars.
German universities are in fact not allowed to hand out any data about their faculty and (former) students. I would consider the spreadsheet linked above a weak form of corroboration. Weak because it looks more like someone's personal effort than an official list. (Even two dissertation titles are missing.)
Of course, technically even an authentic doctoral certificate is not proof that the holder of the certificate really holds the degree. There might have been a subsequent revocation for plagiarism.
One factor that may lead to even competent people committing fraud is the requirement of thesis publication. Once all other requirements have been satisfied, people usually get a warning that they are not allowed to use their degree before publication of the dissertation. As far as I know this is done quite consistently because even with the warning it does happen occasionally. Of course this is less of an issue nowadays, as the publication is often done electronically.
(I earlier wrote that standard practice was to hand out the certificate before publication. Some people protested, and I must agree that what I wrote was obviously wrong. It doesn't make sense for universities to hand out proof of something that is not true yet, and they don't do it. Sorry.)
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: In Germany "dissertation" is **always** the path to a *Doktor* grade which is equivalent to the PhD. The dissertation must be published in Germany (which is one expensive part if done in paper), so it is publicly available.
The dissertation can be and was often written in German, so no surprise. Because of the prevalence of English in the natural sciences, English dissertations are more and more common in this fields. It is also normal that Germany has extremely strict privacy.
To your question: Yes, he has a doctor/PhD degree.
In the general case:
a) Look out for the title of the dissertation and the university in the CV. If this information is missing, request it. Once you have this information (and there is no reason to refuse it), look up if the "university" is in fact a diploma mill or something suspicious ("The Great University of Melanesia").
b) Look up the dissertation which should be publicly available and google for the instituition. Mills and unsavory institutes will be found easily because they are advertising their "services". Contact the university which will likely provide you with the information if the candidate has the given grade (for other countries).
c) If you are savvy in your field and you can understand the dissertation, you could ask what the candidate has found out in the dissertation. Even for a diploma (Master) I could roughly describe what I did (do not expect formulas from me). This will expose people who used a ghostwriter (there are many politicians in Germany who were forced to resign after it was exposed that they "bought" their grade).
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_5: In Germany, a strict requirement for doctoral degrees is publishing your thesis. These are called *Dissertation;* master theses or similar are not. This is the final step of acquiring the degree.
Nowadays this publication can be online (in which case it should be easily findable), but at the very least should be contained in the university’s library. The library in turn should have an online catalogue allowing you to search for works by your candidate and see whether one of them (usually the only one) is categorised as *Dissertation, doctoral thesis, Doktorarbeit* or similar.
In your particular case, the library maintains a search engine for theses since 2005 and has lists of theses since 1997, both can be found [here](http://www.tib.uni-hannover.de/en/search-literature/dissertations.html).
I can imagine that some libraries will tell you over the phone whether they have a thesis by a certain person – this is not private information, as we are talking about a published document and everybody could obtain this information by physically visiting the library.
Getting a thesis listed in those records without actually having a doctoral degree should at the very least require more skill than forging certificates and should be the best proof you can get without asking permission from the candidate to verify the degree. The only exception would be if the candidate lost his PhD, which is however extremely rare and often connected to public attention and also often causes the PhD thesis to be retracted. In any case, also ask for a certificate of all qualifications, as it makes it easier to sue the candidate if it should be forged.
Finally be aware that failing to find a thesis in such a list may have other causes than the person not having a degree. In that case you need to ask the candidate.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_6: To expand on previous answers:
In this particular case, the Institute in question provides a list of all PhD theses (Doktorarbeiten/Dissertationen) on their webpage:
<http://www.ifw.uni-hannover.de/ifw-dissertationen.html>
In Germany it is indeed common to prove your degree via a sheet of paper the university gives you and not by people calling up the university.
But shouldn't it be obvious from the references (you did get an academic reference, no ?) if the candidate has a PhD ?
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_7: >
> I found this policy rather odd; I would have thought that the granting
> of a doctoral degree was public information. Is this normal?
>
>
>
[Answer](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/54683/how-can-i-find-out-if-someone-really-holds-a-doctoral-degree?noredirect=1#comment126156_54683):
>
> nothing requires a university to release this information upon request
> to anyone who asks, and in practice, many universities will require
> consent (and maybe a fee) in order to release it.
>
>
>
Meaning, they do it for money, which while is a hassle for you, is brilliant on their part.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_8: "We're currently interviewing candidates at my company and I'd like to verify if some of them really have the academic degrees they claim."
*Have the applicant provide a scan of his diploma.*
"I've contacted the university, and the dean wrote back saying that they could not provide this information without the written consent of the individual. I found this policy rather odd."
*It's normal. It's not their business to meet your requests. Plus who cares what you find odd--there are probably many parts of the world that don't make sense to you--tough.*
"I obtained from the library a copy of the thesis in question but it was in German."
*Sounds pretty good to me. Can't you skim it? English and German are rather similar. Does it have any figures? Plus it's just sitting there--you think the library filed a fraudulent copy? How would that change if in English? If you really want to be a sooper detective, just get a few pages translated. But honestly...this seems odd (on your end).*
"I also found through Google a spreadsheet which appears to be a list of dissertations published by that university, but it is unclear whether these are doctoral dissertations or not. The person in question and his dissertation are in that list."
*Sounds good. How certain do you need to be? First you have the assertion of the applicant (which should count for a lot--many places would just take that), then you have all these other positive indicators. But if you want more, have the kid scan his diploma. But really, your level of suspicion is "odd". If I were an applicant and you showed me this behavior, I would reject you and move on to other opportunities.*
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_9: Agreed, it sounds fishy. But standards varying the way they do, not just between countries but also within them, I would not set much stock by the title as far as presumably implied competence is concerned - you always need to assess that independently.
However, even if you are satisfied that the candidate will be able to do the job, you still do not want someone who would fib on their CV. Oh no.
I would find someone who speaks German (well, actually *I* would not have to) and is also competent in the field and ask them what they make of it.
Upvotes: -1
|
2015/09/20
| 975
| 4,131
|
<issue_start>username_0: Our team had a paper recently published in *Energy and Buildings*, and one of us (not the main author) received last week an email from someone claiming to be an editor with Springer.
According to this email, the editor was "impressed" with our paper and invites us to write or edit a book.
I have a nagging feeling that this is one of thousands of similar random emails sent to the authors of published papers. How can I know if this is a legitimate email, and whether it would be worth the effort? The email address comes from a `springer.com` domain, so it's probably not a random spammer.<issue_comment>username_1: Book editors sometimes send unsolicited e-mails to people who write well on topics that can attract an audience, so this could well be legitimate. There are a lot of scams, but generally from publishers you've never heard of. On the other hand, there's no reason to think these signs of initial interest will necessarily lead to an actual contract. If it interests you, it can't hurt to look into it. If it doesn't interest you, you can safely send a very brief reply or even ignore the e-mail.
Whether it's a legitimate e-mail shouldn't be too hard to figure out. If there's a return address from springer.com and someone claiming to be this editor responds to e-mail sent there, then it's probably legitimate (although in principle it could be a rogue employee or a hacker inside Springer's network or yours). If the e-mail asks you to get in touch in some unconventional way, such as a private e-mail address, then it's probably not legitimate.
Whether it's worth the effort depends on the circumstances. Springer publishes some truly excellent and important books, as well as others that are mediocre at best. Whether publishing with them is a good idea depends on your career plans and book ideas, as well as what you think of the contract they offer and their publishing practices. You should take a look at what else they have published recently in your area, as well as what has been published in series handled by this editor.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Perhaps this will be an unpopular sentiment, but I think that you might do well to consider whether this email is a scam of a sort **even if** it comes from the real Springer publishing company.
Suppose you write this book for Springer. How many copies would it sell? How much will Springer charge for it? Given the answers to these questions, will you make any money? (*Short answer: any royalties you do receive will not remotely compensate you for your time.*)
So what is your interest in writing such a book? Presumably, getting your ideas out there to the world. This brings me back to the first questions. What does Springer charge for an academic monograph? You might start [at their shop website](http://www.springer.com/shop?referer=springer.com) to get a sense of what they charge for similar works. (*Short answer: usually >$100 for anything I want, and let's not even get started on the handbooks. Some of these sell for thousands of dollars--for a book!!!*) So given these prices, how many copies do you think you will sell? (This is a perfectly fair question to ask the editor who contacted you, but be sure to ask for hard data about comparable books, not an off-the-cuff guestimate.) Are university libraries the primary market, or do they sell an appreciable number of copies to private individuals? How many university libraries have enough money left over from their Springer (and Elsevier, and Wiley, etc) subscriptions that they would buy this monograph. (*Conjecture: probably only double figures in the US*).
So now imagine that you write this book. Suppose it takes you a year of work (*hint: this is a massive underestimate*) and you receive close to zero financial compensation. Copies end up in at most a few hundred academic libraries around the world. **Was this an efficient way to get your ideas out?** Or is this not so very different from any of the other predatory publishers spamming academic authors in hopes of capitalizing on our naivite?
Upvotes: 2
|
2015/09/20
| 380
| 1,630
|
<issue_start>username_0: I got a rejection after one review cycle, with a comment that reviewer comments are useful and will help you in submission to another journal. Can I ask the editor's opinion on which journal to target?<issue_comment>username_1: Sometimes a referee or editor will offer an unsolicited suggestion. When that doesn't happen, asking for suggestions would be unconventional. As an editor, if an established professional asked me for suggestions, I'd be a little annoyed (they should be able to figure that out themselves), and I'd give a terse reply like "Sorry, I'm not sure what the best place for your paper would be." If a beginning researcher asked me, or anyone dealing with a truly unusual situation, I would try to be more helpful. The response you get may depend on the editor, but the worst case scenario is probably annoying the editor a little and getting no reply. (I don't think there's any risk of dreadfully offending anyone, assuming you don't press the editor further if he/she doesn't reply or seems impatient.) I would ask the editor only if you don't have any mentors you could ask, but in that case it could be worth a try.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: They are telling you "this isn't good enough for our journal". They will be *very* reluctant (for professional courtesy if nothing else) to give a list of "lesser" (or "better, for that matter) journals in their area. Perhaps in a informal conversation in an aisle somewhere, never in writing.
They might suggest some if the problem is that the paper is out of scope, but that is not your case as I understand it.
Upvotes: 3
|
2015/09/21
| 551
| 2,392
|
<issue_start>username_0: **Background:** This summer I was the instructor for a course in which many of my students were in high school, and were enrolled in my course as part of a 'pre-college' program at my university. This was a regular course, in no way modified for the pre-college students, and there were undergraduates enrolled simultaneously in the course.
I agreed to write a letter of recommendation for a few of the pre-college students for their university applications. The students' high schools seem to have differing levels of involvement in their college applications. One of them said their school is managing their application, and that I should send my letter of recommendation to the school who will then put it in their applications. I'd prefer to keep my part of their application separate, since I'm not affiliated with their school and don't want to run the risk of my letter being edited.
**Question:** Should I refuse to submit a letter to their high school?<issue_comment>username_1: Sometimes a referee or editor will offer an unsolicited suggestion. When that doesn't happen, asking for suggestions would be unconventional. As an editor, if an established professional asked me for suggestions, I'd be a little annoyed (they should be able to figure that out themselves), and I'd give a terse reply like "Sorry, I'm not sure what the best place for your paper would be." If a beginning researcher asked me, or anyone dealing with a truly unusual situation, I would try to be more helpful. The response you get may depend on the editor, but the worst case scenario is probably annoying the editor a little and getting no reply. (I don't think there's any risk of dreadfully offending anyone, assuming you don't press the editor further if he/she doesn't reply or seems impatient.) I would ask the editor only if you don't have any mentors you could ask, but in that case it could be worth a try.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: They are telling you "this isn't good enough for our journal". They will be *very* reluctant (for professional courtesy if nothing else) to give a list of "lesser" (or "better, for that matter) journals in their area. Perhaps in a informal conversation in an aisle somewhere, never in writing.
They might suggest some if the problem is that the paper is out of scope, but that is not your case as I understand it.
Upvotes: 3
|
2015/09/21
| 1,097
| 4,900
|
<issue_start>username_0: How many references on average are typical for a PhD Thesis?
More specifically, I'm looking for a comparison of the average number of references for an engineering PhD thesis and PhD theses in other fields.
I'm looking for references or data on the subject.<issue_comment>username_1: As alluded to in the comments, there is no generic "right" answer: the number will depend strongly on the nature of your thesis, the state of the literature related to it, and your personal scholastic style. Nevertheless, in the spirit of engineering approximations, I will supply you with some rough guidelines.
* As a lower bound, I would be startled if it was possible to place most theses within the context of pre-existing work in less than about 20 references. In certain contexts such as an obscure corner of pure mathematics perhaps this might be possible, but in most cases work does not take place in a vacuum, and other people will have either used similar techniques or cared about similar problems in the past.
* As an upper bound, I would be concerned with a thesis with on the order of 200 or more references that the student hasn't been doing enough work on their own original research and has been investing too much time and energy in building a literature review, rather than a thesis. Again, there will likely be cases where a thesis with an extremely high number of references would be reasonable, but these are likely to be unusual.
Notice the extremely wide range and suspiciously round numbers in my estimates: really there is no "right" answer for how many there should be in *general*, but perhaps these will help with some initial first impressions in one's thinking.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: In essence, the number should be small enough to prove that the major composition of your thesis is your own work, yet large enough to satisfy the committee during your thesis defence.
As first stated, there is no actual upper or lower bound *per se*. But required number of items to be referred is more of a *hidden factor* that is highly dependant on your doctoral committee. Thus it would be best to consult your advisor and, if permitted so, members of your doctoral doctoral committee. In addition to that, you ought to look through some PhD dissertation accomplished by others in your field to get a good idea of the *average* number if that is what you really want.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: A quick look at the mostly Mechanical Engineering theses I have on my computer at the moment gives an average of just over 100 references, with a range of approximately 80-150.
I haven't been able to find any quantifiable data but I feel this is about right. Some people will have significantly more and a few less.
I also suspect there is significant variations between subjects with arts and social sciences having significantly more references and more theoretical subjects having slightly less.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: For me, I think that the use of references should not limit the creativity of the Doctorat candidate. Rather, they should be that springboard that get them produce more than what they get as intake. Numerically, I expect to have each single reference to be equated with two pages of the candidate's work as a maximum. This would mean that a dissertation of 300 pages should not have used more than150 references. The number wil' vary according g to the length of the dissertation. The higher the number of references, the more limited the originality of the work and the poorer the creativity displayed.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_5: It really depends on the subject. Imagine you are writing a thesis on three complex inter-related medical conditions and you include a well-sustained hypothesis for further study. It would not be very hard to reach 300 or more citations.
You know that people reading your work will not be specialists on the three subjects at the same time, so you have to provide a good and comprehensive introduction on each subject, so that everyone can understand the results and discussions. This alone can take 200 or more references, some of them will be used in the discussion.
Now imagine that two of these medical conditions have recent definitions and guidelines that are completely different from those from two years ago, and you have to contrast results with papers using the old guidelines, as well as some few papers that use the new guidelines. Now you have to explain both guidelines and in which way they differ from each other.
Furthermore, the pathophysiologic models for the interaction between these conditions are complex and comprise systemic, organic, cellular, molecular levels, and you have to explain some of them in order to establish your hypothesis.
This is where I'm headed... around 320 references and counting...
Upvotes: 0
|
2015/09/21
| 9,319
| 28,520
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am looking for a reputable free tool to export results of a keyword search on Google Scholar to Microsoft Word or Excel.
I am in the process of assembling a reading list for systematic literature review. In Google Scholar, I get 276 results for my keyword search. I need to perform and record two culls firstly on title, then on abstract reading, leaving myself with a potential reading list.
I would like to do this in Excel or Word, if possible. I found an article in the Search Engine Journal, recommending "SEO PowerSuite", but the article is from 2009 and my antivirus software is recommending not running the downloaded executable.
I am very new to research, so *could you point me in the right direction of discovering and using reputable free tools that would allow me to export my Google Scholar keyword search results?*<issue_comment>username_1: Perhaps, some SEO tools can perform that task, but I am not too familiar with them. What I can suggest, though, is to use *Web scraping* for your purposes. However, note that going this route requires solid programming skills as well as decent amount time for testing and debugging.
Since you asked on *Academia.SE*, I assume that there is a relatively high probability that you are comfortable with computer programming. If you can work with **Python**, there is a scraping library [BeautifulSoup](http://www.crummy.com/software/BeautifulSoup). If you can work with **R**, there is a variety of approaches that can be used. For example, `rvest` package by <NAME>. See [this blog post](http://blog.rstudio.org/2014/11/24/rvest-easy-web-scraping-with-r) for details and examples.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Check out [Publish or Perish](http://www.harzing.com/pop.htm). You can run keyword queries on Google Scholar from there, and export the results to .csv, which you can later open from Excel
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: I do not know a tool for that, but I suggest the following, having Excel in Windows:
1. Write your queries (keywords) in the A column in a sheet of the document
2. Hit `Alt`+`F11` to open Vba editor, then click with the mouse right button on the left panel in VBAProject, then, insert module.
3. Copy and paste the code (see below) in the module blank space.
4. Go to the "Tools" menu, "references", and select: Microsoft Internet controls, Microsoft HTML object library AND Microsoft VBscripts Regular Expressions 5.5. Use `Ctrl`+`G` to open progress window.
5. Put the cursor in the code after `Sub...`, click on the play button up in the module (code) window or hit `F5` to run it.
6. It is recommendend to open Internet Explorer before running (can be closed again) or use `Browser.Visible = True` the first time you use it.
An option to get doi numbers was added, look for the button after searching.
```
'Go to the Tools menu, references, and select Microsoft Internet controls,
'Microsoft HTML object library AND Microsoft VBscripts Regular Expressions 5.5.
Public t As Range ' variables used in several subs
Public btn As Button
Public myproxy As Variant
Public Function Ceiling(ByVal X As Double, Optional ByVal Factor As Double = 1) As Double
Ceiling = (Int(X / Factor) - (X / Factor - Int(X / Factor) > 0)) * Factor
End Function
Sub scholargooglegetresults() '
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Call main
' IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT
' CLICK THE PLAY BUTTON HAVING CURSOR here AND YOUR QUERIES ON COLUMN A
Application.SendKeys "%{F11}"
ActiveWindow.Zoom = 60
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
Range("D4").Select
End Sub
Sub main()
Dim Browser As InternetExplorer
Dim Document As IHTMLDocument
Dim DElements As IHTMLElementCollection
Dim DElement As IHTMLElement
Dim DElements2 As IHTMLElementCollection
Dim DElement2 As IHTMLElement
Dim DElements3 As IHTMLElementCollection
Dim DElement3 As IHTMLElement
Dim strIn As String
Dim objRegex2 As Object
Dim myValue As Variant
Dim crange As Range
Dim arr
Dim arraya(), a As Long
Set Browser = New InternetExplorer
Browser.Visible = False ' <- Browser visibility
ActiveSheet.Buttons.Delete
lastRow = Range("A" & Rows.Count).End(xlUp).Row
myValue = InputBox("Consider it takes approx 2 sec per result (cite), 100 cites = 200 secs", "How many results per query ?", 1)
If StrPtr(myValue) = False Then
MsgBox ("Alt F11 to show vba editor!")
Exit Sub
End If
If IsNumeric(myValue) = False Then
MsgBox ("Please fill a number!")
Exit Sub
Else
myNumber = Ceiling(myValue / 10) * 10
Application.SendKeys "%{F11}"
timeest = (myNumber * lastRow * 2.2) '
MsgBox ("Click ok and wait approx. " & timeest & " seconds!, you will see this sheet again filled"), 0, ("Click ok and be patient")
End If
ActiveSheet.Columns(3).ClearContents
Range("C10") = 0
Range("C10").Select
Selection.DataSeries Rowcol:=xlColumns, Type:=xlLinear, Date:=xlDay, _
Step:=10, Stop:=myValue - 1, Trend:=False
lastrow2 = ActiveSheet.Cells(Rows.Count, "C").End(xlUp).Row
ActiveSheet.Range("C10:C" & lastrow2).Select
If Selection.Cells.Count > 1 Then
arr = Join(Application.Transpose(Selection.Value), ",")
Range("C9") = arr
For a = 0 To UBound(Split(arr, ","))
ReDim Preserve arraya(a)
arraya(a) = CInt(Split(arr, ",")(a))
Next a
Else
arr = 0
ReDim Preserve arraya(a)
arraya(a) = arr
End If
c = 1
k = 6
Cells(1, k - 2).EntireColumn.ColumnWidth = 20
Cells(1, k - 1).EntireColumn.ColumnWidth = 20
Cells(1, k + 1).EntireColumn.ColumnWidth = 20
Cells(1, k).EntireColumn.ColumnWidth = 25
Cells(1, k + 2).EntireColumn.ColumnWidth = 20
Cells(1, k + 3).EntireColumn.ColumnWidth = 20
Cells(1, k + 4).EntireColumn.ColumnWidth = 75
Cells(1, k + 5).EntireColumn.ColumnWidth = 75
Cells(1, k + 6).EntireColumn.ColumnWidth = 25
Cells(1, k + 7).EntireColumn.ColumnWidth = 25
Cells(1, 1).EntireColumn.ColumnWidth = 21 ' changing width of columns to visualize better
Cells(1, 2).EntireColumn.ColumnWidth = 25
For i = 1 To lastRow ' for every of your queries in column A
j = 0
Url = "https://scholar.google.com"
Browser.navigate Url
Do While Browser.Busy And Not Browser.readyState = READYSTATE_COMPLETE
DoEvents
Loop
Set Document = Browser.Document
'Application.Wait (Now + TimeValue("0:00:07")) 'was 7
Application.Wait (Now + TimeSerial(0, 0, WorksheetFunction.RandBetween(15, 25)))
Document.all.q.Value = Cells(i, 1)
Do While Browser.Busy And Not Browser.readyState = READYSTATE_COMPLETE
DoEvents
Loop
Set Elements = Document.getElementsByTagName("button")
For Each Element In Elements
If Element.Type = "submit" Then
Element.Click
Exit For
End If
Next Element
Do While Browser.Busy And Not Browser.readyState = READYSTATE_COMPLETE
DoEvents
Loop
For a = LBound(arraya) To UBound(arraya)
Debug.Print arraya(a) + 10 & " Results obtained for: "" " & Cells(i, 1) & " "" Wait please "
Set Elements = Document.getElementsByClassName("gs_btnPR gs_in_ib gs_btn_half")
For Each Element In Elements
If Element.Type = "button" Then
Element.Click
Exit For
End If
Application.Wait (Now + TimeSerial(0, 0, WorksheetFunction.RandBetween(15, 25)))
Next Element
Do While Browser.Busy And Not Browser.readyState = READYSTATE_COMPLETE
DoEvents
Loop
Application.Wait (Now + TimeSerial(0, 0, WorksheetFunction.RandBetween(15, 25)))
Set DElements = Document.getElementById("gs_res_ccl_mid").getElementsByClassName("gs_r gs_or gs_scl") ' gsri
If DElements.Length = 0 Then
Exit For
End If
For Each DElement In DElements
c = c + 1 '+ '((myNumber) * (i - 1)) ' number of row with author and year
j = j + 1 '+ (myNumber * i - 1) ' result number
On Error Resume Next
Set DElements2 = DElement.getElementsByTagName("div")
For Each DElement2 In DElements2
If DElement2.className = "gs_a" Then
Cells(c, k + 1) = DElement2.innerText 'author year
Cells(c, k + 2).FormulaR1C1 = "=IF(ISNUMBER(VALUE(IFERROR(MID(RC[-1], FIND(""19"",RC[-1]), 4),"""")))=TRUE,IF(VALUE(IFERROR(MID(RC[-1], FIND(""19"",RC[-1]), 4),""""))>=1900,IFERROR(MID(RC[-1], FIND(""19"",RC[-1]), 4),""""),IF(ISNUMBER(VALUE(IFERROR(MID(RC[-1], FIND(""20"",RC[-1]), 4),"""")))=TRUE,IF(VALUE(IFERROR(MID(RC[-1], FIND(""20"",RC[-1]), 4),""""))>=2000,IFERROR(MID(RC[-1], FIND(""20"",RC[-1]), 4),""""),""year not detected""),""year not detected"")),IF(ISNUMBER(VALUE(IFERROR(MID(RC[-1], FIND(""20"",RC[-1]), 4),"""")))=TRUE,IF(VALUE(IFERROR(MID(RC[-1], FIND(""20"",RC[-1]), 4),""""))>=2000,IFERROR(MID(RC[-1], FIND(""20"",RC[-1]), 4),""""),""year not detected""),""year not detected""))" ' formula to get year from string
Cells(c, k + 2).Value = Cells(c, k + 2).Value ' eliminate formula, leave year as number
Cells(c, k - 2) = Cells(i, 1).Value ' search
Cells(c, k - 1) = j ' result number
Cells(c, k + 3).FormulaR1C1 = "=RIGHT(LEFT(RC[-2],FIND("" "",RC[-2],(FIND("" "",RC[-2],1))+1)-1),(FIND("" "",RC[-2],(FIND("" "",RC[-2],1))+1)-FIND("" "",RC[-2],1))-1)" ' "=RIGHT(RC[-2],SEARCH("" "",RC[-2])-1)" 'concatenate(RC[+1],R[+1]C[+1],R[+2]C[+1],R[+3]C[+1],R[+4]C[+1])"
' ElseIf DElement2.className = "gs_md_wp gs_ttss" Then
ElseIf DElement2.className = "gs_ggs gs_fl" Then ' gs_ggs gs_fl
Set link = DElement2.getElementsByTagName("a")(0)
Cells(c, k + 6) = link.href ' link to pdf
Set link = Null
ElseIf DElement2.className = "gs_rs" Then ' text big
Cells(c, k + 5) = DElement2.innerText
End If
Next
Set DElements3 = DElement.getElementsByTagName("h3")
For Each DElement3 In DElements3
If DElement3.className = "gs_rt" Then
Cells(c, k + 4) = DElement3.innerText
strIn = Cells(c, k + 4).Text
Set objRegex2 = CreateObject("vbscript.regexp")
With objRegex2
.Global = True
.Pattern = "\[\w*\]\s?"
If .test(strIn) Then
Cells(c, k + 4).Value = .Replace(strIn, vbNullString) ' eliminate [HTML] [PDF] strings
End If
End With
Set link = DElement3.getElementsByTagName("a")(0)
Cells(c, k + 7) = link.href
Set link = Null
End If
Next ' DElement3
Next 'DElement
Next ' for url
Next
Set Document = Nothing
Set Browser = Nothing
Cells(1, 2) = "Each time each type of sort button is clicked, changes from Ascending to Descending" ' additional help
Cells(2, 2) = "PDF and IExplorer Issues:"
Cells(3, 2) = "https://www.itsupportguides.com/windows-7/adobe-pdfs-wont-open-in-internet-explorer/"
Cells(4, 2) = "https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/epm-support-acrobat-products.html"
Cells(8, 2) = "https://gen.lib.rus.ec"
Cells(9, 2) = "Search dois in crossref (wait 1.5 seconds per ref)"
Cells(10, 2) = "Use dois to get .bib refs,"
Cells(11, 2) = "as in:"
Cells(12, 2) = "http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1781672/convert-bibliographic-references-from-a-document-into-bibtex-or-endnote/39820830#39820830"
Cells(13, 2) = "Beggining in step 4."
Range("A1").Resize(Cells.Find(what:="*", SearchOrder:=xlRows, _
SearchDirection:=xlPrevious, LookIn:=xlValues).Row, _
Cells.Find(what:="*", SearchOrder:=xlByColumns, _
SearchDirection:=xlPrevious, LookIn:=xlValues).Column).Select ' selecting all to wrap text
With Selection
.WrapText = True
End With
With ActiveSheet
Range("B1").Select
lastrow3 = ActiveSheet.Cells(Rows.Count, "B").End(xlUp).Row
ActiveSheet.Range("B1:B" & lastrow3).Select
For Each xCell In Selection
If InStr(1, xCell.Value, "http") > 0 Then
ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add anchor:=xCell, Address:=xCell.Value
End If
Next xCell
End With
Call research
Call header
End Sub
Sub header() ' create headers in first row
lastRow = Range("A" & Rows.Count).End(xlUp).Row
k = 6 '7 * i - 2 ' k refers to column corresponding to i - your query
Cells(1, k) = "Order by your notes" ' main column title (button text)
Cells(1, k - 2) = "your search" ' year column title (button text)
Cells(1, k - 1) = "Button to Reset to original ordering" ' main column title (button text)
Cells(1, k + 1) = "Authors, year, editor" ' year column title (button text)
Cells(1, k + 2) = " Button - use to order by YEAR" ' year column title (button text)
Cells(1, k + 3) = "First author" ' year column title (button text)
Cells(1, k + 4) = "Title" ' year column title (button text)
Cells(1, k + 5) = "text" ' year column title (button text)
Cells(1, k + 6) = " Link 1" ' year column title (button text)
Cells(1, k + 7) = " Link 2" ' year column title (button text)
Cells(1, k + 9) = " dois, after using crossref button" ' year column title (button text)
Range(Cells(1, 3), Cells(1, 3)).EntireColumn.Hidden = True 'cells in "C" used for ordering purposes hidden
Range("A1").Resize(Cells.Find(what:="*", SearchOrder:=xlRows, _
SearchDirection:=xlPrevious, LookIn:=xlValues).Row, _
Cells.Find(what:="*", SearchOrder:=xlByColumns, _
SearchDirection:=xlPrevious, LookIn:=xlValues).Column).Select ' selecting all to wrap text
With Selection
.WrapText = True
End With
Rows("2:2").Select ' to freeze top row
ActiveWindow.FreezePanes = True
' to Reset to original ordering" CREATING BUTTON
Set t = ActiveSheet.Cells(1, k - 1)
Set btn = ActiveSheet.Buttons.Add(t.Left + 5, t.Top + 5, t.Width - 7, t.Height - 7)
With btn
.OnAction = "sortbyscholarorder"
.Caption = Cells(1, k - 1).Value
.Name = "sortbyscholarorder" & 1 & k - 1
End With
' to dois " CREATING BUTTON
Set t = ActiveSheet.Cells(9, 2)
Set btn = ActiveSheet.Buttons.Add(t.Left + 5, t.Top + 5, t.Width - 7, t.Height - 7)
With btn
.OnAction = "cross"
.Caption = Cells(9, 2).Value
.Name = "cross" & 9 & 2
End With
' use to order by YEAR" CREATING BUTTON
Set t = ActiveSheet.Cells(1, k + 2)
Set btn = ActiveSheet.Buttons.Add(t.Left + 5, t.Top + 5, t.Width - 7, t.Height - 7)
With btn
.OnAction = "sortbyyear"
.Caption = Cells(1, k + 2).Value
.Name = "sortbyyear" & 1 & k + 2
End With
' order BY your notes
Set t = ActiveSheet.Cells(1, k)
Set btn = ActiveSheet.Buttons.Add(t.Left + 5, t.Top + 5, t.Width - 7, t.Height - 7)
With btn
.OnAction = "orderbynotes"
.Caption = Cells(1, k).Value
.Name = "orderbynotes" & 1 & k
End With
Set t = Cells(5, 2)
Set btn = ActiveSheet.Buttons.Add(t.Left + 2, t.Top + 2, t.Width - 2, t.Height - 2)
With btn
.OnAction = "modifylinks"
.Caption = "Add proxy, e.g. sci-hub"
.Name = "addproxy"
End With
Set t = Cells(6, 2)
Set btn = ActiveSheet.Buttons.Add(t.Left + 2, t.Top + 2, t.Width - 2, t.Height - 2)
With btn
.OnAction = "removeproxy"
.Caption = "remove proxy in links"
.Name = "removeproxybutton"
End With
With ActiveSheet
Range("L1").Resize(Cells.Find(what:="*", SearchOrder:=xlRows, _
SearchDirection:=xlPrevious, LookIn:=xlValues).Row, _
Cells.Find(what:="*", SearchOrder:=xlByColumns, _
SearchDirection:=xlPrevious, LookIn:=xlValues).Column).Select
For Each xCell In Selection ' transforming cell content with link info to working hyperlinks
If InStr(1, xCell.Text, "researchgate.net/profile") > 0 Then
ElseIf InStr(1, xCell.Value, "http") > 0 Then
ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add anchor:=xCell, Address:=xCell.Value
ElseIf InStr(1, xCell.Value, "ftp://") > 0 Then
ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add anchor:=xCell, Address:=xCell.Value
End If
Next xCell
End With
Range("A1").Select
End Sub
Sub ResetFilters()
On Error Resume Next
ActiveSheet.ShowAllData
End Sub
Sub sortbyyear() 'action taken by the sort by year button
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Call ResetFilters
Dim buttonrow As Long, buttonrange As Range, buttonrangeresized As Range
buttonrow = ActiveSheet.Buttons(Application.Caller).TopLeftCell.Row
buttoncolumn = ActiveSheet.Buttons(Application.Caller).TopLeftCell.Column
Set buttonrange = ActiveSheet.Range(Cells(buttonrow, buttoncolumn), Cells(buttonrow, buttoncolumn)) ' range with coordinates of clicked button
buttonrange.Select
Selection.Resize(1, 12).Select ' expand range to be sorted
Selection.Offset(0, -4).Select
Selection.EntireColumn.Select
Set buttonrangeresized = Selection
ActiveSheet.Buttons.Delete
If Cells(2, 3).Value Mod 2 = 0 Then
With buttonrangeresized
.Sort _
Key1:=Cells(buttonrow, buttoncolumn + 0), Order1:=xlAscending, header:= _
xlYes, Orientation:=xlTopToBottom, DataOption1:= _
xlSortTextAsNumbers, _
Key2:=Cells(buttonrow, buttoncolumn - 3), Order2:=xlAscending, header:= _
xlYes, Orientation:=xlTopToBottom, DataOption2:= _
xlSortTextAsNumbers, _
Key3:=Cells(buttonrow, buttoncolumn - 2), Order3:=xlAscending, header:= _
xlYes, Orientation:=xlTopToBottom, DataOption3:= _
xlSortTextAsNumbers
Cells(2, 3) = Cells(2, 3) + 1 ' cell C2 stores the number of clicks done
End With
Else ' if button is clicked odd number of times order is Descending
With buttonrangeresized
.Sort Key1:=Cells(buttonrow, buttoncolumn + 0), Order1:=xlDescending, header:= _
xlYes, Orientation:=xlTopToBottom, DataOption1:= _
xlSortTextAsNumbers, _
Key2:=Cells(buttonrow, buttoncolumn - 3), Order2:=xlAscending, header:= _
xlYes, Orientation:=xlTopToBottom, DataOption2:= _
xlSortTextAsNumbers, _
Key3:=Cells(buttonrow, buttoncolumn - 2), Order3:=xlAscending, header:= _
xlYes, Orientation:=xlTopToBottom, DataOption3:= _
xlSortTextAsNumbers
Cells(2, 3) = Cells(2, 3) + 1 ' cell C2 stores the number of clicks done
End With
End If
Call research '
Call header '
Exit Sub '
End Sub
Sub sortbyscholarorder()
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Call ResetFilters
Dim buttonrow As Long, buttonrange As Range, buttonrangeresized As Range
buttonrow = ActiveSheet.Buttons(Application.Caller).TopLeftCell.Row
buttoncolumn = ActiveSheet.Buttons(Application.Caller).TopLeftCell.Column
Set buttonrange = ActiveSheet.Range(Cells(buttonrow, buttoncolumn), Cells(buttonrow, buttoncolumn))
buttonrange.Select
k = 6
Selection.Resize(1, 12).Select
Selection.Offset(0, -1).Select
Selection.EntireColumn.Select
Set buttonrangeresized = Selection
ActiveSheet.Buttons.Delete
If Cells(5, 3).Value Mod 2 = 0 Then ' if button is clicked even number of times order is ascending
With buttonrangeresized
.Sort Key1:=Cells(buttonrow, buttoncolumn - 1), Order1:=xlAscending, header:= _
xlYes, Orientation:=xlTopToBottom, DataOption1:= _
xlSortTextAsNumbers, Key2:=Cells(buttonrow, buttoncolumn + 0), Order2:=xlAscending, header:= _
xlYes, Orientation:=xlTopToBottom, DataOption2:= _
xlSortTextAsNumbers, header:=xlYes
Cells(5, 3) = Cells(5, 3) + 1 ' number of clicks done
End With
Else ' if button is clicked odd number of times order is Descending
With buttonrangeresized
.Sort _
Key1:=Cells(buttonrow, buttoncolumn - 1), Order1:=xlDescending, header:= _
xlYes, Orientation:=xlTopToBottom, DataOption1:= _
xlSortTextAsNumbers, _
Key2:=Cells(buttonrow, buttoncolumn + 0), Order2:=xlAscending, header:= _
xlYes, Orientation:=xlTopToBottom, DataOption2:= _
xlSortTextAsNumbers, header:=xlYes '
Cells(5, 3) = Cells(5, 3) + 1 ' ' cell C1 stores the number of clicks done
End With
End If
Call research ' remake the researchgate buttons after sorting
Call header ' remake the header buttons
Exit Sub ' this is here to avoid getting the clicked button address when nothing is clicked
End Sub
Sub orderbynotes() 'action taken by the sort by your notes button
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Call ResetFilters
Dim buttonrow As Long, buttonrange As Range, buttonrangeresized As Range
buttonrow = ActiveSheet.Buttons(Application.Caller).TopLeftCell.Row
buttoncolumn = ActiveSheet.Buttons(Application.Caller).TopLeftCell.Column
Set buttonrange = ActiveSheet.Range(Cells(buttonrow, buttoncolumn), Cells(buttonrow, buttoncolumn))
buttonrange.Select
Selection.Resize(1, 12).Select
Selection.Offset(0, -2).Select
Selection.EntireColumn.Select
Set buttonrangeresized = Selection
ActiveSheet.Buttons.Delete
If Cells(6, 3).Value Mod 2 = 0 Then
With buttonrangeresized
.Sort _
Key1:=Cells(buttonrow, buttoncolumn - 0), Order1:=xlAscending, header:= _
xlYes, Orientation:=xlTopToBottom, DataOption1:= _
xlSortTextAsNumbers, _
Key2:=Cells(buttonrow, buttoncolumn - 1), Order2:=xlAscending, header:= _
xlYes, Orientation:=xlTopToBottom, DataOption2:= _
xlSortTextAsNumbers, _
Key3:=Cells(buttonrow, buttoncolumn + 2), Order3:=xlAscending, header:= _
xlYes, Orientation:=xlTopToBottom, DataOption3:= _
xlSortTextAsNumbers
Cells(6, 3) = Cells(6, 3) + 1 ' number of clicks done
End With
Else ' if button is clicked odd number of times order is Descending
With buttonrangeresized
.Sort Key1:=Cells(buttonrow, buttoncolumn - 0), Order1:=xlDescending, header:= _
xlYes, Orientation:=xlTopToBottom, DataOption1:= _
xlSortTextAsNumbers, _
Key2:=Cells(buttonrow, buttoncolumn - 1), Order2:=xlAscending, header:= _
xlYes, Orientation:=xlTopToBottom, DataOption2:= _
xlSortTextAsNumbers, _
Key3:=Cells(buttonrow, buttoncolumn + 2), Order3:=xlAscending, header:= _
xlYes, Orientation:=xlTopToBottom, DataOption3:= _
xlSortTextAsNumbers
Cells(6, 3) = Cells(6, 3) + 1 ' cell C2 stores the number of clicks done
End With
End If
Call research '
Call header ' necessary to remake the header buttons
Exit Sub ' this is here to avoid getting the clicked button address when nothing is clicked
End Sub
Sub research() '
With ActiveSheet
Range("D1").Resize(Cells.Find(what:="*", SearchOrder:=xlRows, _
SearchDirection:=xlPrevious, LookIn:=xlValues).Row, _
Cells.Find(what:="*", SearchOrder:=xlByColumns, _
SearchDirection:=xlPrevious, LookIn:=xlValues).Column).Select
For Each xCell In Selection
If InStr(1, xCell.Text, "researchgate.net/profile") > 0 Then
Set btna = ActiveSheet.Buttons.Add(xCell.Left, xCell.Top, xCell.Width, xCell.Height)
With btna
.OnAction = "researchgatebutton"
.Caption = " OPEN RESEARCH GATE PDF LINK "
End With
End If
Next
End With
Range("A1").Select
End Sub
Sub researchgatebutton() '
Dim R As Range
Set R = ActiveSheet.Buttons(Application.Caller).TopLeftCell 'detect range (cell) of clicked button
R.Select
Set IE = CreateObject("Internetexplorer.Application")
IE.Visible = True
IE.navigate ActiveCell.Value
Exit Sub '
End Sub
Sub scihub() '
With ActiveSheet
Range("L1").Resize(Cells.Find(what:="*", SearchOrder:=xlRows, _
SearchDirection:=xlPrevious, LookIn:=xlValues).Row, _
Cells.Find(what:="*", SearchOrder:=xlByColumns, _
SearchDirection:=xlPrevious, LookIn:=xlValues).Column).Select
For Each xCell In Selection
If InStr(1, xCell.Text, ".sci-hub.") > 0 Then
Set btna = ActiveSheet.Buttons.Add(xCell.Left, xCell.Top, xCell.Width, xCell.Height)
With btna
.OnAction = "scihubbutton"
.Caption = " OPEN sci-hub PDF LINK " & Left(xCell.Text, 80) & " [truncated?]"
End With
End If
Next
End With
Range("A1").Select
End Sub
Sub scihubbutton() '
Dim R As Range
Set R = ActiveSheet.Buttons(Application.Caller).TopLeftCell '
R.Select
Set IE = CreateObject("Internetexplorer.Application")
IE.Visible = True
IE.navigate ActiveCell.Value
Exit Sub '
End Sub
Sub modifylinks()
If Cells(999, 3) = "" Then
myproxy = InputBox("Modify original URLs adding a proxy string? (If no, click Cancel)", _
"Which proxy do you use?", "sci-hub.tw")
If StrPtr(myproxy) = False Then
MsgBox ("Alt F11 to show vba editor!")
Application.SendKeys "%{F11}"
Exit Sub
End If
If myproxy = "" Then
MsgBox ("Alt F11 to show vba editor!")
Application.SendKeys "%{F11}"
Exit Sub
Else
Cells(999, 3) = myproxy
Call proxy
End If
Else
Call removeproxy
Call modifylinks
End If
End Sub
Sub proxy()
With ActiveSheet
Range("L1").Resize(Cells.Find(what:="*", SearchOrder:=xlRows, _
SearchDirection:=xlPrevious, LookIn:=xlValues).Row, _
Cells.Find(what:="*", SearchOrder:=xlByColumns, _
SearchDirection:=xlPrevious, LookIn:=xlValues).Column).Select
Dim lnk As Hyperlink, lnks As Hyperlinks
Set lnks = Selection.Hyperlinks
For i = 1 To lnks.Count
Set lnk = lnks(i)
If InStr(1, lnk.Range.Text, "researchgate") = 0 And _
InStr(1, lnk.Range.Text, "//") > 0 Then
strIn = lnk.Range.Text
Set objRegex3 = CreateObject("vbscript.regexp")
With objRegex3
.Global = False
.Pattern = "(https?:\/\/[A-Za-z0-9\.\-]+)(\/.*)"
If .test(strIn) Then
replacement = "$1." & myproxy & "$2"
lnk.Range.Value = .Replace(strIn, replacement)
ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add anchor:=lnk.Range, Address:=lnk.Range.Value
End If
End With
End If
Next
End With
Call scihub
Range("D4").Select
End Sub
Sub removeproxy()
If Cells(999, 3) = "" Then
Exit Sub
Else
With ActiveSheet
Range("L1").Resize(Cells.Find(what:="*", SearchOrder:=xlRows, _
SearchDirection:=xlPrevious, LookIn:=xlValues).Row, _
Cells.Find(what:="*", SearchOrder:=xlByColumns, _
SearchDirection:=xlPrevious, LookIn:=xlValues).Column).Select
Dim lnk As Hyperlink, lnks As Hyperlinks
Set lnks = Selection.Hyperlinks
For i = 1 To lnks.Count
Set lnk = lnks(i)
theproxy = Cells(999, 3).Value
If InStr(1, lnk.Range.Text, "researchgate") = 0 And _
InStr(1, lnk.Range.Text, theproxy) > 0 Then
correct = Replace(lnk.Range.Text, "." & theproxy, "", , 1)
lnk.Range.Value = correct
ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add anchor:=lnk.Range, Address:=lnk.Range.Value
End If
Next
End With
End If
Cells(999, 3) = ""
Range("D4").Select
Call DelButtons
Call research
Call header
End Sub
Sub DelButtons()
Dim btn As Shape
For Each btn In ActiveSheet.Shapes
If btn.AutoShapeType = msoShapeStyleMixed Then btn.Delete
Next
End Sub
Sub cross()
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Dim IE As SHDocVw.InternetExplorer
Dim Doc As MSHTML.HTMLDocument
Dim Elements As MSHTML.IHTMLElementCollection
Dim TDelements As MSHTML.IHTMLElementCollection
Dim elements2 As MSHTML.IHTMLElementCollection
Dim htmlInput As MSHTML.HTMLInputElement
Dim Element As IHTMLElement
Dim TDelement As IHTMLElement
Dim objButton As MSHTML.IHTMLFormElement
Dim R As Integer
Dim c As Integer
Dim sentence As Variant
Dim sentence2 As Variant
Dim cSearch
Dim cSearch2
Dim snumber As Integer
snumber = 1
R = 0
Application.SendKeys "%{F11}"
For Each sentence In ActiveSheet.Range("I2", Range("I2").End(xlDown))
snumber = snumber + 1
R = R + 1
cSearch = sentence
Debug.Print cSearch
cSearch2 = ActiveSheet.Range("J:J").Cells(0 + snumber)
Debug.Print cSearch2
cSearch3 = ActiveSheet.Range("H:H").Cells(0 + snumber) ' use for year
Debug.Print cSearch3
ActiveSheet.Range("N:N").Cells(0 + snumber).Value = "=BR" & snumber
ActiveSheet.Range("O:O").Cells(0 + snumber).Value = "=IF(ISERROR(REPLACE(RC[-1],1,FIND(""^^"",SUBSTITUTE(RC[-1],""/"",""^^"",3),1),""""))=TRUE,"""",REPLACE(RC[-1],1,FIND(""^^"",SUBSTITUTE(RC[-1],""/"",""^^"",3),1),""""))"
On Error Resume Next
Set IE = New SHDocVw.InternetExplorer
With IE
.Visible = False ' False
.navigate "http://www.crossref.org/guestquery"
Do Until Not .Busy And .readyState = 4
DoEvents
Loop
Set Elements = IE.Document.getElementsByTagName("Input")
For Each Element In Elements
If Element.Name = "auth" Then
Element.Value = cSearch
Exit For
End If
Next Element
Set elements2 = IE.Document.getElementsByTagName("Input")
For Each Element In Elements
If Element.Name = "atitle" Then
Element.Value = cSearch2
Exit For
End If
Next Element
'eliminate to not to use year
Set elements3 = IE.Document.getElementsByTagName("Input")
For Each Element In Elements
If Element.Name = "year" Then
Element.Value = cSearch3
Exit For
End If
Next Element
Do Until Not .Busy And .readyState = 4
DoEvents
Loop
Set Elements = IE.Document.getElementsByTagName("Input")
For Each Element In Elements
' If Element.Name = "article_title_search" Then ' use if not using year
If Element.Name = "view_records" Then ' use when using year
Element.Click
Exit For
End If
Next Element
Do Until Not .Busy And .readyState = 4
DoEvents
Loop
Set TDelements = IE.Document.getElementsByTagName("td")
c = 1
For Each TDelement In TDelements
ActiveSheet.Range("O1").Offset(R, c).Value = TDelement.innerText
c = c + 1
Next
ActiveSheet.Range("N:N").Cells(0 + snumber) = ActiveSheet.Range("N:N").Cells(0 + snumber).Value
ActiveSheet.Range("O:O").Cells(0 + snumber) = ActiveSheet.Range("O:O").Cells(0 + snumber).Value
End With
Next sentence
Range("P1").Resize(Cells.Find(what:="*", SearchOrder:=xlRows, _
SearchDirection:=xlPrevious, LookIn:=xlValues).Row, _
Cells.Find(what:="*", SearchOrder:=xlByColumns, _
SearchDirection:=xlPrevious, LookIn:=xlValues).Column).Select '
With Selection
.Clear
End With
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
Call header
Call ddd
Exit Sub
Application.SendKeys "%{F11}"
End Sub
Function Contains(objCollection As Object, strName As String) As Boolean
Dim o As Object
On Error Resume Next
Set o = objCollection(strName)
Contains = (Err.Number = 0)
Err.Clear
End Function
Sub ddd()
Cells.Select
ActiveSheet.Range("O:O").Select
Selection.Copy
If Contains(Sheets, "dois") = False Then
Sheets.Add.Name = "dois"
End If
Sheets("dois").Select
Range("A1").Select
Selection.PasteSpecial Paste:=xlPasteValues, Operation:=xlNone, SkipBlanks _
:=False, Transpose:=False
Application.CutCopyMode = False
ActiveWorkbook.SaveAs Filename:= _
"dois.csv", FileFormat:=xlCSV, _
CreateBackup:=False ' IMPORTANT
' GO TO BEGINNING, CLICK ON CODE AND CLICK THE PLAY BUTTON
End Sub
```
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/4sqIK.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/u0QRS.png)
Upvotes: 4
|
2015/09/21
| 1,206
| 5,143
|
<issue_start>username_0: It seems like journal publishers do not require credentials for proof of your affiliation and identity. There are many places where such credentials are important, but even the most popular journal publishers do not ask for them. Why is that so?<issue_comment>username_1: The crucial point is: Why would the author lie? Let's try some hypothetical answers:
1. **To bluff the editors and reviewers so that they think you're at a top place.** But reviewers will likely be from your field of study and realize that you lie. They would probably know it if you moved to a high-ranking institution.
2. **To make the paper look good in your CV.** This is a non-sense, you sell your affiliation in different ways than by listing them in your papers.
I can't think of any other reason. Given that the authors have no incentive to list a false affiliation, there is no reason to verify it.
Also, remember that some affiliations are very hard to verify, for instance if you stay somewhere for 6 months and want to list it as an affiliation, you possibly do not appear in any official lists.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: A journal is interested in whether the submitted article is,
* Appropriate in subject matter for that journal
* Of a suitable standard for that journal (as advised by reviewers)
In an ideal world, neither of these things is indicated by affiliation - so why should they care?
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: There are several answers here.
1. They quite probably already do so (eg if a claimed affiliation to a prestigious institution looks too good to be true, or unlikely given other information, or a reviewer says "hey, wait..."), but on an informal and ad-hoc basis, rather than doing it for the 99% of unremarkable cases.
2. They usually don't need to. Most submitters will provide an institutional email address, which is itself a fairly good indication that you are affiliated with that institution. (In the old days, you might have used letterhead - same sort of thing)
3. Beyond this, defining "credentials" would be complex. Would you need them to point to an institutional webpage with their name on? Submit a payslip? Produce a certificate of employment? (And what would you define as "counting" for affiliation?)
4. Finally (and most importantly) most of the publishing system is based on *trust*. The publisher trusts you to have actually carried out the experiments, and to have reported them honestly and comprehensively. They trust you not to have plagarised, or committed ethical breaches, or misrepresented other researchers. They may ask you to sign something to certify you've done all these things correctly, but they won't ask for evidence that someone else has verified you did them. If they're willing to take your word on the actual content of your science, why be particularly distrustful of your affiliation?
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: There are some examples of papers published under false names or pseudonyms. For example, [Student's t-distribution](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Student%27s_t-distribution#History_and_etymology). A possible scenario is a scientist working in a private institution which doesn't allow him to legally disclose his research. Just like books can be published under pen names, scientific articles can be written using pseudonyms (see [If I publish under a pseudonym, can I still take credit for my work?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/8603/6315)). If that's allowed, it makes no sense to check credentials, including affiliation.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: For the most part, your name and affiliation are not relevant to the content of a paper, which is what a journal is interested in. In the vast majority of cases an author would not have any incentive to lie about such things, so a journal would probably be willing to either take you at your word or only perform some basic checks, unless there were circumstances which aroused suspicion. The only incentive I can think of for an author to disguise their name or affiliation is if they wished to hide a conflict of interest or bad reputation, which I have seen happen. I expect it's pretty rare though.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_6: Because academia used to be about science, scholarship, and the advancement of learning and predominantly practiced by folk who would not dream of fibbing about such matters.
Because editors have busy lives and they are not the police and journals are not official organs of the state.
Because universities would only care if something controversial or harmful etc was unauthorisedly stated under their aegis - but they do not mind getting the credit for solid work.
Because if some third party does object (hey! someone has read my paper, or at least the author list!), the affiliation is easily checked with the uni (a quick call, a visit to a web site) and the matter resolved.
Because there are various entirely valid reasons for a person to be affiliated with the uni for the purposes of the paper, even when they are not (no longer, not yet) at that uni right now.
Upvotes: 0
|
2015/09/21
| 577
| 2,038
|
<issue_start>username_0: In citing a paper by myself and others in my thesis, suppose my surname is A and that I have a paper jointly with B and C. I want to cite it, and normally, I would write
>
> A, B, and C showed that this can be done [ABC15].
>
>
>
However, in my thesis, it feels more natural to say
>
> Together with B and C, we showed that this can be done [ABC15].
>
>
>
Which is better? Are there better options?
In other words, should I pretend that A is some random dude when it is in fact the author of the thesis the reader is currently reading?
*For context: This is a thesis in theoretical computer science/algorithmic graph theory/parameterized algorithms/complexity. I prefer to use "we" as is usual in mathematical texts.*<issue_comment>username_1: "I" and "We" are not very common in paper referencing, usually the best solution is using a passive form, i.e, "As was shown at [2]" or "As the authors have shown at [2]" or "In [2] the authors and others showed that...".
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Personally I feel (and I know that there are many who might disagree) that it is perfectly fine to use 'I' and 'we' here. I think that obsessively sticking to passive voice makes papers and theses less readable. After all, you did do the work. Why hide behind the passive voice? My suggestion would be to go with option 2:
>
> Together with B and C, we showed that this can be done [ABC15].
>
>
>
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: If all you are doing is asserting that "X can be done", then it is appropriate to cite your paper as if it was any other, using a variation of first pattern:
>
> [ABC15] demonstrated the feasibility of this method.
>
>
>
Notice that this is using an active voice.
If, instead, you wanted to build on an argument that you first and fully expressed in the previous article, then you would be justified using personal pronouns:
>
> As I have argued elsewhere [ABC15], the feasibility of this method can be verified experimentally.
>
>
>
Upvotes: 0
|
2015/09/21
| 1,148
| 4,944
|
<issue_start>username_0: In writing, there are many things one can do to make the text better.
Some basic rules of thumb include avoiding repetitions, avoiding passive voice, breaking down long and complicated sentences, or letting the reader think for themselves.
Do such rules also apply to scientific texts, and if not, why?
I can think of a few reasons why they may not.
For example, avoiding repetition may create confusion — it might not be immediately clear if the alternative term is just a synonym, or if it is different and in what way.
Moreover, using more advanced devices (or, for that matter, sophisticated vocabulary) could be problematic even for native speakers.
Surely we need to make the text as accessible and clear as possible, but it would be great if it were also enjoyable to read.
Where lies the right balance?<issue_comment>username_1: Keep in mind that the goals of a nice fictional book are *not at all the same* as of an academic paper or a thesis. The former is primarily about entertaining or stimulating the reader. The latter is about providing a certain information (the research result) in the clearest way possible.
The *"many things one can do to make the text better"* that you mention are geared towards making the text easier to read and less of a chore. While this is certainly also valuable for an academic text, being "easy to read" is ultimately a nice-to-have, while clarity and non-ambiguity are absolutely essential. If you keep in mind that clarity absolutely should not be compromised, you will get an impression why academic texts are written the way they are:
>
> avoiding repetitions
>
>
>
As you say yourself - if you strive for clearness, having multiple names for the same thing is not good at all.
>
> avoiding passive voice
>
>
>
Academic texts tend to prefer passive voice mostly because the "story" of an academic paper isn't about the writer, it is about the effect that is observed / described. Writing the paper like you are telling your mother what you did the lest 5 years would put the emphasis on you and your experiments, rather than the data and the observed effects.
>
> breaking down long and complicated sentences
>
>
>
Yes, do that. Even in academic texts. It's just not easy for those of us that don't have English as first language. In German, for instance, you are taught from very early age on that short sentences "sound stupid". This is hard to unlearn.
>
> letting the reader to think for themselves
>
>
>
You will *never* want to "let the reader think for himself" in a paper. It's not a piece of art. You want to present the facts and what derives from them as clearly as possible, not write your paper in a fluffy way so that every reader can come to the conclusions that are most suitable to her/him.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I think many writing rules will be different for every field. What is acceptable for one isn't necessarily acceptable for another. Where the text is being published will also be a factor, even within a field, as different journals or publishers will expect a certain style or tone of writing. I've read publications across a wide variety of fields and the only thing I can say for certain is that there is no such thing as one size fits all.
If you know what field you expect to publish in then you should be able to find style guides written specifically for that field, which will discuss the sort of rules you're asking about. I would recommend your local academic library for some suitable texts. Perhaps talk to colleagues or supervisors - chances are they can recommend something.
Also, journals usually provide resources for their prospective authors, which will more specifically discuss what they expect of papers. From this you should be able to get an idea of what tone and style is appropriate, as well as many other requirements. These resources are usually found on their websites. It may also help to read through some publications from your field/journal/etc to see how those authors write.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: When you as a scientist have 60 papers to read in only a few days, clarity *is* enjoyable. One should be vary that different scientific disciplines have different standards, however. The natural sciences favor concise writing, while the social sciences favor elaboration. There are several books on scientific writing that address general concerns about language and style.
Rhetoric is also part of scientific writing. Write for the intended audience. If you are not a scientist yet, imagine what it is like to be a specialist in a certain field—what would a scientist expect: from your title, your abstract, and your report? Why should an expert in your field read your text? If your text successfully answer this *implicit* question with **clarity**, **structure**, and **flow**, the scientist will find your text an enjoyable read.
Upvotes: 1
|
2015/09/21
| 2,385
| 9,799
|
<issue_start>username_0: I defended my master thesis couple months ago in a German University. It's a thesis in Computer Science. In my thesis I mainly implemented some machine learning methods and compared their performance. The implementations of the methods and making them available as open-source are considered one of the main contributions of my thesis. I published the source-code online on Google's Code.
However, recently I was browsing the source-code of two methods' implementation and I found two bugs. One of the bugs makes the results of one experiment useless since the method became simply wrong.
Now I'm very worried about that and don't know what to do or what I must or have to do. (They're not going to take my certificate back, right?)
My questions:
1. Since one of the main contributions of the thesis is the release of the source-code, am I obligated to fix the bugs?
2. Am I required to keep my source-code online? In other words, can I now decide to take it down and not give it to anyone? I'm the only one who has a copy of the source-code. My professor never asked me to put the source-code on a CD-ROM and put it in the thesis. I also mention in my thesis the online repository for the code.
3. I had very difficult memories of academia and I was so relieved when I finished. I don't want to contact them again to tell them about the bugs. But am I obligated to do that? I just want to start a new life and never think again about the past.
I'm asking those questions just to know my rights and if I have any obligations. However, since I'm passionate about my thesis topic, I'm actually considering fixing the bugs but I'm not willing to contact my professor and tell him, simply because I just don't want to communicate with someone from the past and still feel that I'm still stuck with academia or have obligations toward them.
Nobody has used my code yet, so if I fix the bug then the person who will clone the project will get a correct version (hopefully! I mean every software is subject to bugs!).
**Edit**:
I was asked "obligated by whom?". Well what I'm thinking is that since one of the main contributions of my thesis is the source-code, and since my examiners passed my thesis because it has contributions, then I thought that I must have that source-code always available. It feels to me like a contract:
Make contributions (source-code as the main contribution) -> thesis passed -> you get your degree.
Now revoke contribution -> thesis failed -> you don't deserve your degree.
Isn't it like that?<issue_comment>username_1: >
> they're not gonna take my certificate back, right
>
>
>
No, your degree won't be revoked on the basis of an honest mistake. (Revoking the degree would only make sense for serious fraud or misconduct.)
>
> Since one of the main contributions of the thesis is the release of the source-code, am I obligated to fix the bugs?
>
>
>
Obligated by whom? There's certainly no legal obligation, but deliberately withholding knowledge from the rest of the world would be unpleasant and harmful.
If you know how to fix the bugs without much effort, then I'd recommend that you do so. If you don't know how to fix them or it would take too much time, you could at least attach a note explaining the problem (for the benefit of anyone who wants to use the code in the future).
>
> Am I required to keep my source-code online? In other words, can I now decide to take it down and not give it to anyone?
>
>
>
Again, required by whom? Nobody can punish you if you take it down, but going out of your way to deny access is at least unfriendly. If your thesis said that the code would be publicly available, then changing your mind now would be unethical.
>
> I don't want to contact them again to tell them about the bugs. But am I obligated to do that?
>
>
>
Nobody can make you, but it would be nice. Think about it this way: another student might begin a project related to your thesis. If you don't tell your advisor that the results of one experiment were wrong, then this student might experience pain and wasted time that could have been avoided if they had known about the problem earlier. You might not care about your advisor, but surely there's some value to preventing future students from suffering unnecessarily.
And what's the worst case scenario if you tell your advisor? Maybe your advisor would insult you, in which case you can take some satisfaction in having behaved better than your advisor, but there's nothing he/she can do to disrupt your life now.
In response to the edit:
>
> Well what I'm thinking is that since one of the main contributions of my thesis is the source-code, and since my examiners passed my thesis because it has contributions, then I thought that I must have that source-code always available. It feels to me like a contract:
>
>
>
If you said in the thesis that the code would be available in a public repository, then you have an ethical obligation to keep it available. But universities revoke degrees only very rarely and for exceptionally serious reasons, such as research fraud or cheating. There's no way a university would even try to revoke your degree for taking down the source code. (However, if you're still worried you could look up your university's procedures for revoking degrees or search online for degrees revoked in the past.)
I don't mean to encourage you to take the code down, and I don't think you should. My point is that this is about doing what you feel is right (keeping promises, helping other people, contributing to the world's knowledge) rather than about what someone else might try to make you do.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: I think that you have some misconceptions about what a thesis is and what a degree is. A thesis is **not** a contract, and your future obligations upon obtaining a degree are precisely zero. It is not an honor that can be revoked for later conduct unbecoming: rather it is a permanent recognition of your past work.
A thesis does not even have to be completely correct. I feel a bit like the guy who's telling you the truth about Santa Claus, but a substantial percentage of theses are approved by committee members who know they are not *completely correct*. The judgment is rather that they are *good enough* to meet the committee's standard. A thesis which turns out to fall through completely based on the writer's honest mistake would not be revoked (well, in our wide, wild world many strange things can happen, but I've never seen this). The fault here lies with the committee: they are supposed to be experts. Moreover the thesis is not awarded because the work is a service to the community but rather because it was judged that the candidate demonstrated sufficient mastery by doing it. In fact it is possible to demonstrate this mastery even through flawed work, sometimes even through work which is so flawed that nothing positive can be extracted from it. In my experience the only reason for withdrawing a thesis is fraudulent activity done by the candidate *in the process of the thesis work*.
So yes, in my opinion you could take down your open source code without any realistic fear that your degree will be revoked. Should you? I don't think so: in my opinion that would be very immature.
A master's thesis is a professional degree. In other words it's a kind of *adult* degree, and anyone who has one should be ready to act like an adult. Only with difficulty am I restraining myself from launching into a psychological analysis of the [levels of moral reasoning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Kohlberg's_stages_of_moral_development#Pre-conventional) on display here, but I find it interesting that your entirely irrational fear of retribution seems to be saving you from doing the wrong thing. If you said that you would make something available then pulling it now for purely selfish reasons is...um....no, I had it before: purely selfish. To justify your behavior you write
>
> I had very harsh memories in Academia and I was so relieved that I finished. I don't want to contact them again to tell them about the bugs. But am I obligated to do that? I just want to start a new life and never think again about the past.
>
>
>
**Fact check**: this all started with your reflection on your past work. If you want to start a new life and never think again about the past: okay, do that. Never thinking about the past does not include tampering with the presentation of your thesis work. (By the way, such tampering could certainly earn you some future contact by those who want to see the work and want to know why you took it down.)
>
> However, since I'm passionate about my thesis topic, I'm actually considering fixing the bugs but I'm not willing to contact my professor and tell him, simply because I just don't want to communicate with someone from the past and still feel that I'm still stuck with academia or have obligations toward them.
>
>
>
It's pretty clear that you have not moved on, in both positive and negative ways. Again you have some strangely childlike ideas: once you leave academia, what obligations do you have to your professor? Precisely none. But "I'm not willing to communicate with someone from the past" is not a professional attitude. (I am aware that in real life professionals can behave very badly. Professionalism is something that professionals aspire to, not always successfully.) What about future students who will try to continue your work? Don't you care about them?
In summary: yes, you are absolutely allowed to behave completely selfishly in this matter, acting to prevent your future embarrassment and evade any unpleasant memories. But try to rise above.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]
|
2015/09/21
| 1,028
| 4,337
|
<issue_start>username_0: I emailed a professor a week ago about any potential undergraduate opportunities he might have in his research lab. I have not yet gotten a response. Is this normal? the end of my email went like this, was I too pushy or was I not explicit enough with my question? would it be rude to send another email asking again? thanks for any comments
>
> I would appreciate the chance to talk with you about any possible
> undergraduate opportunities you are currently offering for the Spring
> 2016 semester or Fall 2016 semester. I understand you are very busy.
> We could schedule an appointment or I can drop by your office when you
> are available. Please let me know if there is any other information I
> can provide. Thank you, (my name)
>
>
><issue_comment>username_1: This is very common. I am a doctoral student and my advisor is the director of department. Sometimes, it took him two weeks respond my email. You can send him/her again with a friendly reminder as start or you can stop by his/her office. The latter one is what I usually do.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: The research group presumably has a webpage, where you can rummage for possible projects. Talk to current members to find out what they are doing, and see if it interests you. After the above, if still no answer, sketch a few alternatives of interest to you that are in the line of the research group (and aren't already taken!) and approach the professor again, perhaps in person.
It does happen that email gets sidetracked indefinitely into the "to look at later" queue. A reasoned suggestion of a possible thesis is presumably less likely to suffer this fate than a "What do you have on offer?" question. But how each is received does depend on the recipient, and about that we can offer no suggestions.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Consider sending a followup email which is less vague, hence requiring less energy and time from the professor. Professors love to help but are always short on all of those things. Do what you can to make it easy by giving some information to work with. Mention some things about yourself: your major, what courses you have enjoyed/excelled in, what about this professor's lab interests you, what your ambitions are (applying to grad school?), what you want out of the experience, etc.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: No answer at all is a possible result
-------------------------------------
Depending on the situation, unsolicited emails "about any potential undergraduate opportunities he might have in his research lab" may not get any response ever, and it may be normal for some professors to discard all emails of such type without delving into the details - if they currently don't have a spot in their research lab due to funding issues or whatever, it's not practical to spend time on appointments or discussions about that.
It's the same as spamming unsolicited CV's to random companies asking for a job, if they aren't interested, they go into the 'round folder' without reading.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: Well, perhaps there is no opportunity or he feels your work is not relevant to him? In the latter case you may see no response.
Be careful not to sound patronising or berate the prof (sometimes students in fear of disappointment tend to do that on the second mail).
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_6: Don't take the lack of a response personally. Professors get lots of emails -- for me, it was over 9000 last year, not counting things I immediately deleted -- and so it's easy to forget to respond, or to intend to respond "later," where "later" keeps getting pushed back. I think most professors would not mind at all if you sent a follow-up email, asking again if it's possible to meet. Again, though, don't be upset if a response doesn't come promptly.
That said, it is also the case that a lack of response can indicate a lack of enthusiasm for taking on a new student. Again, don't take this personally -- there are a lot of factors unrelated to you that influence this. You can help stimulate enthusiasm though, by (i) pointing out potentially relevant things like courses and grades, and (ii) indicating effort you've put into learning about the lab's research, e.g. via reading or talking to other students.
Upvotes: 1
|
2015/09/21
| 994
| 4,482
|
<issue_start>username_0: I teach courses in physics, astronomy and planetary science.
Often, but certainly not always, international students (and even some domestic students, for whom English is not their primary language), write worse than their domestic peers who have grown up with English.
For most assignments, I take up to a couple points off for negligence of spelling and grammar, depending on how bad their writing was. The point is to remind students that their writing should be professional. I never nit-pick about a typo here or there, but if there is a whole slew of them, I'll make a note and take off what would amount to be a few percentage points of the assignment's total score.
I'd like to give grace to those for whom English is not their primary language. At the same time, I need to be fair and grade equally. As it stands, I grade equally for everyone, but I try to give more feedback to those who need it.
Does anyone have any better ideas about how to do this?<issue_comment>username_1: I've had many international students in my courses with different English-language abilities.
I believe the answer can depend on your discipline as I teach business courses and English courses could be held to higher standards in terms to language abilities.
I am often forgiving with things such as plurals,conjugation, and misuse of grammar with no overall impact (for example using a semicolon instead of a comma). However, I can generally tell how much effort was put into the paper. If the paper seems rushed and thrown together then the points will start to drop. The student may not be well versed in advanced English word usage but if they can get the overall point across and the work is readable I often dismiss the broken-English.
I do remind all students that he have tutors in our student center that can review papers. While this will vary from institution to institution I try and be as fair as I can given student circumstances and help all students succeed without handholding
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: There are two different types of value judgement that you are discussing here---communication goals and grading---and I think it's important to carefully separate them.
* **Communication Goals:** I think that it is *unfair* to a person who isn't a native English speaker to not expect them to aim for the same goals of clear and lucid communication. When giving feedback, don't brush over the language and grammar errors just because a person is not a native speaker. They should have the same chance to learn and improve as anyone else.
* **Grading:** Unless the class is about English grammar, making English quality a significant part of the grade is generally a bad way to evaluate a person's work. If the language is bad enough that it interferes with your ability to understand the class-relevant content, then yes, that's a problem and should receive proportional demerits. If the class-relevant content is clear, however, it's questionable to me whether *any* points should be taken off at all.
In short: grade very generously on language issues, but point out the mistakes so the student can continue to learn and improve.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: No. You should definitively just ignore the fact that you are teaching to someone who can barely conjugate verbs, set tenses, create adequately descriptive phraseology, and who has a massive deficit of knowledge as to homonyms, synonyms, colloquialism and when it is and isn't appropriate to use them. Just ignore all of that and do your best to understand what they meant to say... or what you think they meant to say. You could use a fuzzy logic routine to see if the words they have cobbled together fall into a subset of words that may have been used to correctly respond to a query of their understanding. They are probably very smart and since most modern professionals currently entering their field in the United States are most likely from one of their countries then the fact that they barely have a grasp on the native language of the country from which they are seeking their degree should only serve to make degrees from our country more valuable in the eyes of the world. Lastly, a large majority of these students will simply be taking their expensive degree back to their own country so, as long as the university is getting their check... why should it matter. (tongue firmly in cheek... but not smiling)
Upvotes: -1
|
2015/09/21
| 313
| 1,451
|
<issue_start>username_0: I'm putting together applications for assistant professor positions and some ask for a research *statement* whereas others ask for a research *plan* (still others, although a rarity, ask for neither).
It appears there is much more advice online for writing research statements for faculty applications than for writing research plans. Is there a difference between a statement and a plan? My understanding was that a research statement is a brief statement of your research interests whereas a research plan is a longer document that is written like a short proposal with background, references and a tentative plan for how you would pursue your research; now I'm not so sure. Please help!<issue_comment>username_1: Do ask the administrators in respective universities. A question of 'How long and detailed a document do you expect?' is legit and acceptable. Otherwise, you are prone to misunderstandings.
For a personal example (though it was a graduate admission), I was once asked to bring a synopsis of my research work, only to find that they wanted the actual thesis instead.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I guess, in the Research Statement one should detail their previous experience in research, and the plans for future.
In the Research Plan it is mostly (or only) outline of future research.
You can get a more definite answer if you ask the contact person on the job advert.
Upvotes: 0
|
2015/09/21
| 1,472
| 6,608
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am a PhD student and a new TA for a class. I receive no extra money for TA'ing. Instead, my TA'ing offsets my advisors need to fund me. The professor I'm TA'ing for knows that I have advanced software engineering skills from professional experience.
The class I'm TA'ing for is very different than lecture style classes. It is more of an incubator/studio/software project class. In addition to office hours and lectures, the professor has asked me to continue development on future iterations of custom software made specifically for the class. The professor has previously paid other students to do this development. While I am able to do this development, is this a valid use of a TA?
I can't help but feel taken advantage of, because my software work usually pays quite well.<issue_comment>username_1: It sounds to me like you have unusually advanced skills for a TA, and the professor is quite rationally trying to allocate the resource he has control over (your time as a TA) to its maximally productive use. That sounds pretty reasonable from the professor's point of view. Whether he has a right to assign you this particular sort of work would depend on your institution and department. At my department, TAs sign a contract at the beginning of the quarter which includes a list of the types of work they will be expected to do. If the professor wants to add something that isn't on the standard list, that needs to be discussed prior to that stage. The contract also specifies the number of weekly hours the TA will be working, and obviously the professor needs to respect that limitation as well.
Now let's think of how things look from your point of view. I'm not exactly sure why you feel taken advantage of for being asked to work on the software project, except for details that sound irrelevant to me, such as:
* that the professor has previously paid someone for a similar service (maybe he did not have access to a TA with such qualifications as you);
* that you would have gotten a higher salary for doing similar work in industry (but you willingly chose to go into a graduate program and subsist on a grad student stipend for a few years);
* that you are not paid directly for being a TA but through some kind of indirect funding arrangement (but you are still committed to doing work as a TA for X hours per week, so I don't see why that should matter).
If I make the reasonable assumption that the high-value software development work is more intellectually stimulating than other duties the professor can be assigning you as a TA (grading papers or other boring gruntwork), are you not yourself better off working on the software project? In that case, could it be that the feeling of being exploited is simply regret for choosing this particular academic path when you could have stayed in industry?
To summarize, my feeling is that unless the work the professor is assigning you is completely outside the scope of work that a TA in your department could be reasonably expected to help with (which may be the case if you are, say, in a humanities program), you are probably not being taken advantage of. But perhaps I misunderstood the situation or your reasoning for being concerned; if you care to clarify any of the details I will reconsider my position.
**Edit:** I'm sorry if the OP finds my answer a bit tone deaf. I'm generally quite sensitive to and concerned by the phenomenon of exploitation of graduate students in academia, as can be seen by perusing my SE history. I think it makes sense to revise my verdict slightly: Jack, you are not being taken advantage *of any more than TAs are typically taken advantage of*. That is, I don't find anything *unusually exploitative* about the software development being discussed here, but the whole system of employing graduate students in academia as cheap labor (whether it's calling them TA's, RA's or something else) does carry with it an unpleasant whiff of exploitation. This is well known and recognized by many people (and has provided fodder for many a web comic). So you are right to be at least a little concerned about that -- how much exactly depends on your school. But I think that is off-topic given your specific question. Bottom line is, be aware of your rights, and if your contract says you should only work X hours per week, insist on following that to the letter.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: It appears that your course organizer has forgotten his responsibilities to a graduate student doing a mandatory teaching practicum -- namely to help you get **teaching experience that will prepare you to become a full professor in the future**.
Clearly someone in your department feels that teaching experience is valuable, or else the practicum wouldn't be required, and you feel that way as well. It should be sufficient for you to let your organizer know that you want to use this opportunity to better prepare yourself for future teaching responsibilities. Probably he thinks of dealing with students as a chore, and thinks he is doing you a favor by letting you get out of it, while still checking the box toward graduation.
If letting him know your expectations doesn't result in adjustment of your duties, your next actions should be to find out who in the department supported the practicum mandate, and bring the matter to their attention. Your goal is not to make trouble for the faculty, but to get moved to an opportunity that better advances your teaching career.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: The expectations and responsibilities of TAs vary from department to department, but work on software supporting a class is not unusual in my experience. This is quite typical in lab classes, for example, where the software is effectively part of the "lab equipment" that the TA may be expected to help maintain.
Comparing the "hourly wage" for TA work to the amount of money you could earn in industry is not a useful comparison, because that applies to pretty much *anything* you do in academia.
To me, the real question is how *much* work is being asked of you. Typically, TA responsibilities are formulated in terms of a number of hours of expected work per week (often 20 hours/week, but some TAships are different). If your professor is expecting you to work more than that amount, then it is a problem. If the work on software is being offset by, for example, not having much grading work, such that you are able to do the software work for the class in the expected amount of time, then that's entirely reasonable.
Upvotes: 3
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<issue_start>username_0: As a teaching assistant (TA), how to handle the situation where a student comes to office hours asking to check their homework? I.e. the student hands in their solution to the homework and ask the TA to check for any mistake. Assume homeworks are worth somewhere between 20% and 50% of the grade.
If country-specific, I am interested in the United States. If field specific, I am interested in computer science, linguistics, neuroscience and maths.<issue_comment>username_1: The answer may very much depend on departmental practice. I've been in departments where the TA's office hours *were* essentially going over the homework and helping you arrive at an answer, and departments where that's absolutely not the practice.
Assuming it's not the practice, something simple like "I'm sorry, I can't tell you if your answer is right or wrong. If you have a specific question about a step, I'd be happy to go over that with you."
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: Standard answer around here is "I don't know" or more politely "I won't check your work other than for grading it".
Want to ask about a knotty point? Go ahead. I'll even solve a *very similar* problem with you. Still outstanding homework is off limits.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: This is a good time to teach a student good study practices. E.g. remind them to review their work regularly, do their work on schedule, use course resources such as texts. Tell the student how learn to get the right answer on their own.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: Answering from the point of view of a physical scientist, and in keeping with my personal take on what kinds of help are appropriate or inappropriate.
(I haven't been a TA for a long time, but I teach at an all-undergrad department so I have to be my own TA.)
---
**These are great teachable moments if you have the time** (and it can take *a lot* of time).
You don't check their homework, you ask them to *explain* their solutions to you.
But there is a catch: you don't let them get away with "I used this formula, and I solved for [variable]"; instead, make them explain their logic and the conceptual basis of their work step by step. When they are stuck or are proceeding incorrectly, you probe their understanding of the problem in a Socratic style.
The kind of questions you might ask include:
* Conceptual basis
+ What physical principles apply to this problem?
+ Are their any hidden assumptions here? If so, what are they?
+ What statements in the problem or facts about the world brought you to select that particular approach? And why did you use *that* expression of the principle in mathematical form?
+ How well do the explicit assumptions in the problem match the real world (i.e. is this a PhysicsLand (tm) cartoon or a somewhat realistic treatment)?
+ Are these results reasonable for the real world? If so, why? If not how do you expect the world to differ and what neglected effects would make the answer more realistic?
* Math basis (where they'll want to spend all their time at first)
+ Why is is that the right value for that variable?
+ Why is that substitution allowed in this case?
+ What does it mean that there are two solution to that equation? Which one do you use and why? Is the other one meaningful as well?
+ Does this situation actually meet the preconditions used in deriving the result you want to use?
+ Can this problem be stated as a special case of one we're already done? Why or why not?
* Problem solving basis
+ What is the goal here? (You'd be surprised how often they lose sight of that.)
+ What can you learn from what we've been given? (If you don't know how to proceed just try shotgunning it; forward version.)
+ What list of thing would get you in position to find the answer? (If you don't know how to proceed just try shotgunning it; backward version.)
+ Do we already know the correct solution to a simpler version of the problem? Does that hint at a way to proceed here?
Most students will find those questions very difficult at first, but as they become more adept at handling the questions they should see their homework and exam scores improve markedly.
If they have the patience they will solve the problem for themselves right there in your office.
Though this is very time consuming most students will *not* be regulars. Some will simply become frustrated at what they see as your unwillingness to "help" and look elsewhere; and others will get better at the discipline: as the term progresses they'll bring you fewer problems and ask more perceptive questions about them.
---
In addition to wanting to talk about formulas first, they are going to want to talk about values ("and then I plugged in the 18 from the problem..."). Don't let them do that either. Make they say what quantity it was ("and then inserted the given initial velocity ...").
Beginners are all about numbers and formulas, but learning the discipline is about principles first, problem solving process second, and particular results last.
---
**Philosophical note:** As I see it the purpose of homework is to facilitate learning. I wouldn't even grade it except that there is no other way to insure that they will do it. That's why it doesn't bother me that they are getting a lot of support doing the homework for my class: when they come to me I get to make it a learning experience for them.
(The first time they come in they may think they are going to get one for free, but they're in for some skull sweat.)
Admittedly, I get to decide that for my own class and when you are a TA, you may have to abide by the professor's opinion about how much and how directly you should help with assignments.
Upvotes: 7 <issue_comment>username_5: When I was a TA, my preferred approach to this dilemma was to offer to work a problem that was thematically similar to the problem, but different in its specifics. For example, if the problem was working out an application of a particular algorithm to a scenario by hand, then I would make up another scenario with similar properties and we would work the algorithm on that. In those cases where a student tried to then turn us back to the homework problem again, I would say something like: "I'm not going to work on homework problems, but we can work another similar one if you like."
I found this approach valuable because it let us address the skill and content questions and concerns that the student had, yet at the same time made sure I wasn't doing their homework for them.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_6: In a practical point of view, it would be best to teach the student at this stage. Neglecting might affect the interest of the student within the subject. This is the time when the student can learn the most as he/she is readily prepared to accept inputs. Doing so would greatly boost your reputation among eager students since a true teacher grows the interest of her/his students.
As it may not be ethical to *solve* homework problems of individuals *per se* as you stated that this makes up as part of the academic score. But it would be better to make the student understand *how to solve* the problem. If several students have the similar doubt, then it would be best to solve the problem as a group intimating the remaining students of this special solving session. After all, the motive of homework is to make students learn and remember as well as verifying what they have learnt.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_7: Maybe set 3 homework problems, only grade problem C, but tell the students that if they **completely** understand how to do problem A and B, and then C will be easy for them. Give them as much help as they need on A and B.
Even publish a worked solution for A and B a short time before C has to be handed in.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_8: A lot of these responses seem to be based on the idea that education is somehow a battle between teacher and student, and that they can only learn from suffering. People learn from one on one instruction, and anything else is an expensive waste of time. Denying them that so as to make absolutely sure that they don't benefit unfairly ... I suppose that's a sign of the relationship between students and teachers in the university setting - the student pays but the teacher tries to avoid being responsible for the outcome, acting instead as though he's the point of the whole thing. That none of this is clear to a lot of university staff makes me wonder exactly how much intellectual life goes on at your various institutions.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_9: "Check my homework" is an unreasonable request. This is a teachable moment that can help you teach a student how to ask a question, which is more important than anything going on in an idiot dual class. You need to get the student to ask questions that can inform you where the student is conceptually weak, so you can try to patch the holes.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_10: A TA who holds office hours for students should by all means consider homework assignments "fair game" for discussion during student interactions. Typically, the best approach during those meetings isn't to correct/grade the assignment, but rather to confirm whether the student's approach and methodology was appropriate, and deliver guidance or identify resources that will aid the student.
However, "proofreading" a homework assignment for a student who wants you to catch their "sloppy" is not really why a TA is there.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_11: If each solution counts as a negative score to them, and if you have a solution manual, tell them the problems they got wrong. Students sometimes know the subject and are just trying to get the best grade they can.
If you don't have some sort of solution manual of course it may be difficult to tell them every question they got wrong. However if you don't have other students during office hours who have actual questions about the subject, what's the point in not receiving their request. Office hours are for the student. If you don't have any other student requests, go through the homework with them.
Of course if each question doesn't hurt the student's grade if they get it wrong, then you should expect them to give real questions about how to solve a problem.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_12: I tell my students:
>
> I will mark your assignment any time you like. If you want me to mark it well before it's due, I will be happy to do that. **But I will only mark it once.** Hand it in, and I'll mark it,
>
>
>
So that rules out "please look this whole thing over and let me know how close it is to being complete." I think that's a real imposition and it interferes with learning too. However, if someone wants to come to me and ask whether one particular thing is headed in the right direction, or if they are stuck and want me to unstick them, I will. I will answer any specific, crisp question that they ask. But I won't just take the whole thing, put energy and effort into looking it over as a whole, and then hand it back for them to improve. That request comes from a desire to get 10/10, not a desire to learn the material of my course.
Upvotes: 2
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<issue_start>username_0: I am someone who has wide-ranging interests, and these interests are not terribly interdisciplinary. (Say someone is interested in Physics and History. Or perhaps, Economics and English. Or, Civil Engineering and Music Composition. You get the picture.)
The fields I am interested in do not inherently intersect. They *can* be fused, however I don't think this interests me, because it would result in a "perversion" of each respective field, for lack of a better word. It seems forced...and would probably ruin my interest in both fields.
It's not that I "like" one field more than another; both fields are interesting to me and I cannot calculate which one is more interesting. The fact is, they are very different, and I like each one for different reasons.
I want to go to grad school, because I enjoy learning, reading, writing, etc. and I am interested in a career in academia. But I am trepidatious about immediately going into grad school because I basically believe, "Whichever field I end up choosing is the field I will be destined to spend the rest of my life (or at least many years) exclusively studying. I really don't want to mess this decision up."
How can someone in my situation decide which interest to pursue in graduate school?<issue_comment>username_1: As you're studying a Masters for pleasure, pick the subject that would be more pleasurable for you to study.
Your case is very unusual, so other people's experience in how they selected their masters wouldn't be much use. Many people take a Masters to advance their career, or to switch profession / industry. And for them, the answer would be different.
But in your case, you're studying for pleasure. So it's much simpler. Pick the course that would be more pleasurable to do.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Let me briefly analyze the situation, based on your description. On one hand, it sounds like you want to go to a graduate school, because you "enjoy learning, reading, writing". Since you mention a desire and slight probability of a Ph.D. route in the future, I'm not sure, if I would go as far as @EnergyNumbers and conclude that "you're studying for pleasure". It appears like, you're very undecided about the best direction you should take. Having said that, while you mention professional academic career as desirable, your phrase "I don't enjoy much else" sounds quite alarming to me. Perhaps, I misunderstood you, but my take on this phrase (with a combination with the first one) is that you would love to learn, but not do work. So, based on this assumption, it appears that EnergyNumbers' conclusion (*learning for pleasure*) might not be too far from the truth.
On the other hand, considering the learning for pleasure assumption and your undecided state, enrolling in a graduate school seems like a rather poor idea to me (cost, stress, need to focus, deadlines, length of study, etc.). There are much more **optimal options** for someone like you, who enjoys learning, but wants to figure out what discipline/area/topic is the best fit. Such options include enrolling in several *MOOCs*, based on your interests, or taking some non-degree *individual classes* at a college/university of your choice (on/off campus). This approach would allow you to validate your assumptions or clear fuzziness in regard to what discipline/area/topic to choose or, in general, whether to consider going the academia route or choose another direction (i.e., industry).
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: If you like two subjects equally, pick the better paid one for your actual career. That one should be the basis for most of your formal, documented education.
You can still treat the less well paid one as your hobby, and go for informal education in it.
Taking your first example, Physics and History, I would make Physics the subject for formal education such as a master's degree. Go on reading about history, join a historical recreation society, take on-line courses in history, blog about history as your hobby.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: The world is full of interesting things, and you cannot study them all deeply. Even if your interest were all in an apparently focused area, like physics, you would soon find that it is full of interesting sub-areas, and that you cannot effectively simultaneously focus on, say, superconducting qubits and entangled photon imaging.
This leaves two basic options:
1. Celebrate that you have more than one good choice, and choose one to focus on.
2. Choose a career path that doesn't require you to focus---i.e., don't get a Ph.D.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: +1 to [Patricia's answer](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/54789/4140).
One alternative possible decision rule: which of your interests is *easier* to pursue in your spare time, without additional formal training?
In my personal case, I was interested both in mathematics and in languages/linguistics, but languages (and, to a degree, linguistics) are easier to do "on the side" than math, where you really need to invest significant time and effort to get anywhere. So I studied math and took language/linguistics courses on the side.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_6: I am in a similar situation to yourself, but will try to answer this without opinionated bias. I'm also not going to focus specifically on graduate school, rather keep the answer generalized to college programs.
When it comes to higher education, the biggest factors to realistically consider include: cost, marketability, and the ability of the student to succeed in both the program and a career once they have finished. So unless a student is already wealthy from some outside factor, then they need to make a decision that will allow them to make the most out of any given program's time and monetary cost. This is done by estimating one's ability to be marketable enough to earn a profit after exiting the program and one's capability to both complete the program and succeed in a the career options for which each program prepares the student.
The first task should be fairly easily accomplished by most adults who are looking to further their education. There is plenty of information available about median incomes for various jobs and what the ideal education level is for them. If the time and cost required for a program do not justify what will be spent to complete it for whatever the student's needs are, then it likely is not a viable choice for them.
The second task is a bit more difficult. There is research being done daily that discusses the marketability of various degree programs, but it is hardly set in stone and is often skewed by regions or locations (ie, Silicon Valley for tech based jobs). This is where a particular student would need to heavily tailor their decision based on their own experiences. They need to first decide if they are set on living in an certain area. That will drastically change their ability to be marketable for many degree programs. As income levels for industries vary by location, then that would likely be the next issue. A particular job might constantly be in demand, but it might not have a particularly good income level in the region where the student wishes to spend their life. Teaching is a good example here as it is often in demand, but what they make can vary greatly by where they work (ie, teachers in Alaska make significantly more money than most of the rest of the US, because not many people want to live there).
Finally, the truly hard part begins. After assessing the complete financial situation, would be the student's own ability to find and do something with which they are comfortable. This can offset some of the money parts, but not all of it, which is why I put it last. After a student has narrowed down their interests by their ability to provide for themselves and/or their families, then comes the time to narrow down any further decisions based on what is it that they can and are willing to do for hours and hours every week for the foreseeable future. If the student is someone with wildly varying interests, then the best career path would be one with options, versus one where there is a mostly clear path of what they will be doing throughout their day. For example, Computer Science offers a dizzying array of possible titles and positions for each degree level completed, while Archaeology is a significantly more limited field. Each student will differ at this point in the process and must be treated differently to determine how to quantify their personality fit and possible fulfillment level of the programs that they are deciding between, but ideally it will rarely come this far as the previous stages are more generic and easier to handle, as well as being topics that are often overlooked.
To the OP, my recommendation is to consider the first two tasks of my answer and try to narrow down the fields based on facts and choices that you may have already made in life before trying to handle the personal choice of enjoyment. It may be that by preferring warmer climates or having already started a family, one option stands out more sharply as a prospective career. If you manage to make it all the way to the last point again, then take the time to sit down with everyone who would be concerned with your available choices, and start working through the pros, cons, impacts, etc. If possible, do this at the office of a counselor, whose job it is to help with these sorts of decisions. Good luck.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_7: This answer will be based on U.S. colleges and universities (while other systems may specialize at different points, often earlier).
One theme you'll notice in the answers here is which profession you would like to pursue afterwards. This is a key difference between undergraduate studies in the U.S. and graduate studies. Undergraduate education is often broad and flexible, aimed at developing educated and well-rounded citizens rather than preparation for a specific profession. However, almost all graduate programs are intended to be pre-professional. Depending on the program, sometimes it's preparation for a type of job in business or government (lawyer, dentist, social worker, statistician, software engineer, etc.), and sometimes it's preparation for a specialized career as a professor or researcher. Not everyone ends up with this career - for example, there's a notorious shortage of professor openings relative to students who hope to become professors - and some graduate programs provide preparation for a much wider range of careers than others do. But the strong assumption is that you are aiming for a career that will make use of this education. Students who don't have relevant career plans are often looked down on a little, on the grounds that they are just killing time while trying to figure out what to do with their lives ("perpetual students"), and in the meantime taking up space in graduate school that could go to someone who really needs this education for their future. This is a radically different perspective from undergraduate, where nobody assumes that a philosophy major necessarily intends to become a professional philosopher.
So the conventional approach is to decide what you would like to do with your life, and then choose the graduate education you need for that goal (if any). But if you have the time and money to study with no particular goal in mind, then you can do whatever makes you happy.
Upvotes: 3
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<issue_start>username_0: I'm a PhD student in the process of writing a manuscript. I have more than one supervisor and other collaborators for the project I'm writing up presently. I've also received very useful feedback from all supervisors. However, there's one problem. I often find that the feedback from one supervisor sometimes contradicts feedback from another. I try not to take sides but I'm not entirely sure how other researchers have dealt with this in the past.
So in summary, what do you do when you get conflicting feedback from your supervisors?
Note: my supervisors are my advisors and the manuscript is a part of my PhD-not the entire thesis.<issue_comment>username_1: As you're studying a Masters for pleasure, pick the subject that would be more pleasurable for you to study.
Your case is very unusual, so other people's experience in how they selected their masters wouldn't be much use. Many people take a Masters to advance their career, or to switch profession / industry. And for them, the answer would be different.
But in your case, you're studying for pleasure. So it's much simpler. Pick the course that would be more pleasurable to do.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Let me briefly analyze the situation, based on your description. On one hand, it sounds like you want to go to a graduate school, because you "enjoy learning, reading, writing". Since you mention a desire and slight probability of a Ph.D. route in the future, I'm not sure, if I would go as far as @EnergyNumbers and conclude that "you're studying for pleasure". It appears like, you're very undecided about the best direction you should take. Having said that, while you mention professional academic career as desirable, your phrase "I don't enjoy much else" sounds quite alarming to me. Perhaps, I misunderstood you, but my take on this phrase (with a combination with the first one) is that you would love to learn, but not do work. So, based on this assumption, it appears that EnergyNumbers' conclusion (*learning for pleasure*) might not be too far from the truth.
On the other hand, considering the learning for pleasure assumption and your undecided state, enrolling in a graduate school seems like a rather poor idea to me (cost, stress, need to focus, deadlines, length of study, etc.). There are much more **optimal options** for someone like you, who enjoys learning, but wants to figure out what discipline/area/topic is the best fit. Such options include enrolling in several *MOOCs*, based on your interests, or taking some non-degree *individual classes* at a college/university of your choice (on/off campus). This approach would allow you to validate your assumptions or clear fuzziness in regard to what discipline/area/topic to choose or, in general, whether to consider going the academia route or choose another direction (i.e., industry).
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: If you like two subjects equally, pick the better paid one for your actual career. That one should be the basis for most of your formal, documented education.
You can still treat the less well paid one as your hobby, and go for informal education in it.
Taking your first example, Physics and History, I would make Physics the subject for formal education such as a master's degree. Go on reading about history, join a historical recreation society, take on-line courses in history, blog about history as your hobby.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: The world is full of interesting things, and you cannot study them all deeply. Even if your interest were all in an apparently focused area, like physics, you would soon find that it is full of interesting sub-areas, and that you cannot effectively simultaneously focus on, say, superconducting qubits and entangled photon imaging.
This leaves two basic options:
1. Celebrate that you have more than one good choice, and choose one to focus on.
2. Choose a career path that doesn't require you to focus---i.e., don't get a Ph.D.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: +1 to [Patricia's answer](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/54789/4140).
One alternative possible decision rule: which of your interests is *easier* to pursue in your spare time, without additional formal training?
In my personal case, I was interested both in mathematics and in languages/linguistics, but languages (and, to a degree, linguistics) are easier to do "on the side" than math, where you really need to invest significant time and effort to get anywhere. So I studied math and took language/linguistics courses on the side.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_6: I am in a similar situation to yourself, but will try to answer this without opinionated bias. I'm also not going to focus specifically on graduate school, rather keep the answer generalized to college programs.
When it comes to higher education, the biggest factors to realistically consider include: cost, marketability, and the ability of the student to succeed in both the program and a career once they have finished. So unless a student is already wealthy from some outside factor, then they need to make a decision that will allow them to make the most out of any given program's time and monetary cost. This is done by estimating one's ability to be marketable enough to earn a profit after exiting the program and one's capability to both complete the program and succeed in a the career options for which each program prepares the student.
The first task should be fairly easily accomplished by most adults who are looking to further their education. There is plenty of information available about median incomes for various jobs and what the ideal education level is for them. If the time and cost required for a program do not justify what will be spent to complete it for whatever the student's needs are, then it likely is not a viable choice for them.
The second task is a bit more difficult. There is research being done daily that discusses the marketability of various degree programs, but it is hardly set in stone and is often skewed by regions or locations (ie, Silicon Valley for tech based jobs). This is where a particular student would need to heavily tailor their decision based on their own experiences. They need to first decide if they are set on living in an certain area. That will drastically change their ability to be marketable for many degree programs. As income levels for industries vary by location, then that would likely be the next issue. A particular job might constantly be in demand, but it might not have a particularly good income level in the region where the student wishes to spend their life. Teaching is a good example here as it is often in demand, but what they make can vary greatly by where they work (ie, teachers in Alaska make significantly more money than most of the rest of the US, because not many people want to live there).
Finally, the truly hard part begins. After assessing the complete financial situation, would be the student's own ability to find and do something with which they are comfortable. This can offset some of the money parts, but not all of it, which is why I put it last. After a student has narrowed down their interests by their ability to provide for themselves and/or their families, then comes the time to narrow down any further decisions based on what is it that they can and are willing to do for hours and hours every week for the foreseeable future. If the student is someone with wildly varying interests, then the best career path would be one with options, versus one where there is a mostly clear path of what they will be doing throughout their day. For example, Computer Science offers a dizzying array of possible titles and positions for each degree level completed, while Archaeology is a significantly more limited field. Each student will differ at this point in the process and must be treated differently to determine how to quantify their personality fit and possible fulfillment level of the programs that they are deciding between, but ideally it will rarely come this far as the previous stages are more generic and easier to handle, as well as being topics that are often overlooked.
To the OP, my recommendation is to consider the first two tasks of my answer and try to narrow down the fields based on facts and choices that you may have already made in life before trying to handle the personal choice of enjoyment. It may be that by preferring warmer climates or having already started a family, one option stands out more sharply as a prospective career. If you manage to make it all the way to the last point again, then take the time to sit down with everyone who would be concerned with your available choices, and start working through the pros, cons, impacts, etc. If possible, do this at the office of a counselor, whose job it is to help with these sorts of decisions. Good luck.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_7: This answer will be based on U.S. colleges and universities (while other systems may specialize at different points, often earlier).
One theme you'll notice in the answers here is which profession you would like to pursue afterwards. This is a key difference between undergraduate studies in the U.S. and graduate studies. Undergraduate education is often broad and flexible, aimed at developing educated and well-rounded citizens rather than preparation for a specific profession. However, almost all graduate programs are intended to be pre-professional. Depending on the program, sometimes it's preparation for a type of job in business or government (lawyer, dentist, social worker, statistician, software engineer, etc.), and sometimes it's preparation for a specialized career as a professor or researcher. Not everyone ends up with this career - for example, there's a notorious shortage of professor openings relative to students who hope to become professors - and some graduate programs provide preparation for a much wider range of careers than others do. But the strong assumption is that you are aiming for a career that will make use of this education. Students who don't have relevant career plans are often looked down on a little, on the grounds that they are just killing time while trying to figure out what to do with their lives ("perpetual students"), and in the meantime taking up space in graduate school that could go to someone who really needs this education for their future. This is a radically different perspective from undergraduate, where nobody assumes that a philosophy major necessarily intends to become a professional philosopher.
So the conventional approach is to decide what you would like to do with your life, and then choose the graduate education you need for that goal (if any). But if you have the time and money to study with no particular goal in mind, then you can do whatever makes you happy.
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<issue_start>username_0: Academics sometimes publish popular books based on their own research, but not always cite properly themselves, even when book references other authors properly. Moreover, sometimes I can see that one author publishes very similar (but not same) papers on the same topic, without self-referencing, even though it can be seen that the author recycles some of hers/his ideas. Even respectable people in the profession do it.
Given this where is the line beyond which we are talking about self-plagiarism?
On one hand it feels bit wrong to do this even in a small amount. On the other hand I can imagine that it can be impractical, and cumbersome to piously self-reference yourself, and I also worry that that might seem egocentric to the reader.
It is no brainier that copying part of your old article, and submitting it as new is clearly wrong. On the other hand it does not seems to be wrong using the main ideas, quotes (or chapter titles), or paraphrasing minor ideas of your earlier papers to publish a book without using the same referencing standards for yourself as you use for other authors.
Any opinion on this? Should I always reference myself as well as I do others, or is it ok to be more lenient on yourself as long as it is not more excessive then it is usual in the field? Do you think that this depends mostly on the context?<issue_comment>username_1: In reality, there is no such thing as self plagiarism. I would recall them as replication or double publication. Plagiarism means to copy the written piece of work of another author without proper citation. It compared to stealing. You cannot *steal* your own work.
Coming back to your question, any work that succeeds your previously published work deserves to be published (and cited). It would be better to cite the previous work so that the readers would know the previous work was enhanced. This is ethical as long as most of the new article is not a replication of the predecessor.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: The only real ethical problem that falls under the term self-plagiarism is when a person submits the same work twice or anything of that form. Anything else is not a real problem.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: Let us set aside debate about whether the word "self-plagiarism" makes logical sense. [The concept is fairly generally acknowledged](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plagiarism#The_concept_of_self-plagiarism), and rests on a simple ethical principle: it is wrong to give the impression that a work is novel when it is not.
We can further distinguish two distinct forms of self-plagiarism:
* Literal self-plagiarism, in which words are directly reused.
* Conceptual self-plagiarism, in which the words are different but the content is (largely) the same.
From this definition, we can elaborate several key points of evaluating whether a reuse counts as self-plagiarism:
1. Is there an expectation of novelty (e.g., a journal article, conference paper, or book)? In some cases, such as one-paragraph conference abstracts in some fields, there may not be an expectation of novelty, in which case there is no "impression of novelty" to be considered and self-plagiarism is not at issue (the reviewers may still decide they are *uninterested* if the work is insufficiently novel).
2. Is more than a trivial amount of material being directly reused? If so, then they must either be in a quotation, or else the publication must be clear that portions have previously been published, and a citation to the prior publication must be included. Otherwise, it is self-plagiarism. (Note that this may not apply to "non-creative" words, such as a tersely written methods section).
3. If concepts are shared with prior publication, then there must be clear attribution of the significant antecedents. There is a lot of flexibility that enters with "significant," and different communities interpret this in different ways, so you need to know your community expectations. Here, one basically treats one's own results just like those of any other scientist, with the exception that one cannot claim ignorance of one's own prior publications.
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<issue_start>username_0: I was looking at [this question on The Workplace](https://workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/35818/should-i-take-money-for-homework-assignments?rq=1), where in the asker was considering doing homework for students for a fee. My initial thought was that it's possible he went to the same university\*, and if discovered they would attempt to revoke his degree. I considered that this would be analogous to failing and expelling a current student who was found to be breaking the academic honesty policy. I know that some universities have recently retracted honorary degrees awarded, but of course, the course work was never done to deserve these degrees. So my question is...
Is it possible for a university to retract a degree that had previously been awarded for a full course completion if the individual does something that would clearly harm the university/violate the ethics of the university?
\*this is completely speculative, and the question is theoretical at best<issue_comment>username_1: Yes. Although you will need to do something *blatantly* unethical.
For instance, my alma mater (the University of Konstanz, in Germany) [revoked an alumnus' Ph.D. after this alumnus blatantly falsified data](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sch%C3%B6n_scandal), although the Ph.D. thesis as such was not tainted.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: It would depend on the jurisdiction. In the US, you have a property right to the degree that you earn and pay for (regardless of the ultimate source of funding -- the student has the responsibility to pay), and as long as you don't violate the conditions for obtaining the degree (various forms of dishonesty in admissions and satisfaction of the degree), improper actions after the fact don't license depriving a person of what they have earned. In Europe, the legal basis may be different. Whereas in much of Europe state law governs revocation, in the US revocation is governed by university rules.
In the case of Dutch psychologist <NAME>, the thesis data had been destroyed so it was impossible to prove fraud in the thesis, and also impossible to disprove it (Stapel short-circuited the university's proceedings by returning his degree). It appears that there are, in The Netherlands and possibly other European nations, vows that you must take in order to receive the degree, to act honorably (defined locally). "Not committing fraud in the future" is a likely candidate for such a vow.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: The Phd degree of <NAME> was revoked after it came to light that he had falsified data after obtaining his Phd because of ["dishonourable conduct"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sch%C3%B6n_scandal#Aftermath_and_sanctions). He tried to sue the university to give his PhD back but lost several cases up to the highest possible court. His PhD remains revoked.
This all happened in Germany. I am not sure if this is possible in other countries.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: Of course it is possible. They granted the degree, they can revoke it in some form as well. These are informal, unspoken social agreements. There (likely) is no agreement that says otherwise.
In practice, however, this may be poor policy. It would be better for the University to create a list of those who are in good standing, and suggest nothing more about those who are not -- for it was equally a failure of the University for granting the degree.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_5: In the vast majority of universities from the Spanish speaking world the degree is not revoked even when they learn, after the degree is granted, that the holder plagiarized in the thesis that was presented for that degree. This is sad because the lack of academic integrity by the universities that have been put on the spotlight affect the region as a whole.
For example in Guatemala, the University of San Carlos learned in 2014 from political magazine Contrapoder that then presidential candidate <NAME> plagiarized his PhD thesis. As a result the university assembled a council to decide on how to proceed. After deliberating for over 60 days, and without even looking at the evidence!, they decided that due to the lack of internal regulations there was nothing that they could do, therefore Baldizon’s PhD was upheld and valid.
Back in 2013 the University of Valencia, Spain came to the same conclusion. Except that they did not even form a council.
There are many other cases like this through Latin America. The latest high profile case is in Peru. Former presidential candidate <NAME> has been accused by the press for plagiarizing the thesis that granted him a PhD from the Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.
In the Dominican Republic current president <NAME> not only plagiarized the thesis the earned him his bachelor’s degree, he did not even complete the credits for the undergrad program. This case came to light when he was still a candidate. He reached office. And the person that denounced him was fired from his administrative post at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo.
In Mexico, <NAME> from the National Autonomous University was fired due to “inadequate academic practices”. Not only did he plagiarize both his Master’s and Doctorate’s thesis but also books and dissertations that he presented as his own in international forums. He was fired but his degrees, from that same university, have not been revoked.
One exception is from The Colegio the Mexico. They revoked the PhD degree from <NAME> after it was proven that the thesis he wrote to earn him that degree contained plagiarized material. And he was a fired from his post at the Michoacan University of San Nicolas Hidalgo.
While it took less than six months to find Núñez guilty of all chargers, it took more than 10 years to find that Mr. Berenzon’s academic practices were substandard. What is different in Núñez’s case from Berenzon’s? Why was the degree revoked from Núñez and not from Berenzon? Their respective thesis were just one of many of their works that contained plagiarized material, they both stole the work of other authors for books and arbitrated articles that they signed as their own. What is different then?
Mexico is very sensitive to criticism from abroad, especially from the USA. While those protesting Berenzon’s frauds included students and domestic authors, Núñez plagiarized material from North American authors. Professors <NAME> from Tulane University; <NAME> from St. John's Seminary College; <NAME> from Carleton University; <NAME> from Missouri State University, and <NAME> from the University of Arizona, reported that in 2014 Nunez plagiarized in its entirely the book “Religion in New Spain”, a book from University of New Mexico Press. This prompted an immediate scrutiny of all of Núñez’s work, including his PhD Thesis.
It is unfortunate but turning a blind eye to thesis plagiarism by some universities in Latin America and Spain questions the integrity of all degrees coming from that region. If you read Spanish check www.plagios.info
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_6: Just once extra piece of data is that Cambridge are in the process of retracting this guy's degree for a pedophile conviction according to [the article](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-43114471). It's unrelated and they are not saying that he didn't deserve the degree just that they don't like him (nor do I but I always assumed after you got the degree you couldn't have it taken away).
I think this type of thing for thought crime may become far more common in the future.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_7: In Germany, a PhD may be revoked in case of
1. a wilful act resulting in a prison sentence of one year or more, or
2. a deliberate/wilful offence abusing their scientific qualification.
These are quite "mild" conditions, presumably in place to discourage degree holders to engage in behaviour on the wrong side of the law.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_8: I was told, by a friend, whose Ph.D. is from an Austrian university, that Austrian doctorates can be revoked if used fraudulently. The example he gave is that if he writes a bad check and signs it "Dr. XYZ" then his degree could be revoked. But if he just signs "XYZ" then his degree is safe because it wasn't used in the fraud. (He added that, as a result, people would be suspicious if they know he has a doctorate and he signs a check with just "XYZ".)
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_9: In the US, I do know some people's Ph.D. degree were revoked after they had got it, although it didn't happen a lot. Bear in mind, revoking a student's degree is actually a shame for the university's reputation, because many people would question the university that didn't you check your students' dissertation before letting them graduate?
But I found the reason of revoking a student's degree is always the same: Their dissertations are subject to data fabrication or plagiarism. Plagiarism doesn't happen a lot, because for most university would conduct the plagiarism check when students submitted their dissertation to graduate school. While data fabrication, it is hard to know at the first hand.
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<issue_start>username_0: On an application form for PhD programs in Florida, they ask:
* "Have you recieved disciplinary action?"
* "Have you ever been arrested for, been convicted of, or entered a plea of "guilty" or "nolo contendre" (No contest) to a crime (excluding traffic offenses not involving death or serious bodily injury), or been adjudicated or required to register as a sex offender?
My friend that is asking was arrested for DUI (driving under the influence) with serious body injury. She is not sure if that is a Traffic Offense or a Criminal Offense.
Has anyone else experienced, or have good information pertaining to this question?<issue_comment>username_1: A traffic offense would typically be something that resulted in a ticket (e.g. speeding) that you pay or, perhaps, go to traffic court. A DUI is decidedly a criminal offense that you can be prosecuted for in real (non-traffic) court.
As an aside, when you have a security clearance you absolutely must report arrests, but usually they will also explicitly mention a dollar value for traffic tickets, above which you must also report.
Good luck to your friend. They will need to be able to clearly explain the situation and the resolution.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: I'd check whether it was even legal to require this information (maybe it is, I don't know US law); in many states in the world it is illegal to require this information from people in a government-regulated organization except when strictly necessary.
If you can't get around it, tell your friend she can say "no". At worst she can claim to have made an honest mistake and you could take responsibility for having given her incorrect advice (to get her off the hook at her school).
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<issue_start>username_0: I am writing up my dissertation, and one of the chapters is a final draft of an as-yet unsubmitted journal article.
I know with published works, I just get the copyright from the journal if needed, and can include the reprint as is in my dissertation, but how do I include a draft?
The version of the draft as it stands now is essentially what is going to be submitted, verbatim. Which means if I defend first, the work is technically published in my dissertation.
I defend in 3 weeks. I was going to submit right after. Is this doable? We're not even 100% certain which journal we are submitting to.
Thanks for the help!<issue_comment>username_1: Ahh, now that I posted, I see this related question:
[Can I use text from my dissertation in a manuscript?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/24400/can-i-use-text-from-my-dissertation-in-a-manuscript?rq=1)
It appears that as long as i do not copyright my dissertation, which I have to option to do but was not going to, I should be fine.
Let me know if I am possibly missing something. I can also ask my university, but I'm remote and emails often take a bit to get a response.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: This is actually how many "sandwich thesis" dissertations are actually structured, my own included. Generally speaking, I've seen them structured like so:
* Background, literature review, sections on data sets, and other material that will matter to each and every chapter under consideration, and is likely more detailed than you would find in a paper.
* Each "paper chapter" essentially existing in it's free-standing, ready to be published form.
* Final chapters putting those free standing chapters in context with each other and your work as a whole, summarizing key findings, etc.
So basically, the short answer is to put it in as a chapter in its current form. I've never seen any journal object to a paper having previously appeared in a dissertation, and keep in mind it may very well change - there will be editorial comments from your committee, reviewer comments, etc. It's essentially just a pre-print.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Just to be on the safe side, ask around in your university. I know of places where different departments of the same university have different rules for such things, ie, one accepts if you just slap them together with an introduction/conclusion, other requires that you do some other stuff, while others plainly reject this approach, requiring that you adapt the text into the thesis format...
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<issue_start>username_0: Is it common for a journal to reject a paper after previously accepting it?
When a paper of mine was first reviewed, one of the reviewers was okay with the paper and the other one requested minor revisions. The journal clearly said that the paper was accepted, subject to minor amendments and even went on to mention tentative publication dates. I then quickly made the required revisions.
Both the initial reviewers accepted it, but the editors solicited a third reviewer. These reviewer’s comments were not that specific but just referred to things like some of the citations are too old and he had problems with the methodology and contribution and then in other places he goes completely off topic saying that the paper implies certain things that I certainly do not say and are very far from what I am discussing in this paper. Now the journal has rejected the paper.<issue_comment>username_1: >
> Is it common for a journal to reject a paper after previously accepting it?
>
>
>
It’s certainly not common, but it’s also not entirely unheard of or something that should never happen per se. Coincidentally something along that lines happened to me yesterday.
See this from the journal’s point of view: When they consult somebody as a reviewer, they assume them reliable and thus it would be odd to fully ignore their judgement. If this reviewer raised severe objections, it would be unwise of the journal to leave them unaddressed.
On the other hand, if two reviewers gave a positive evaluation of your paper, it seems equally unwise to reject your paper without even giving you the opportunity to react to the third reviewer’s criticisms. I thus strongly suggest that you check the wording of the journal’s decision letter and your paper’s status carefully as to whether your paper was actually rejected or they just want you to address the third reviewer’s comments and decide upon that. If your paper was actually rejected, you might want to consider a rebuttal due to the above reasons.
What seems a little odd is that a third reviewer was considered at this stage. Could it be that this reviewer was asked in the first round of revision and turned their review in only recently for some reason?
Finally, a sidenote: If the reviewer actually argued against your paper because it “implies certain things”, this gives you a strong argument for rebuttal. Even if a paper’s result imply that the first law of thermodynamics does not hold, it should not be rejected on that basis.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Journals do whatever they want without oversight or logic. It is generally a tactic used with new authors who aren’t well known or have a long track record with the journal. It can be due to many other reasons ranging from blithe idiocy of some apathetic whimsical or unqualified reviewer. But, there are certain nefarious impulses that are at play (i.e. power struggle within an institution or journal or an industrial contact asks them not to accept a certain paper). Integrity in publishing is present in certain journals, in many other journals it is who you know. Nepotism, even when it’s double blinded (so called) reviews! Go figure the world of print works like the world of people!
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<issue_start>username_0: I study mathematics as my major subject and theoretical physics and statistics as my minor subjects. I found that, sometimes in physics or statistics lectures, the lecturer makes mistakes, like forgetting to prove that a series converges, or computing multi-dimensional integrals by using only one path. Once I spent three weeks to find a correct reasoning why one particular series converges. Should I say anything about these mistakes to the lecturer?<issue_comment>username_1: In physics we deliberately do not prove the series converges, because we are not interested in teaching concepts like convergence. Physics courses are not intended to be mathematically rigorous. It just is not one of the goals.
Upvotes: 8 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Let me add a thought following the other post, which asserts that this is not a mistake, pedagogically. Take this as a given: you don't need to "call out" the professor for failing to teach "properly." It is, however, still the case that you personally are wanting to dig into the mathematical foundations of these concepts more deeply, and find it important to your comprehension.
That's great! You might learn something really interesting, and might set yourself on a path to become a person who makes scientific advances by attacking these sorts of questions.
Now, I would suggest approaching your professor from *that* perspective, instead of considering it a problem with their teaching. Ask if there are books or other resources that the professor would suggest where you can learn more about the proofs behind these assertions. If the professor doesn't have good suggestions for you, try looking in places like Physics.SE. If you can't find a satisfactorily rigorous proof, it may well be that it does not exist (unlikely, but it happens), and that may be an interesting opportunity!
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_3: Echoing parts of the other answers, and some of the comments: first, it is inaccurate to declare omissions such as "proof of convergence" a "mistake". There simply is no absolute obligation to verify that all parts of the mathematics work as a physicist expects for other reasons. Yes, you or I and others might *want* to see the proof, that is, mathematical causality, but this is simply not obligatory. (Conversely, we can prove things without direct physical manifestations or physical reasoning...)
In fact, "convergence" is merely a simple form of what one might want, and itself not obligatory (much less its proof). Indeed, I have read that Poincare discovered in the late 19th century that a series expansion of a solution to a differential equation used for many decades (successfully) in celestial mechanics did not converge. Not that its converge was difficult to prove, but that it definitely diverged. But/and people had been getting correct numerical outcomes. Well, it was an "asymptotic expansion", ... but/and such expansions are more delicate in some regards (e.g., term-wise differentiation) than convergent power series, and the mathematical details were not filled in for several decades.
Another example is <NAME>'s book on quantum mechanics, which used distributions and unbounded operators in manners that would not be justified for 20 years (in the work of <NAME>). I have read that <NAME> and others were considerably disturbed by the lack of "rigor", or even the pretense of it, which motivated them to try to provide such... Nevertheless, the predictive and explanatory power of Dirac's work was unquestionable, and it would have been ridiculous to have dismissed it because he couldn't provide proofs, or didn't care to.
As remarked above, it really does appear to be that hard-to-justify mathematics is fairly tolerable when it quasi-magically predicts physical details, or quasi-magically proves to be an accurate book-keeping or computational device for observable physical phenomena.
Yes, we should think very differently when/if we aim to "subvert" such mathematics to purely mathematical situations, where there may be no genuine physical phenomenon to observe and test. No, I do not have that physics-y intuition that suggests (to my perception) outrageous mathematical manipulations, so I myself definitely need either or both pithy examples and persuasive (!) proofs that assure me there's some "causality" beyond the literal tangible world. But, in fact, history suggests that much interesting mathematics has come from "outrageous" mathematical stunts by imaginative physicists, so such stuff is a good source!
And, yes, sometimes the purely mathematical justification for obviously-necessary mathematical tricks in physics is far more sophisticated than the immediate physical explanation/motivation/phenomenon. Sure, sometimes the mathematics is not hard, and simply omitted due to lack of interest. Sometimes the mathematics is profoundly difficult, or in fact impossible in a particular year with technical limitations of the time. That fact, that has appeared over and over, is philosophically and scientifically provocative in itself, in my opinion.
So, yes, I, too, have been disturbed by reading physics-y accounts that did (to my perception) crazy mathematical things. Long ago, I thought that this was a definite failing, and that rigor was required, and possible. By now I see that these situations are *much* more complicated than that, and that gauging any particular instance may be unexpectedly non-trivial!
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_4: Generally, you better assess yourself well enough to call out a lecturer publicly, otherwise, there's plenty of opportunities to make corrections privately. That is generally the more politically-correct path. Beyond that, you should know that by choosing to address it publicly, you are (consciously or not) engaging in a battle of power. Such a battle can have positive or negative outcomes.
More specifically, I have questions for you: why would a lecturer have to prove that a series converges? Further, shouldn't multi-dimensional integrals always have the same answer regardless of the path? Otherwise, there's a deeper problem in the formulation of the expression (like including terms from a domain that doesn't belong there).
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_5: I hope the OP won't be too offended if I say that this question seems to show an immature understanding of the meaning of rigor and the relationship between different academic disciplines. As an illustration, consider the following problem, which could be used as an exam question on a freshman physics or calculus exam.
A uniform rod with mass per unit length *b* is initially upright and at rest in a gravitational field *g*. At *t*=0, the rod is released. At a later time *t*, find the rate at which mass flows past a horizontal surface passing through the rod.
Those of us who are physicists or mathematicians can easily find "the" answer, which is *bgt*.
Now suppose we want to make this a little tougher so we can use it as an interview question for a potential TA. We state the question, but now we ask specifically for a high level of rigor in the answer.
If the field is math, a good answer might be something along the following lines. The solution of the problem involves a derivative. One way of defining a derivative is as a limit, and limits are in turn defined using epsilons and deltas. Here's a rigorous epsilon-delta proof that the limit we're talking about does converge.
Now suppose the field is physics. (I'm a physicist.) An example of a nice, rigorous answer would be one in which the interviewee explained why the observable we're talking about cannot possibly converge to the expression *bgt*. A sufficient argument for nonconvergence would be to point out that the rod is made of atoms, so the motion of mass across a horizontal line starts to look discrete once we get down to a certain scale. (An even nicer answer might focus on effects that might be more practically observable. For example, when the support of the rod is released, the disturbance travels outward through the rod at the speed of sound, not instantaneously.)
Both of these are rigorous approaches to knowledge, but they are different notions of rigor. One emphasizes the internal self-consistency of mathematics. The other emphasizes the careful consideration of how mathematical models relate to reality, which is more complicated.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_6: Without detracting from the merit of the more philosophical answers, here's a simpler practical suggestion:
* Go see your professor after class or in reception hours.
* Tell them that since you're a Mathematics minor, you find the mathematical reasoning important to follow.
* Tell them that you sometimes cannot tell whether a step they makes is actually trivial, or might take a lot of time/effort to justify rigorously.
* **Ask them that, when they are making a 'mathematical leap'** (the second kind above), **they tell the class specifically that they are doing so.** For example "this step requires a proof, but it is a purely mathematical one which we will not delve into."
You can of course also ask them for a textbook with more mathematical rigor.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_7: In theoretical physics, for various reasons, standards of mathematical rigor tend to be looser than they are in math. Individual physicists' preferences vary widely, however. In my experience, which seems to be [echoed](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/54833/what-if-the-lecturer-is-not-rigorous#comment126460_54834) by <NAME>, many physicists tend to default to a looser standard of rigor while teaching, so your lecturers may or may not think about their course material at a much tighter level of rigor than the one they present it at.
You're definitely not alone in being frustrated by leaps of mathematical faith in physics lectures, and spending a great deal of time trying to fill them in. Here are some things I'd recommend doing to help deal with this, based on my own experience.
* Do try talking to your teacher outside of class about mathematical gaps that confused you. You may find that your teacher knows exactly how to fill them in, and simply omitted the details from their presentation in class.
* Do seek out other mathematically-minded people at your university, especially more experienced people, and talk to them about the things that confused you. As <NAME> notes, many mathematically-minded physicists (and physicsy-spirited mathematicians!) have a private stash of rigorous insight into the less rigorous parts of a typical physics class, built up over years of experiences like yours. At some universities, the math department can be a gold mine of knowledge like this.
* As a corollary, do write down your own work when you fill in the gaps yourself! Someday, the three weeks you spent proving that series converges might save someone else three weeks of trouble.
* Do remember that not everything in physics has been formulated rigorously, and some topics are notoriously resistant to mathematical formalization. When you're confused by reasoning used in a physics class or the physics literature, it can be hard to tell whether you've encountered a small crack that can be paved over with a few hours of thought, an big gap that can be bridged using sophisticated techniques hidden in some corner of the math literature, or a gaping chasm that people have tried and failed to cross for decades. This is another reason talking to more experienced people can be helpful.
On the other hand, here are some things I'd recommend not doing.
* Don't think of gaps in mathematical reasoning as mistakes, especially when you're talking to other people about them. This doesn't match the way most physicists approach mathematical reasoning, and it can turn your conversations unpleasantly confrontational.
* If you've tried bringing your confusions to your teacher after class, and they've been consistently unable to help you, don't keep asking, especially if they seem annoyed by your problems. Your teacher may just prefer a looser standard of rigor than you, and there's nothing you can do about that. Seek out other sources of help instead.
* Don't ask about leaps of reasoning during class. If your teacher doesn't know how to fill them in, nothing is gained. If your teacher does know how to fill them in, that means they've made a conscious decision not to, so they might prefer to talk to you outside of class.
* Don't feel responsible for filling the mathematical gaps in your physics classes. In the comments here, people have said [that](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/54833/what-if-the-lecturer-is-not-rigorous#comment126498_54834) "students can (and should) check that the claims made by their physics profs do indeed hold," and [that](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/54833/what-if-the-lecturer-is-not-rigorous#comment126570_54833) "it's common to learn these concepts and their proofs rigorously in the math class." In my experience, those things just aren't true. You'll hit problems that you don't have the tools to resolve, and you'll hit problems that *nobody* has found the tools to resolve. Your confusion is not your fault.
* Don't feel like your teachers are responsible for filling the gaps either. They're just doing physics as physics is generally done, and sometimes as it has to be done.
* Don't spend too much time and energy trying to fill the gaps. Pancaking yourself against the far wall of the canyon a few times is okay, but at some point it's best just to walk away. You may come back later and discover that you've gained the tools and knowledge you need to get over, or that there's a bridge just a few miles away, or that getting over isn't likely to happen any time this century.
* But, with that said, don't stop looking for more rigorous and less confusing ways to understand physics. Efforts to shore up the mathematical foundations of physics have proven very worthwhile in the past, and I firmly believe that they'll keep proving worthwhile in the future. They may feel thankless, but they're not worthless, and I think they're great things to read about and think about when you have the time and energy to spare.
I hope at least some of this advice is helpful for you. If you ever bring your mathematical physics troubles to [Math.SE](https://math.stackexchange.com/), I hope I'll see your question, and I hope I'll have the time and the knowledge to help answer it.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_8: I would like to answer based on my personal experience. During my undergraduate years, I used to double major in mechanical engineering and pure mathematics. I used to like my mechanical engineering classes until I first got exposed to real analysis and mathematical rigour. After that, I steadily became more frustrated and skeptical of the correctness of the methods used in my engineering classes that I stopped taking my engineering major seriously, skipping lots of classes, doing the bare minimum to get the grade etc.... Looking back at my younger years, I think my reaction was immature. I also wasn't lucky enough to meet someone older than me who has experienced this dilemma, that partially explains my immature reaction. Now let me answer your question:
>
> Should I say anything about these mistakes to the lecturer?
>
>
>
In 99% of the cases, its not worth it. (The 1% case is if it happens that your instructor is aware of the rigorous mathematical foundation of his/her subject). What I encourage you to do instead is to try your best to understand what your instructor and textbook are saying and then axiomatize it or rigorously justify any claims. This is similar to how Cauchy, Weierstrass did their best to understand calculus in its non-rigorous form and were able to turn it to real analysis. This is a good mathematical exercise and might even help you understand your physics or stats classes better (However, make sure you have learnt enough mathematics like differential geometry and probability theory first so that you don't run into the problem of having to discover already known mathematics)
---
I will reply to one of the comments by <NAME> here, as my reply will be a good addition to my answer.
>
> "... Ever since high school, things were fully explained in my mathematics courses and very erratically explained in my science courses. We care about convergence of series because divergent series may be absolutely meaningless. How can understanding why the procedures one is performing are meaningful not be part of science education?"
>
>
>
One has to note that there is a difference between cultures of pure mathematics and say engineering/science. The criterion of what counts as "understanding" or what counts as "full explanation" is different in these cultures. For a mathematician, what counts as full explanation is rigor which basically means a sequence of lines of proof in a formal system whose rules are clear enough to be checked by a computer, so that in principle you can write a computer program that distinguishes good arguments from flawed arguments. For an engineer, "understanding" is being able to reliably make engineering designs that work when implemented. I guess for a physicist, "understanding" would be having a semi formal system whose predictions match experiments. If some mathematically dubious infinite sum manipulations actually succeed in predicting the outcome of an experiment consistently, then that's enough for a physicist to count as "understanding". A mathematician however, might make a big deal of proving the [jordan brouwer separation theorem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_curve_theorem#:%7E:text=The%20Jordan%20curve%20theorem%20was,the%20Jordan%E2%80%93Brouwer%20separation%20theorem.&text=If%20X%20is%20an%20n,complement%20has%202%20connected%20components.) even in the non pathological case (say smooth or piece wise linear). This might seem a pointless intellectual activity to non-mathematicians, but remember that thinking about these seemingly pointless questions is what opened the way to the field of topology and its more complex ideas which later on found applications to physics and computer science.
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<issue_start>username_0: I wish to apply to *public* universities in the US for a PhD in the near future and at this point I am drafting my statement of purpose.
Having been exposed to how research (majority of which is public and funded by the government) is done in my country ([India](http://www.nature.com/news/india-1.17456)) from an early age and having worked in some of these research organizations myself, I was considering including a desire to be an active part of the academic community (in what capacity, I don't think I can be sure at this point) in India and possibly working to contribute to it as one of my motivations for gaining a PhD.
Given that I wish to apply majorly to public research universities (majorly funded by the governments, as I understand it) in the US, *will it be perceived as not being in the interests of the university to accept a student who is keen on returning to his country following his education?* Does this kind of a thing matter during the admissions procedure? Should I be thinking along these lines? How is ~~marginal patriotism~~ *this kind of a motivation* perceived in a statement of purpose?<issue_comment>username_1: Depending on your wording (and to a lesser extent on your discipline), I do not think this is problematic at all. Most public universities in the US are not directly concerned with the monetary investment in their students.
Rather, they are concerned with attracting motivated, high-quality graduate students along with an undergraduate student body that contains (and serves) many students from the state but also includes students from diverse backgrounds and with different life experiences.
You do not say in your question whether you are pursuing a graduate or undergraduate degree, but I think in either case it's fine. Having a plan to return to your home country is totally understandable, and speaks to both your motivation and long-term planning.
Furthermore, admissions committees understand that while you have this plan now, that things can happen over the course of years and that you plans you outline in your statement of purpose may change.
As multiple comments and answers indicate, this should not be the main focus of your statement of purpose and does not need to be belabored.
I agree with the comment that "patriotism" is not quite the right word for your preferences, and I think using that word (or some others) would seem strange or inappropriate in your statement, but in general, expressing a desire to eventually apply the skills you will be learning in your home country should not be a problem.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: **TL; DR**. You do not know where you would like to be after finishing your PhD.
You make several assumptions that may or not hold true.
First assumption. You will finish the PhD. As everyone in this forum knows, finishing a PhD is a long and hard process. Not everyone makes it through.
Second Assumption. You will get a job in your home country, after getting a PhD. This is even worse. The market for PhD holders is very competitive. This is why after the PhD, people may go to several countries for doing postdocs, before getting (if they will ever get) a tenure position somewhere. You cannot plan this beforehand.
Third Assumption. You will still want to go to your home country after your PhD. People change and the 3-7 years required for finishing a PhD is a long time. People may meet their significant other, get married, have kids or change their minds where or what they want to be. You cannot possibly predict how this will turn out for you.
**Bottomline**. In professional documents, like the SOP, provide all the necessary information you are required to provide and nothing more. Your political preferences, your religion or your love for your country is personal information and you should keep it that way. Be professional and only provide the scientific information and aspirations that is relevant to the university you apply to. Everything else, keep it to yourself.
Upvotes: 1
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<issue_start>username_0: I am trying to find the origin of an idea based on journal articles.
**To elaborate more**:
Let's say object A affects object B in a certain manner and this was originally discovered by Researcher A a long time ago, say in the 1960s.
Subsequently, until now, there are many variations of studies around the idea that object A affects object B. Many journal articles revolving around this central idea have been published.
**My dilemma is:**
I do not know who (i.e. Researcher A) or which was the original paper published regarding this idea. Is there any facility/journal resources that allow me to track the origin of this particular idea? Does Scopus have such a citation tracking ability?<issue_comment>username_1: There are no such online databases that could track down origins of ideas. To understand why a citation is used you have to read the paper. To get to the bottom of an idea you might have to follow several pathes of citations.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: You might not be able to track the origin of an idea (unless it is patented). In order to do so you would have to traverse along towards the root of the citation graph. Which might not be practical since not all such references along this path may be freely available. You may go trough the trouble if the core of your research depends on this method's origin. But if you wish to design a system that is to be better than the ones in literature, then you ought to look for the recently published best practices and state of the art. In such a case the notion of who invented the method would be irrelevant.
Note that if you are still concerned about the originator of the concept there are a few tips you can follow. If this concept is revolutionary in its time then you might see many articles citing the same historic paper. If such a concept is of common understanding then you might not see such a paper in common cited with the ones you studied. In such a case searching for the originator would be futile. This applies provided that you did enough survey to attain an extensive number of papers under this concept.
Upvotes: 0
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<issue_start>username_0: For the record, I'm a college dropout myself... ;-)
During the late 90's, my wife completed both a B.A and M.A. in Psychology in the Cal State system. She also completed during the Master program two years of interning to concurrently obtain her required Certificate as an Educational Psychology. She then essentially worked for the same employer for about 18 years. However, she is ready to move on.
While assembling a comparison chart of salaries across districts, I was stumbling on one of them. It features three separate charts, with the following labels which I am putting here verbatim:
I: "M.A."
II: "B.A. + 75 Graduate Units Includes M.A -OR- M.A. + 35 Graduate Units"
III: "60 Semester Graduate Units Includes M.A."
These have different significantly pay scales, with I: the lowest and III: the highest.
(There is an seperate addenum noting an additional stipend for a earned doctorate).
I guess I'm not clear on why so many charts? What is meant by "60 Semester Graduate Units Includes M.A". Why would this merit a higher salary? Surely this doesn't mean 60 units AFTER completing an M.A.? And why "B.A + 75 Includes M.A:?" Clearly, I am not understanding the terminology. (Again, dropout here).
This is just an academic exercise (groan, bad pun), since this is not a district she is likely to apply to, but we are trying to put together a comparison chart to see where each stands based on her years of service.<issue_comment>username_1: Are these public school districts?
### Interpreting Salary Tables
School districts often have different pay schedules, which is what you are seeing. Although I'm not from California, I've seen quite a few of these in my own state.
"60 semester graduate units Includes M.A." likely means that she can count her M.A. credits as part of the 60 hour requirement. If her M.A. required 36 hours, she could qualify with an additional 24 hours.
I is the lowest pay scale because it requires the least number of credits. Think of it as MA+0 credits. II is MA+35 credits; III is MA+60 credits. Pay increases with additional coursework.
### The Rationale Behind These Tables
Primary and secondary teachers (and other staff, like counselors or behavioral specialists) often start their careers with a Bachelor's degree, which is required in most states for a teaching license.
Additional education is desirable for teachers. It allows them to stay up to date on teaching techniques, expand their subject-matter expertise, earn additional endorsements or licenses, or earn higher degrees (which might include any of the previous reasons). For example, a physics teacher who wants to expand into teaching biology might be required (by state law) to have a biology endorsement, which might take 12 credits to earn.
Since salary advancement is tied to having higher degrees and more college credit, it is not uncommon to see a teacher with an MA **plus** an additional 30-40 credits - if they are a career teacher. These credits would have been accumulated over time, perhaps 1-2 courses a year, rather than the traditional college schedule of 4-5 courses at once. These credits may or may not be part of a degree program. A Ph.D is less common, but does happen occasionally.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: MA +60 means that, most likely, the person qualifying for this category has two Master's Degrees, as 60 units is usually required for a Master's Degree. It's a way to differentiate between people who have multiple Master's Degrees and those who have a Master's and a Doctorate, which pays more, as getting a Master's and Doctorate demonstrates more dedication to practice than Two Master's Degrees.
Upvotes: 1
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<issue_start>username_0: I submitted an article to an academic journal about a week ago (not through a website but directly to an editor's email) but received no confirmation of receipt. What is proper protocol -- time wise etc. -- for sending a followup email asking for confirmation of receipt?<issue_comment>username_1: It's the beginning of a semester just now...lots of folks will be navigating very tight schedules.
The answer to your question however depends a lot on the size and publication frequency of your journal, and the nature of your submission. Put simply, the larger the publication and/or paper, the longer you should give the editor to reply. Also if it's an infrequent publication schedule, likely the editor doesn't wade through the pile of submissions on a "crisp" pace.
If it's a well-regarded journal, there may simply be too many submissions for an editor to individually acknowledge them all.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: 10 days if you're losing sleep over it, two weeks, otherwise.
Upvotes: 2
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<issue_start>username_0: In my field of research, it is common to include a supervisor as a co-author of a student's PhD research related papers. A supervisor mainly contributes by helping to improve the writing of a paper, such as emphasising its contribution or clarifying the content, etc. Which means that a supervisor does not contribute anything directly related to the research carried out in a paper, for instance, a supervisor may not even understand a method used in a paper.
Based on all the answers of [this](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/644/when-should-a-supervisor-be-an-author) question, it is clear this custom is not applied to all fields, and I am not trying to argue if it is correct to do so or not.
I want to know how a supervisor explains to a new PhD student that he/she should include a supervisor's name in his/her papers. What happens if a student refuses to follow a custom?
PS: when I started my PhD, I already knew about this custom, so my supervisor did not need to explain it to me. But how about those that don't know or know differently?<issue_comment>username_1: This is the wrong way to go about this. If there is no direct contribution, then you don't include the supervisor as author. The proper thing to do is establish a convention for proper mention -- much like you do when referencing the work of another. The business sector has established conventions for just these sort of things which can be used as a guideline (like when a secretary is dictated a letter vs. writes her own letter under a boss`s name).
For example, the author line could say "<NAME>; advisor: Dr. <NAME>" or something to that effect.
In any case, you don't want to dilute the notion of authorship just so department heads can get free citation points.
[Edit: Strangely my answer is voted down even though there is a strong vote in support of the general ideas expressed here (where it was the first A to the Q) in the form of other answers and the form of a highly-voted comment under the question itself, suggesting agreement. A question perhaps for meta...]
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: To an outsider, this sounds very much like [gift authorship](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/12030/what-are-the-minimum-contributions-required-for-co-authorship). It is likely that a student could come back with examples where what you are suggesting is considered academic misconduct. The only way I think you could convince the student is if you can provide a written policy from a relevant journal or professional body.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: If the student truly is writing a paper independently of the advisor, then the advisor shouldn't be a coauthor and it would be inappropriate for the advisor to demand this.
In the more usual situation in which the advisor provides the the dissertation topic and works directly with the student in developing the dissertation (holding regular meetings, reviewing drafts of the thesis, meeting with the dissertation committee) and then papers based on the dissertation are published, the participation of the advisor would normally merit coauthorship. In these situations the authorship of papers should be settled before the research work begins.
I make it a point to explain this to students before starting work with them on their theses and dissertations. I simply wouldn't agree to supervise a student who would not agree to sharing authorship in this way.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_4: >
> I want to know how a supervisor explains to a new PhD student that he/she should include a supervisor's name in his/her papers. What happens if a student refuses to follow a custom?
>
>
>
You seem to be trying to *push* them into putting you as a coauthor, *just because [of a custom]*, which may make the student more likely to think you are trying to take advantage of them - which is how it would be viewed in other fields.
If this is as customary as you say, it might give them a bad image to peers or other people in the field when looking for help or advice.
If you feel that you deserve to be put as a co-author, other than because of the custom, why is that? That is what the student needs to hear if they are going to do it.
* Possibility 1: You've had a great deal of input on the paper, enough to warrant co-authorship and the student doesn't acknowledge this. Point out the things in the paper that you've had a hand in changing or adding. Point out that if you were to ask them to remove anything added by you, they would not have a paper. Try referring them to another peer about it. If they still decide to ignore you, they clearly don't need any out-of-the-way input from you in the future and you should better indicate what you expect from the student when you first agree to be their supervisor.
* Possibility 2: You've had very little, if any, impact on the paper. The student doesn't acknowledge the custom. If you would expect that it would be best, *for the student*, to follow the custom then explain why that is. It could be that future potential coauthors might not trust them or that it might be a start to a poor reputation. *Looking from the student's, and even some outsiders, perspective it seems like you are taking advantage of them.* They might not trust anything you say, especially as empty as "your reputation may suffer". You might have to refer them to ask about it to another person on the faculty. With more people agreeing, it becomes a little more trustworthy. If they still decide to ignore you, then at least you tried - they'll just have to live with the consequences.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_5: This is pretty common in computer science. You may be underestimating your contribution as an advisor. I assume it goes further than just grammatical editing of the paper. In my experience, my advisor's contributions were:
* Setting the overall direction of my research
* Providing (access to) equipment used in the research
* Finding relevant related work based on his experience
* Having regular meetings during the research to discuss progress, what to do next, how to tackle problems and so on.
* Discussing how best to present the results and helping decide where to publish
* Providing basic assistance with actually writing the paper including writing some introductory text, reviewing, proofreading, etc.
Based on my interaction with other PhD students, this was the common pattern, and it was very rare for the advisor not to be listed as the last author on the paper.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_6: Point to the Authorship Guidelines for the journal to which the paper is going to be submitted. If your contribution warrants authorship according to those guidelines then point this out to the student. If the guidelines do not indicate that you contribution warrants co-authoriship then you should not ask the student for co-authoriship.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_7: Instead of insisting to be named "just because you are the supervisor", I suggest that as the supervisor, it is your role to be sufficiently involved in the research of your students that you qualify for authorship "the conventional way" (for your contribution to the paper).
In other words - do the job of supervisor properly, and there will be no argument over your co-authorship. And if you *really* do the job properly, your student will eventually be able to write papers on which you will not be listed as author - and you should be proud when that moment comes instead of mourning a lost citation.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_8: My take is that *convention is not enough*. Explaining to your students the authorship standards for your field is essentially, but once that's done, whether or not a supervisor is an author should flow naturally from those standards. And as a supervisor, you should *definitely* be more involved in a paper than just helping improve the writing - that makes you a proofreader, not a PhD supervisor. Either you are underestimating your contribution, or something else is wrong.
As a single point of data, in my field, "Which means that a supervisor does not contribute anything directly related to a research carried in a paper, for instance, a supervisor may not even understand a method used in a paper" and still claiming to be an author would involve lying on several journal submission forms.
Of the work that came out of my PhD, my advisor was only present on 50% of the papers, by his own request.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_9: I took the liberty to peruse your SE profile and history. You strike me as an honest researcher who is interested in an academic career, but is nonetheless frequently troubled by doubts and anxiety about your publication record, leading you to post here many questions about ethically questionable practices (in a few cases involving a hypothetical "researcher in your lab").
In addition to the current question, to which I've already posted an answer of sorts in the comments section, some examples I spotted at a glance are:
* [Is it common to claim co-authorship by helping writing a paper without doing any research](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/21251/is-it-common-to-claim-co-authorship-by-helping-writing-a-paper-without-doing-any)
* [Should I repeat experiment affected by external factors until achieving consistent result](http://Should%20I%20repeat%20experiment%20affected%20by%20external%20factors%20until%20achieving%20consistent%20result)
* [Should I inform other project's members about my work on an idea which they are not initially interested in](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/26262/should-i-inform-other-projects-members-about-my-work-on-an-idea-which-they-are)
* [How does supervisor contribute to students' papers](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/32217/how-does-supervisor-contribute-to-students-papers)
Several of your other questions (e.g., [this one](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/34169/how-should-i-stay-in-professional-contact-with-former-supervisors-and-or-colleag) and [this one](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/32826/should-i-contact-a-phd-student-or-his-supervisor-for-potential-collaboration)) do not seem especially problematic from an ethical point of view but still point to signs of your wish to bolster your publication record and academic success through strategic means that are tangential to just working hard and being talented.
I must say this pattern is beginning to seem alarming. I will try to be as non-judgmental as I possibly can (among other reasons because I feel your presence on Academia SE and the discussions you raise are actually very valuable) when I say that I think your preoccupation with publications, and particularly your tendency to imagine "easy" and often unethical or borderline ethical solutions to the problem of acquiring a good publication record, is **excessive, unproductive, and harmful** to you and to your future. The simple truth is that no amount of scheming to add your name to yet another publication will earn you the respect and credibility that you crave as a genuine researcher who works hard and comes up with new and innovative ideas. Only actual hard work can get you that. All the energy and thought that you are devoting to publications, which are just the superficial outward representation of the work scientists do, is to me a sign that you lack passion about the science and the work itself. Without that passion, I am sorry to say you will never make it very far in academia. And without honesty and integrity you will never make it very far anywhere.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_10: As I have noted on other occasions, the style/convention in mathematics, at least in my part of that world, is that advisors rarely, if ever, have, or insist upon, or accept, co-authorship of any sort involving their students' theses and related publications. In recent years I have seen a few examples, but this already surprised me.
That is, in my experience, in the best situations, and barring a handful of truly exceptional students, *of course* the advisor had a very good idea of how things should go, knew the key background, knew the pitfalls, and most likely could have written the thing up in an afternoon if they had nothing better to do, but they *did* have better things to do.
It did take me some time to fully understand the extent to which this is true in my field... since I, too, had bought into the mythology that beginners can become experts within a few months or a year or two, thus "bearding" their advisors. Well, I don't think that really happens in the way novices, especially, seem to want to believe. That is, an experienced expert can "catch on" soooo quickly to new facts that they operationally nearly-instantly assimilate that information, and integrate it with previous. And, unlike the novice, the expert can often see implications far in the distance.
So, again, in the part of the math biz within my view, *of course* the advisor has made a significant contribution... and, of course, there's no point in making the student "acknowledge" this by giving up some publication credit. Indeed, it seems that if a thesis gets published with advisor as co-author in math, it suggests that the student really didn't do much work at all, and is being dinged for that.
I am fairly consistently amazed at the seemingly-popular notion that some PhDs are done "independently" of advisors. Sure, some advisors may be technically incompetent... but how does a novice do something worthwhile that experienced experts would have wanted to do, but tried and failed? Does one have to be "The Chosen One" to do a PhD? Or are some fields so shallow that complete inexperience, or two months' experience, really makes an expert? Or is that merely a popular myth here, as well as elsewhere?
And, back to the original question, and as in other answers: don't try to coerce people to do things you cannot happily defend. Further, do not pretend that beginners are or should be on the same playing field as seasoned experts, nor that the experts should always "be sure" to grab credit for every little thing their apprentices manage to do under their guidance.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_11: > Which means that a supervisor does not contribute anything directly related to a research carried in a paper, for instance, a supervisor may not even understand a method used in a paper.
When the result is incomprehensible to someone experienced in the field, either the paper is bad (and it is the duty of a supervisor to make the author amend it) or the supervisor does not even invest the amount of work expected from the typical recipient of the paper, let alone a coauthor.
I have little problem with supervisors tending to be in a relation of coauthorship. But if they are neither actually being coauthors nor supervisors, this is stretching it.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_12: I'd say it's pretty simple - but not quite what you seem to be expecting:
1. People who contribute significantly to a paper must be listed as authors.
2. Explain point (1.) to your student.
3. If it's a paper in which he's doing the write-up, leave it up to *him* to decide who gets put on the author list.
What happens if he doesn't name you? Then, well, he's either a person of questionable character, or he's obtuse, or maybe you haven't actually contributed enough.
Upvotes: 0
|
2015/09/23
| 745
| 3,242
|
<issue_start>username_0: I'm a Math professor. I teach a face-to-face calculus course, and I'm in the habit of distributing handwritten quiz keys online.
I'm informed by a colleague that she believes that this style of distributing quiz keys (posting handwritten keys online) is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Can anybody confirm this, or weigh in on it, or let me know what they do in order to be compliant? I really don't want to stop posting keys, but I also want to (read, must) comply with the ADA.<issue_comment>username_1: ADA requires you to accommodate the students you have. If you have a student who cannot read the hand written documents because they have a disability, you must distribute them in a way the student can access them. Your disability services office should be able to advise you.
Providing searchable, typed documents would help some students with disabilities and also some students without disabilities, so it would be nice to do. I recommend the universal instruction design approach.
[A UID book](http://www.cehd.umn.edu/passit/docs/pass-it-book.pdf)
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: [This post](https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/fr/fr31/2/fr310212.htm) from the National Federation of the Blind's site may provide you with an idea of the capabilities of screen readers designed to handle LaTeX. The post goes into more detail on how to make STEM accessible to visually challenged students.
However, I think username_1 is correct in saying you would only be out of compliance if you failed to provide this accommodation to a student covered under ADA who was directly requesting it from you.
At the College level, ADA only requires that the institution make the services available to students that seek them out. Unlike in primary and secondary education where the school is also required to advocate for the student, advocacy is the responsibility of the college student, and they have to notify the school, submit the necessary documentation, usually with a campus accessibility service, and then seek out the accommodation for themselves. That means that they are supposed to notify the instructor of any accommodations they are entitled to under ADA and work with the instructor and the accessibility office to coordinate those accommodations.
I also think username_1 gives you good advice to get in touch with the director of your institution's accessibility office. They may be in a position to set you up with publishing software for assistive technologies. They may even have the resources to take your handwritten answer keys and convert them into LaTeX documents.
You may want to consider switching to LaTeX anyway for the points that username_1 brought up, that it could help students that do not qualify for ADA accommodations. Things like Spotlight search in Mac OS X will likely be able to index a LaTeX file.
Another advantage would be that if you are in the habit of distributing prior semester keys as study guides, and you have a semester somewhere in the future where you have a visually challenged student, all of the documents will already be in a format you can provide them without the need to convert them.
Upvotes: 3
|
2015/09/23
| 1,231
| 4,579
|
<issue_start>username_0: When preparing a technical report or paper, is it better (more readable, more common) to use a space between each value and the units for it, or no space?
With space: 10 mA
Without space: 10mA<issue_comment>username_1: * If there is a standard in academic typesetting¹ and typesetting in general, it is to use a narrow space, i.e.:
>
> With space: 10 mA; without space: 10mA; with narrow space: 10 mA
>
>
>
The most suitable Unicode character for this is U+202F (narrow no-break space). This is also the default setting of the LaTeX packages [`units`](http://www.ctan.org/tex-archive/macros/latex/contrib/units) and [`siunitx`](https://www.ctan.org/pkg/siunitx).
* The [SI Standard](http://physics.nist.gov/Pubs/SP330/sp330.pdf) says (p. 47):
>
> a space is always used to separate the unit from the number.
>
>
>
However, it does not specify the width of the space. But at least, using no space at all is against this standard.
* As for readability, I am not aware of any studies on this, so I can only give you my informed opinion. Consider the following examples (I use a picture to ensure that we are seeing the same thing and to be able to employ justified text):
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/hC2Tk.png)
In the first sentence, no space is used. This makes it take longer to identify the unit as it merges with the numbers, in particular with long numbers.
In the second sentence, a full space is used. Units are now read as individual words because that’s how our brain is trained to read full spaces. As our brain is also trained to process words one by one, it will first read and process *192.34* and then continue with *K.* In the third sentence, where narrow spaces are used, our brain is more likely to process the *192.34 K* in one chunk and we also do not have the same problems as in the first sentence.
Finally, consider the list in the second and third sentence (1 Ω, 2 Ω and 3 Ω). With a full space it becomes more difficult for our brains to group what is written into individual items, as, e.g., the first *Ω* has almost the same distance from the preceding *1* than from the *2* that follows it. With a narrow space, this is easier.
Thus, using a narrow space is a compromise to have number and unit to be seperated less than words but more than the individual digits of the number.
---
¹ Some journals do not seem to care to make their publications consistent in this respect.
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Different organizations may have different standards, but since you used electrical engineering units as an example, I'll highlight the [2014 IEEE-SA Standards Style Manual](https://development.standards.ieee.org/myproject/Public/mytools/draft/styleman.pdf):
>
> **12.4 Letter symbols**
>
>
> In IEEE standards, letter symbols should be used rather than abbreviations. Letter symbols include symbols
> for physical quantities (quantity symbols) and symbols for the units in which those quantities are measured
> (unit symbols). **The quantity and its unit can usually be separated by a non-breaking space to avoid
> unfortunate pagination.** *(emphasis added)*
>
>
>
This document is a treasure trove of best practices for technical writing (in my opinion, at least).
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: The [International System of Units (SI)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_%28punctuation%29#Spaces_and_unit_symbols) and the [NIST](https://tex.stackexchange.com/a/20964/1371) recommend a space.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: You know the problem is an answer to this might be subjective to current practice and of course editors' preferences. Easy answer is your editor will point out how they want it.
Here's what I did, I opened google scholar and typed in voltage regulation and then scanned the paper entries and you know what there were no space 12V papers, small space 12 V papers and even 12-V papers from a cursory scan of 200 IEEE entries.
So best to ask your journal or conference publication chair.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: Unless specified to do this a certain way in the Instructions for Authors, this is not your problem. It is the page editor's responsibility to make sure the paper matches the publiser's or journal's style sheet. Chances are they have some very intelligent software that makes most of this an automated process. Just follow the editorial process and make sure that anything sent to you pre-publication looks acceptable.
Upvotes: 0
|
2015/09/24
| 574
| 2,624
|
<issue_start>username_0: In computer science being first author means you basically did all the work whereas if co-author does not indicate what amount of work is done. Which would be more well received on an application to PhD programs?<issue_comment>username_1: The first author is not always the author of correspondence. In some cases, authors are alphabetically ordered. Nevertheless, it is a common notion that first authors are always considered to have the major contribution.
Coming back to your question, it is true that PhD admissions are more interested in papers with being the corresponding author.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: I'm afraid that all the answer we can really give you is: "It depends."
The reasons are:
* It's not really possible to tell the relative amount of contribution of an undergraduate from their position as first or second author. Typically the first author has contributed the most, but with inexperienced researchers there may be so much coaching involved that the value of first author is somewhat diluted. Likewise, the second author might have contributed very little or might have contributed only a tiny bit less than the first author.
* The value of a conference vs. a workshop depends a lot on the conference and the workshop and the paper. A paper in a high-quality and well-respected workshop will be much better than in a poor conference. Likewise, a marginal paper can sometimes get into a decent conference, while excellent papers are sometimes sent to workshops because it's the right place for them, for various reasons.
The real thing that will explain the value that you have contributed to a paper to an admissions committee is a letter of recommendation, from a person who knows the work you did.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: While is usually true that first authors count more (I had a grant declined once citing that as a reason, but not on computer science), do not try to trick the committee...
What really counts is the whole of your publication history, that should have good papers, published in the appropriate venue.
Don't pass on networking options just because you will not be first author... Ideally, you should have both: articles directly derived from your work (thesis/project) with you as first author as well as articles that are related to your work (but derived from someone else's project, for instance) that you collaborated.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: It is better to be the first author on the *highest quality* paper, regardless of workshop, conference, or journal publication.
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer]
|
2015/09/24
| 1,279
| 5,453
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am pursuing a PhD in analysis and partial differential equations. My advisor has given me a problem which actually turns out to have a very large algebraic geometry requirement. Although my analysis is very good, my geometry and algebra have always been a little weak. I find the problem very fascinating and, surprisingly, the problem can even be stated in a way that even a first year undergraduate could understand it.
Now, I'm essentially stuck. I do not know if learning all the geometry that I never learned before would help me out. In fact, I doubt it. The other thing is that I feel that for a problem that can be stated in simple linear algebra / calculus terms, such weighty tools might not even be required and some kind of partial results should be obtainable with whatever knowledge I have.
The fact that I am not making any real progress is making me feel very insecure and making me question whether I can become a mathematician. I need some advice.
Should I set myself a time frame and bundle up things as well as they can be bundled up?
Should I set myself the challenge of learning all the geometry that may/may not work?
Should I quit?<issue_comment>username_1: As with everything else about being a graduate student, the correct answer is always: Talk to your adviser. She will likely have a much better overview about the field, the techniques needed, what you probably will need to make progress with your research, and many other things. Discuss with her your thoughts about your uncertainty where the right direction lies, what this means for your career, whether you're qualified, etc. Communicate!
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: My experience in the matter (computer science): never be afraid to learn.
Every new concept opens a lot of new possibilities. Try to see the problem from different points of view, you will often find that there are similar problems and this change will almost always help you develop a solution.
Of course, it wouldn't be wise to charge full time into each possibility... hedge your bets... you might want to focus on the pragmatic approach first, separating a few hours a week to study new stuff.
Just to join the chorus "talk to your advisor". They usually know what is best for you.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: I had exact same problem in a different domain. I think this little story of mine will help you:
**6 Months Before Thesis Submission**: I was almost done with the whole thesis, then suddenly the supervisor decided to force me into adding another aspect of my work to my thesis. Basically another chapter on the whole matter that I already solved and concluded, but with a different tone (as it was another domain parallel to the domain that I solved).
**Panicking Period (1 month)**: I panicked like hell. The whole thing was done and she wanted me to go to a domain that I ignored since I put my foot at a university.
**Exit Strategy (1 month)**: The time was running out, I said to myself, well I will find 'easy references' that tackled this issue in a very simple way, will learn them, then write the chapter about it and then I will cite them. I found around 20 references on the subject matter.
**Gold mining (1 month)**: It was one the most fun period of my PhD!. I narrowed these 20 references into 1 (thats right!), and then learned its related references.
**Writing Period (2 months)**: Wrote around a 35 pages based on that reference and my work. It actually gave depth to my thesis, as I explained and tackled the same problem using a different method.
**Putting my foot down and submission (1 month)**: Let the game of cat and mouse begin!. Supervisor did not liked the approach I was taking. I did explain that it is actually a very good and important reference, and this chapter is enough on the matter. She disagreed and I did not gave up.
**Defence**: Fortunately or unfortunately, one of my examiners where a master in the field I tackled and wrote a chapter about. He loved it. In fact 70% of the defence time was about the material I wrote on that chapter.
**Conclusion**: Be honest with yourself. At the end of the day, if you can defend what you wrote and contributed, then well, you be fine in defending your thesis and your whole PhD.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: It wouldn't be a bad thing for you, if we take the long view, for you to learn at least some of the "geometry you never learned before". So even if the geometrical approach doesn't yield anything useful for your current research problem, you'll still have become a better-rounded mathematician.
Research often involves building a rope ladder into the nothingness, not knowing how long the ladder needs to be to reach the other side, not knowing whether your type of ladder will even be able to hook onto the other side once you get there.
Try to relax and enjoy this period of your life, in which you have the freedom to spend some months learning about something, trying something out, out of intellectual curiosity. Will it prove helpful? Will it prove to be a waste of time (in terms of your original research problem)? Will it turn up some little, or big, surprises? Will it turn out to be helpful for something else you're doing 10 years from now? Who knows. Enjoy the fact that no one is breathing down your neck saying, on a weekly basis, Did you solve it? Did you solve it?
Upvotes: 2
|
2015/09/24
| 671
| 2,816
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am a student doing my undergrad in Electronics and Communication engineering and wish to pursue a career in Avionics. My paper was selected for presentation at 54th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition 2016 (SciTech 2016). I have another paper which was selected for presentation at IEEE Aerospace Conference 2016. According to my understanding, these are reputed conferences. I was wondering how valuable these papers are for my admission at a grad school and my professional career. I have to spend a lot of money to attend these conferences. Is it worth it?<issue_comment>username_1: In most cases, universities do admire students who publish in important conferences, as students need to put their institute down. It actually helps the universities in their research rankings.
So, I would suggest contact the secretary of your department, and explain the situation. Most likely, they have some money laying around to fund you to go to these conferences.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: There is 2 parts to this question:
**(1) How valuable are conference papers to grad school admission?**
The answer to that is field-dependent. In some fields, the value of conferences as means of publishing scientific content is perceived small. In others, primarily Computer Science, conferences are of major importance, hence papers in good conferences are perceived as *very* valuable for admission.
However, arguably, even in fields were conference papers count less, having published in and attending good conferences may make you stand out of the crowd in grad school admissions. Primarily, in these fields (e.g., physics), undergrads that have good *journal* papers to their name are very rare, so having been to a conference *as an undergrad* is already pretty good, even if it does not count for all that much in the grand scheme of things in the research field.
**(2) Is it worth it given that conferences are very expensive?**
I am of course generalising here, but as a rule of thumb, you should *not* have to pay for your own conference travels, as long as you have an accepted paper as an enrolled student. Most universities have stipends and travel grants that you can apply for, you can act as a student volunteer, or, most importantly, your university department covers your travel expenses.
Assuming that it is indeed not feasible for you to have your costs covered, you will need to take the decision yourself. Whether it's "worth it" depends not only on the value of a conference to the admission process, but also on how much >1000 USD are to you, personally. Clearly, the story is different if you are a foreign student living of a small stipend than if you come from an upper middle-class family in the US.
Upvotes: 2
|
2015/09/24
| 409
| 1,754
|
<issue_start>username_0: I'm writing a mobile application which will be part of my master's thesis. In my application I'm using contents from the wikipedia (small fragments of articles and pictures) to present my solution on the specific data.
Must I add links to articles, images and to them licenses?
If so, where: README.txt / about section / directly in the written part? Thx in advance for help<issue_comment>username_1: In a thesis you *must* reference any material/code that you did not solely created.
So in your case, I would suggest in the the background chapter, explain, the used *data gathering* techniques (e.g., using an API), and then add all the required references into it. So in later chapters, the reader knows what are these data and where they came from.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I am not sure if you mean what is on my mind, but Wikipedia is not a reliable source for theses or academic papers. If you are using Wikipedia as a proof or reference for your content, I would suggest you to use a more reliable source. Wikipedia usually cites the content, so you can find the original reference, unless it has been written by an anonymous person.
But if you want to use media such as an image and you are concerned for the copyright issues, just use the license of the image (e.g. Creative Commons or GNU), and it should be enough. If the image is in the public domain, however, there would not be needed to use any reference for it, and you can do it if you want.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: You need to consider both copyright law *and* academic standards for attribution. There isn't enough information in the question to fully evaluate your situation in relation to either.
Upvotes: 0
|
2015/09/24
| 1,033
| 4,184
|
<issue_start>username_0: all.
I am currently studying Electrical engineering in master course at one of good German universities.
I would like to study in the US for my PhD course, but have some questions about the application.
1. Unlike other countries' master courses, in Germany, the master course is just a full of course work(approximately 60 CP course work, 30 for Internship, 30 for Thesis). In this system, it is hard, almost impossible, to write a thesis or have a research records before PhD application period. Isn't it negatively evaluated by US universities?
2. As known, PhD in US universities doesn't require MSc degree, and takes 5 years in average. If I enter into one of universities with MSc degree, is the period of the PhD course shortened to 3 years?
Thank you for your advice in advance.<issue_comment>username_1: 1. In a typical US MS program the research component (MS thesis) represents only a small portion of the formal degree program. For example, 6 credit hours of thesis in a 30 credit hour MS program is quite common. In practice, it's not unusual for a student to spend more than 20% of their time and effort on the thesis. This seems to be similar to what you're describing in Germany. It's certainly true that most MS students who are applying for PhD programs haven't yet finished their MS thesis. However, it is helpful to have some partial results and evidence of this such as a conference poster presentation or even a submitted paper.
2. US PhD programs usually have required course work in addition to the dissertation. On average it takes students five years or more to finish PhD degrees in the physical sciences, but there typically isn't an explicit time limit for the degree program- you're finished when you've completed the requirements, however long that takes.
Students who come in with an MS degree may be excused from some of the course work, but this will depend very much on the details of the students MS course work. Don't be surprised if you're required to take a number of courses in subjects that you've already studied. Over all you might be able to cut a year off of your time in the PhD program by having a previous MS degree, but don't expect that your two years of MS study will cut the duration of your PhD program by two years.
Completing a PhD in the US often takes longer than 5 years. A [study conducted by the NSF](http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf06312/) (using data up to 2003, so a bit out of date now) showed that the average time to degree (counting only time registered as a student) after the bachelors degree was more like 7 years, with some variation between disciplines.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> Q. How many PhD students does it take to screw in a light bulb?
>
>
> A. One, but it takes him nine years.
>
>
>
Seriously, in general it is very hard to predict, before starting, how long it will take to complete a PhD. First, you have to take some foundation courses and pass some qualifying exams. Then, you have to choose a topic and learn lots of stuff relevant to that. Then, you have to be creative. Somewhere in that "creative" step, you might be lucky or unlucky (examples of bad luck: someone publishes your result right when you were about to; you do a series of experiments that you thought would show something useful, but for a myriad of possible reasons, they don't; your advisor dies; etc. etc.). Once you've got some worthwhile results, you still have to write them up.
So, I would advise you to just chug away, without setting yourself a specific timeframe.
Having said all that -- having the Masters under your belt will stand you in good stead. And the students I've seen coming to the U.S. from the German system seem to be very well prepared, and my impression (although I haven't done any formal counts) is that they tend to finish somewhat faster than average.
Tip: In English, you don't do this thing that you do in German with the first letter of the first sentence of a letter. In English, you always use a capital letter for the first letter of a sentence, regardless of whether it's the first paragraph of the letter or not.
Upvotes: 0
|
2015/09/24
| 426
| 1,736
|
<issue_start>username_0: It seems like in most European countries a student has to take a 3 years B.Sc, 2 years M.Sc and then 5 years phd program while in the U.S the M.Sc is skipped but the length of the phd stays the same...
(Specifically talking about CS, but may relate also to other fields)
Is that correct, and if so, why is that?<issue_comment>username_1: Your understanding of the duration of PhD programs in the US is a bit off- the average "registered time to degree" beyond the bachelors degree for PhD recipients in the US is more like 7 years. See
```
[http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf06312/][1]
```
In recent years there have been some attempts to reduce time to degree, and the data reported in this link are more than 10 years old, but the situation hasn't changed very much in the last 10 years.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: As @Thomas already mentioned the nominal length of a PhD program in Europe is often 3-4 years instead of 5 years, depending on the country. However, there is a big difference between how long policy makers think a program should take and how long it takes actual students to finish those programs... You can easily add a a year or more to each of the programs if you want to talk about the actual durations.
As to why such differences exist, the answer is just that such programs were designed in different national contexts by different decisionmakers who made different choices. Within the European Union there have been attempts to harmonise what a university program looks like. However, there is no supernational body of the same strength as the EU that encompasses both Europe and the USA. So differences between the EU and USA are likely to persist.
Upvotes: 2
|
2015/09/25
| 477
| 2,133
|
<issue_start>username_0: According to the information retrieved from EVISE supporting agent, my revised submission was undergoing the second round of review. I have found out that both referees missed their target deadline (without any request for further extension).
The agent also tried to persuade that the submission will have final decision soon; (s)he called it as 'Target decision date'.
Here are the questions I would like to know:
1) Is it common that the reviewers returns their comments late?
2) Have anyone experienced 'Target decision date'?
Kindly regards,<issue_comment>username_1: The 'target decision date' is just the editors way of saying she hopes she can get you a final answer by then.
Editors have very little leverage over reviewers to make them return their reviews on time, or at all. At this point, the editor is likely bugging the reviewers to turn their second round of reviews in. If the reviewers never reply to the editor, eventually she will either send the paper to different reviewers (who you will then have to wait to here back from) or just make a judgement call herself as to whether your revision satisfied the reviewers' critiques from the first round of reviews. Sometimes the review process can be really slow. A coworker of mine had a 300 day turn around between submission and publication on one of her recent papers.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: Unfortunately it is all too common for some reviewers to be delinquent in their manuscript returns. In particular in traditional academic publishers. Often reviewers are professors/researchers with multiple hats in academia including writing up their own research. I would agree with the previous answer that a target decision date is a way for editors to try and push all reviewers to respond.
One example where the turnover is quick(er) is the highly structure online journals like Frontier or PLOS. In the former the turnover is ±14 days for most journals and article submission. The second review process is also around 14 days so all in all about 5-6 week turnaround depending on the quality of the manuscript.
Upvotes: 2
|
2015/09/25
| 1,353
| 5,813
|
<issue_start>username_0: I'm currently a sophomore at a small liberal arts college. I want to get into one of physics PhD programs with faculties renowned for quantum gravity. I'm majoring in math and physics, and since both departments in my college are small, I will have taken all the upper-level courses in math and physics until the next semester. My major GPA in physics is 4.0, and my GRE physics score is 990, but I will have no math or physics course to take after the next semester. There aren't much research opportunities here. The only research opportunity is available during summer (which is experimental physics, but I'm mainly interested in hep-th). All REUs are not available for international students. (However, there are a few programs available for int'l students, such as Caltech SURF.)
Which of the following choices would be the best?
* Graduating early (3 yrs), going to physics PhD program, and saving $>60k. If I don't get into programs of my choice, I will either stay in the college, in the program until the end, or (hopefully) transferring to them after getting non-terminal Master's degree if I will have a compelling reason.
* Transferring to a high ranked research university for advanced/grad-level physics courses and for more research opportunities
* Staying for 4 yrs in the current institution<issue_comment>username_1: In support of your third option, staying at your LAC for four years:
There are plenty of interesting things to study at a liberal arts college that you might not have the time or opportunity to study once you’re in graduate school. Some of them might enrich your life and career as a physicist, like philosophy or computer science or chemistry or writing, and some of them might be fascinating and fulfilling on their own, like art history or a new foreign language.
You should also be able to study more mathematics and physics without transferring or graduating early. I’m sure your LAC offers independent study or special project courses for students who’ve exhausted the catalog curriculum. Ask your academic advisor or one of your favorite professors about that possibility.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_2: Only in exceptional situations should an undergraduate consider "getting out early" from their undergraduate education to pursue graduate study. Your situation is rather exceptional and is one of the better cases for doing this that I have seen.
My honest assessment is that you sound like an outstanding student who didn't make the best choice of undergraduate institution. Liberal arts colleges can be great for a wide range of clientele, but someone who maxed out the subject exam in their intended field of graduate study in their freshman year is probably not in that range. If you know you want to go to graduate school in physics, you want to be taking physics courses over the next three years: independent study is okay, but it is probably not good enough.
I recommend that you apply *both* to PhD programs in physics and to undergraduate programs at top tier research universities. For the latter, you are looking for more than just being able to transfer in: you want substantial scholarship opportunities (I would aim for a "full ride") and specific access to faculty and their research.
It is of course likely that you will get admitted to better undergraduate programs than PhD programs. In my opinion if you get into an absolutely top undergraduate program with a substantial scholarship, then that's the way to go. Most of the students who are at the very top PhD programs started out their undergraduate career with a roughly similar trajectory to yours and then built on that substantially through four years of a superb undergraduate program. I would be a bit surprised if you got admitted to one of the top ten programs without an undergraduate degree.
If I may throw out one specific option: the college at the University of Chicago is a lovely opportunity to get a liberal arts education in the midst of an absolutely world class research university. You can read Plato and Kant and Dostoevsky while taking graduate courses to your heart's content. Moreover they have full ride scholarships available for exceptional students. (I went to the University of Chicago on a full ride scholarship, read all of the above authors, took many graduate courses in my subject of interest -- mathematics -- and then got into all the graduate programs to which I applied, including the top three. I am more satisfied with my education at the UofC and my decision to go there than almost anything else in my life. Seriously.)
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Another option, which may not apply in this case, is that SLACs that are in major metro areas may have agreements with nearby universities which will allow their undergraduates to take graduate classes there. For example, Swarthmore and Penn have such an agreement.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: Transferring right after your sophomore year would be just fine. People who start out in a community college do it *all the time*. Large four-year institutions have the transfer process figured out.
I agree with others that if you transfer, you should try to get as much financial support as possible from the new institution (but without sacrificing quality).
One other factor that hasn't been mentioned is your general maturity level. Just because you feel frustrated with the skimpy offerings at your school, doesn't necessarily mean you're ready to jump into a swimming pool full of people 2+ years older than you. (I'm not saying you're not ready -- I don't know you; I'm only saying, please consider this aspect as well.)
I hope the above considerations help you with what is ultimately a very personal decision.
Upvotes: 0
|
2015/09/25
| 1,248
| 5,151
|
<issue_start>username_0: As an international TA getting accustomed to the landscape of my University, I managed to earn the ire of my instructor/professor for having not shown up during the discussion/office hours.
In a strongly worded mail, he has sought an explanation while reprimanding me saying that another instance of this would lead to serious consequences.
I am afraid that I may lose my assistantship as I curse my folly for being so careless. I have apologized to the Professor over mail but from the tone of his reply, he seems to have not considered it. Please suggest how I must handle this predicament.<issue_comment>username_1: The best way to handle this is to acknowledge that you've screwed up, and to explain how you're going to make sure that you won't miss any class meetings and other events in the future. If there's a justification for why you missed the event (for instance, if you had an examination for a class you were enrolled in overlapping with office hours), you can mention that.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> Please suggest how I must handle this predicament.
>
>
>
Apologize, and don't do it again.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: The first thing to do would be to accept and apologise as suggested by @username_1. Then you should probably make up for it by doing some more work the next week or making a pleasing amount of progress in your research and produce the outcomes to your professor.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: As username_1 said, it is a good idea to admit you made a mistake, and to make sure it doesn't happen again. It's equally important to communicate that you know how serious the matter is, and that you don't come off as downplaying what happened. Don't be defensive! You missed work, which you're getting paid for, when people were counting on you, without making appropriate accommodations. Your professor will be looking to see that you take your job seriously.
Example of a good apology:
>
> I'm so sorry I wasn't there. I still feel new around here and am still getting used to everything, and I made a mistake. I know how important it is that I be there when people are expecting me, and it won't happen again.
>
>
>
Example of a bad apology:
>
> Sorry I wasn't there. It won't happen again, but let's not overreact: everything turned out alright, didn't it?
>
>
>
Note that it's easier than you might think to drift toward the latter in the heat of the moment if people are threatening consequences.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_5: I second the other advice given here, and in addition I recommend that you make your apology in person rather than by e-mail if you have a chance.
I have been in this situation before, as the professor. I was pretty upset at first, but once I met with the TA he sincerely apologized, explained why it happened without trying to excuse his behavior, and said the mistake wouldn't be repeated. Within two minutes I was no longer angry at all.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_6: What information had you received prior to the discussion/office hours that informed you that you had to be there?
If the answer is none then stand your ground: "I'm regret that discussion session was compromised by my absence however I never received any information indicating I should be present. The only relevant communications I've received were the e-mails from W dated X, Y and Z, none of which indicated that my presence was expected at these discussion sessions. Now that I know that I am expected to attend I will be present at all future sessions."
If the answer if you had the information and failed to act on it then apologise and make sure it doesn't happen again: "I am very sorry not to have attended the discussion session, this was entirely my own error and I will make sure it never happens again."
The most important thing is simply to be reliable in future.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_7: For the time being, do whatever it takes in order that you do not get sacked. Technical advice for that has already been given.
If it is indeed true that the instructor already rejected a reasonable apology from you, then work on an exit strategy from the employment relationship with that instructor. I always demand reliability and meticulousness from those whom I work with. However, mistakes happen, and when they do, it is important to limit the damage and then **move on quickly**. There is no need to humiliate anyone for making a mistake, like demanding multiple apologies. (If mistakes by the same person accumulate, the situation changes. But this seems not to be the case here.)
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_8: Years I developed a framework for the ideal apology -
1. Say you are sorry.
2. Acknowledge that it was your fault.
3. Acknowledge that you impacted or hurt the other person and they are right to be angry with you.
4. Promise the action will not be repeated.
What's purposely missing from the above is an excuse. I suppose if a parent passes away, it might slip your mind to contact your appointments, but even so, as a general set of rules, avoid excuses.
Upvotes: 1
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2015/09/25
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<issue_start>username_0: My paper was accepted to an IEEE conference, but I am not getting the simulation results I obtained before.
In IEEE conferences will they tell you to run the simulation in front of them?<issue_comment>username_1: So far, in none of the IEEE conferences I have attended have I seen a compulsion of a demo from the presentation critics. Though some delegates do present a demo, but it would be of their own wish.
Thus, you wouldn't have to worry about giving a simulation at the conference. The average time given to you would only be from 15-25 minutes for your presentation. You should be spending enough time explaining your work.
(Nevertheless, you ought to know what is wrong with your simulation for the good of your research concerned)
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: I have not seen any conference in which normal track papers where required to show simulations. However, you may very well have questions *about* your simulation and results. For that reason, I would be careful of presenting something in which you yourself can not replicate. At the very least, depending on how different your results are now than they were before, you may need to make it clear in your presentation that you are aware there may be some issues with the accuracy.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: Since the other answers should properly address your question, I'll raise an issue that bothered me from the go: What do you mean you can't replicate your results?
One of the cornerstones of science is the replication of results (something that is almost never done in computer science...). If **you** can't replicate your results, how do you expect someone else to? If nobody can replicate/verify your results, sorry, you are not doing science :(
I'm not saying that you are doing it wrong, one would need more information than that, I'm saying that the phrase
>
> but I am not getting the simulation results I obtained before.
>
>
>
is **very** troubling and can indicate that you are, indeed, doing something wrong.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_4: Apart from what others have already mentioned here, about your inability to obtain the same results again being a bigger concern than just presenting a demo, I would also remind you that if someone from the audience asks some difficult questions, you could be caught in an awkward spot.
So, here is my advice - forget about whether you need to show a live demo or not, first figure out what is wrong with your methodology or your hypothesis. If you can justify that, then don't worry about the live demo, and if you cannot justify that, then you still have to do a lot of work.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: As the other answers have noted, showing a live demo is the least of your concerns. If your results are correct, and you understand the methods you've used to obtain them, then everything is fine. If not, you have bigger problems anyway.
You don't say exactly what you mean by "not getting the simulation results I obtained before", but whatever it is, it's worrying:
* Your earlier results might have been a statistical fluke, or they might have been representative of only a small fraction of the parameter space.
* Alternatively, if your old code consistently gave different results than you new simulation code does for identical parameter values, then either your old code or the new code (or both!) must have a bug.
Until you figure out what the cause of the discrepancy is, and verify (e.g. by comparison with earlier work and/or an independent reimplementation) that you simulations are actually producing correct results, there's a good chance that at least some of your results are bogus, and any conclusions you may have drawn based on them may be simply wrong.
The good news is that, by a lucky accident, you caught this problem now, *before* the conference. Even if you can't verify or correct your results in time, and end up having to withdraw your paper from the conference, that's still a lot less embarrassing than having someone else refute your results *after* (or, perhaps worse yet, *during*) the public presentation.
At this point, the two questions you should ask yourself are:
1. Can you honestly and confidently stand in front of your peers and superiors, and answer questions about how you got your results and why they are the way they are, with full confidence that your claims, to the extent you've made them, really hold up to scrutiny?
2. If not, what's the least embarrassing way to retract your claims, at least temporarily until you can reconfirm them, and how soon do you need to do that?
(Tip: It's almost certainly *not* waiting until just before you need to present your paper. It's most likely *also not* trying to bullshit your way through the presentation with dodgy data, and having someone in the audience call you on it.)
In any case, if you haven't discussed the problem with your supervisor(s), do that *now*. This is one of the things it's their *job* to be aware of and to help you deal with, and they'll (hopefully) have the experience to suggest a reasonable course of action in your specific situation.
Upvotes: 3
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2015/09/25
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<issue_start>username_0: Science and research is open knowledge. We should always share our knowledge with each other. However in current competitive world, scooping research is very common (specially in bioinformatics, methodology and medicinal sciences where research has immediate applications). This has further downstream effects like less chance of getting published in good journal, loss of novelty etc. I was wondering what kind of information generally people share openly versus hide. I know this will depend on kind of research you and your rivals are doing but still is there any commonality ?
To be more specific, I am looking for research in **computational biology**. Let's say I want to present a poster in a conference where my rival group (working on similar topic) is also presenting. Now how much information about my current research I should present?<issue_comment>username_1: I think that you have to consider and balance, at the very least, the following **aspects**:
* *Your overall career goals.* I would argue that career-wise every researcher wants (and has to) establish themselves as an *expert*, if not in a discipline, in a particular area(s) of research. With that in mind, it seems pretty obvious to me that sharing your research is much more beneficial then hoarding it. The one potential exception to this approach is noted in my next point.
* *Your current research (that is, particular study's) goals and priorities.* If your current research has a potential to be commercialized **and** you have desire to deal with that **and** you have financial means (or your institution's support) to do so (as you know, patenting is not cheap, and, as I imagine, patenting in such a complex field, as computational biology, is doubly so), then you might consider taking this route (should be decided on a case by case basis).
* *Impact on potential collaboration.* Modern research in many, if not most, fields is highly collaborative. Thus, your decision to significantly limit sharing research results and other related information will most likely make you an unattractive candidate for participating in upcoming collaborative research studies and, therefore, will most likely have a *serious negative impact* on your future research portfolio and, consequently, research career.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: This is a poster, right? Print some pretty pictures, give some general descriptions of your techniques, whet their appetite to learn more about your group, give some references to some published papers from your group. Think of this as a PR opportunity for your group.
When individuals visit your poster and chat with you, you'll be able to gauge what the person's motivations are, and share accordingly.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: If you are worried about showing your work in a conference poster session and then someone scooping your work, I suggest you:
* write up a rough paper preprint containing/describing this work
* put that on a public preprint server like the arXiv
* make it very clear on your poster that you've published the preprint (include a link)
Then it's in the public record that you were first, and anyone trying to scoop you is obligated to cite that preprint and acknowledge you were first.
If it's then the case that someone tries to literally scoop your idea and write a journal paper on it, with no additional work/development from them, their paper would very likely be rejected (if they do the right thing and cite the preprint properly). If they don't cite the preprint, it's a clear case of plagiarism, so if their paper gets published you can contact the journal editor who will very likely have to retract their paper.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: The scholarly community today is more in favor of sharing and open data rather than hiding your research. Research is meant for the benefit of society and should not be kept hidden. The fear of being scooped is of course there, but there are ways to protect your research and your data even while making your research public. Apart from writing a pre-print and putting it up on arXiv, you could also consider hosting your data on public repositories like Figshare or Dryad. You would then get a DOI, and your data would be citable.
Upvotes: 0
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2015/09/25
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<issue_start>username_0: I would like to be able to recognize contributions in cases where the contributions of individual may not warrant co-authorship, but where the work would not have been possible without the diverse contributions of a community (e.g. developers of an open-source software).
I am particularly interested in the case of non-peer-reviewed white-papers, conference abstracts, software, and documentation, but also where it is appropriate in the peer-reviewed literature.
In the cases of writing an article, such documents could be placed in an appendix or archive. But citing "First author et al 2015" instead of "Acme Team, 2015" seems to promote the team while demoting the implied importance of the document (i.e. within the document it can look like padding if the references are to my self).
What is the appropriate context and method for using a team rather than individual name as the author? Is it possible to obtain a unique identifier, such as Orcid or ResearcherID that identifies a team of contributors rather than individuals?
Some prominent examples of this style of attribution include:
R Programming language:
>
> R Development Core Team (2008). R: A language and environment fo statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. ISBN 3-900051-07-0, URL <http://www.R-project.org>.
>
>
>
IPCC
>
> IPCC, 2014: Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability. Part A: Global and Sectoral Aspects. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Field, C.B., <NAME>, <NAME>, <NAME>, <NAME>, <NAME>, <NAME>, <NAME>, <NAME>, <NAME>, <NAME>, <NAME>, <NAME>, <NAME>, P.R. Mastrandrea, and <NAME> (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, 1132 pp.
>
>
>
And some conferences, e.g. the [American Geophysical Union](https://fallmeeting.agu.org/2013/scientific-program-2/abstract-submission-policies/), allows team citation:
>
> A research team may be referenced during the submission process in the Title of Team field, in lieu of adding the names of individual team members.
>
>
> ...
>
>
> Scientific teams are permitted within an authorship list. Such teams and their members should be formally defined entities such as instrument, field or laboratory experiment, or mission teams. Examples: include "Scientific Team of ODP Drilling Leg XXX" , "The Cassini Imaging Science Subsystem Team".
>
>
><issue_comment>username_1: Credit were credit is due. If they contributed enough to be co-authors, add them as co-authors, if not, thank them in the acknowledgements. That's it.
AFAIK, the preference for a team instead of first author is yours only :) ... et al means more people, and the reader will know there are more people involved. I never saw that in CS, might be doable in other domains, but I do find it weird and I think you risk "breaking" the citation systems (like google scholar automatic counting, etc).
I reckon it is mildly disconcerting to see the a name repeated over and over again, because it makes me think "are they the only people working on this? Is this field relevant?". That wouldn't change if you replace the names by teams...
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: It's not immediately evident in your question but I gather that you are asking about how to cite other people's work. Or possibly previous work to which you partly contributed.
Referencing previous work serves the purpose of **giving robust information to your reader to locate said work**, not to attribute credit.
In that very aspect of your academic work, **don't be creative**. What's relevant is the citation style imposed by the journal or conference you are publishing in, or your institution's guidelines for theses, or at the very least, the standard citation style that you chose for that particular document you are writing.
---
See similar questions having the same answer:
[How to cite papers where the names are sorted?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41759/how-to-cite-papers-where-the-names-are-sorted)
[Style in citing two authors in the same sentence](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/17649/style-in-citing-two-authors-in-the-same-sentence)
Upvotes: 2
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2015/09/25
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<issue_start>username_0: This is going to be a rather soft question, I am not completely sure it is appropriate for this place. But still.
In your opinion, how important is the presence of strong curiosity (passion for research) in a researcher for him/her to become very successful in science? Here I mean really big success (like getting top awards and/or reshaping a research area significantly) and really in science (not including management achievements, or high numbers of supervised successful PhDs or things alike).
There are many people doing research who consider (or start to consider after a while) their research-related activity as "just a job" like, say, an engineering or a carpenter one, just with a different range of required activities. So these people are not driven by a strong feeling of curiosity. Sometimes they are very hardworking and get a lot of important results, but I am not sure they get to the top (in fact, I just do not have enough data to judge).
So a second part of my question (and partly a clarification of the first one) is: do you know
1. examples of people who got to the top and did not have curiosity?
2. examples of people who are very curious, stay in research for a long time, but did not get to the top? (better if such person is somewhat known so that his/her biography could be found)<issue_comment>username_1: A non-answer: curiosity is not the same as "passion for research", if the latter refers to the contemporary commodified version of "research". Exactly as in the question, some clever people see that their "diddlings" could get funding from some funding agency, and "go for it", without really sincerely caring about the issue they pretend to address. Srsly.
"Academe" is a sort of game that is in fact not so wildly different from "business", although its conceits and minor dynamics are different. The major dynamics are self-confidence, ... and bluffing, up to a point. "Bluster", for sure.
I do think that the individuals who bluff-and-bluster in academe are *sometimes* less sociopathic than "business people", if, or when, they stay well back from wrecking the pension plans of millions of people. Faint praise, yes.
More directly, I have observed that many people find that their naive, early-life perceptions of any given thing was naive... Special case: academe.
Pro-tip [sic], lotta people who know what they're doing are "not noisy"... that is, do not violently broadcast nonsense.
I do also seriously think that the question is not "can one be a success in academe without buying into the myth of endless curiosity" (which is the best possible myth), but "will I be able to pay a modest mortgage and have health insurance for my family...?" This is a tougher question, and depends on local social politics.
Fairy tale: once upon a time, I thought I'd just live till I keeled over at the blackboard... but then there were kids, aging parents, aging spouses, kids-again, ...
"Wait, what was the question?" :)
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I am not 100% sure I understand exactly what you mean by curiosity, but I will answer assuming you mean someone who wants to figure out how something works just because they find it interesting and intriguing.
I do not think that such curiosity is required for being a top award-winning scientist.
In fact I personally know both kinds of scientists that you mention: I know very successful scientists whose main driving factors are not curiosity, bot other things such as strong competitiveness or desire for fame. I don't think there is something wrong with this - people do science for different reasons.
Examples of the other way around are even easier to find: you can be super-curious but lazy or unable to communicate your ideas - and you will get nowhere. There are several important factors you need to be a top award-winning scientist - curiosity is just one (and not absolutely essential for some).
Upvotes: 1 [selected_answer]
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2015/09/26
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<issue_start>username_0: In some good classes I've had, I've gone to office hours not because I'm confused, but because I just want "more". I like the teacher and just want to listen to them talk about whatever, even if it's not necessarily about the class. I can usually come up with a couple questions for an excuse to come by, but I wish I could just say "please teach me more".
How do you do that? I don't know how to ask that, or how to instigate it. I usually just try to ask questions but sometimes I honestly don't have many, or at least ones that couldn't be solved by using a book. Usually these classes are ones I like, and thus I try to keep on top of things.<issue_comment>username_1: I am not sure what you are looking for is possible. When I was first getting into research, there were plenty of people I thought just had amazing things to say, and great perspectives on so many topics. Even after school and being in research, there are people I truly respect that have a unique perspective on much of academia. The issue is, these people are usually respected by more than just one person, and as such, are extremely busy. They are also the people who are invited as speakers to conferences, TED events, etc.
My suggestion is, if you are really interested in hearing more of their perspective regardless of it being a topic of your class, you can ask if they hold other classes in which they lecture. Additionally, you can easily look their name on google to see if there are conferences they have given talks on (which is highly likely if they are a top academic). If you can not find anything online, you could still ask them if they have talks available online in a respectable way, such as:
>
> I really enjoyed your explanation of topic x, it was a way I had not
> heard it explained before, do you have any online resources in which I
> could hear more of your thoughts on this?
>
>
>
If you are not interested in watching recorded talks, and only interested in one-on-one communication, I think you need to think more about the comments to your question by seeking more specific questions, or your real issue with wanting to hear the person speak.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Fundamentally, there are two types of "more", with some overlap.
There's the specific person, and the specific topic.
With regard to the specific person, you have to respect that their time is short and you'll have to fit yourself into their existing schedule. The question you will ask is "What courses are you teaching next year?" Unless you are very early in undergraduate studies, **You are helping the faculty member by asking this question**. Special topics courses get cancelled unless enough students enroll, and if you have the prerequisites, you'll get to hear more of the teaching style that works well for you and simultaneously help the professor keep his course on the schedule.
With regard to the specific topic, it's always appropriate to ask about practical applications to a theory course ("How would I use this?"), practical aspects of an applications course ("Can this fail?"), theory behind an applications course ("Is there a mathematical test to see whether it will be stable?"), what the professor would like to have included in the syllabus if the course were more hours, and whether the course material is applicable to the professor's own research. You may get lucky and be given pointers to notes or recordings prepared by the professor, but most likely you'll be pointed to other resources. Don't discount them when you back back out through the office door, this pays off proportionately to the effort you put in. Likely there will be an opportunity to talk about what you discovered from the resources suggested (assuming you actually put in the time to study them) when you next see the faculty, but even if not, you still learned new things.
Finally, most faculty will take some time to answer general sorts of advising questions about the curriculum of the department and/or professional development and career paths. Their research is always a possible topic for discussion... but unless you ask how it relates to the class and go out and learn more on your own, these are likely to be one-off conversations.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: This probably goes without saying, but to be on the safe side... always cede the visitor's chair to a fellow student who is visiting office hours in need of help with the course. Also, make sure that you don't neglect to do the assigned work. Only go to have enrichment conversations when you are completely caught up with all your assigned work (in this and *all* your courses). Finally, be sensitive to the professor's own work rhythm. There will be some office hour days when your professor is working under a deadline, or is tired because his or her toddler couldn't sleep well the night before, or is jetlagged after going to a conference, etc.
Look at the professor's publication record; take a look at some of these publications. Based on that, you can prepare some questions of this type: What led you to get interested in \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_?
Some conversation openers:
>
> I'm taking such-and-so other course, and such-and-so is tying in very
> well to what I am learning in this course OR I don't yet see how that
> subject will tie into \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.
>
>
> You mentioned in class that such-and-so is beyond the scope of the
> course. Are there courses offered here that would get into that in
> greater depth?
>
>
> Can you recommend some enrichment reading that would give me a broader
> or deeper view of \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ (name of area of study addressed in the
> course you're taking)?
>
>
> I read such-and-so article about \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ (some sub-topic that has
> come up in your course). I found especially interesting
> \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.
>
>
>
Upvotes: 1
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2015/09/26
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<issue_start>username_0: Recently I ran across a number of *patent agent* positions, which seem to require significant scientific research or academic skills and experience, up to a Ph.D. level. After reading some patents, it is pretty clear to me that such role is anything but an easy job. Nevertheless, I am somewhat attracted to it due to the fact that it *combines scientific research and innovation with intellectual property and entrepreneurship areas*. I am curious about the following two aspects:
* How the time, spent in a role of patent agent, is **considered** by the academic community from the overall academic/research career perspective? While we cannot talk about pure *research productivity* in that case, since inventions are made by other people, I am wondering about whether helping those people to formulate their ideas in a clear and defensible manner can be counted as an informal co-authorship of some kind. In other words, is there some ethical authorship credit that would be attached — again, informally — to patent agents' *research portfolio* and enable them to further return back to mainstream academia at some point?
* Considering the above-mentioned point and, perhaps, other aspects, **how difficult** would be for a Ph.D. graduate without significant research portfolio (at the moment) to return to academia (as postdoc, then faculty) after having worked as a patent agent for some time?<issue_comment>username_1: From the perspective of our department: it makes no difference. It's just the same as any other job, inside or outside academia. That is to say, applicants are judged by the evidence they provide of being able to do world-class research.
That evidence can come from time spent in academia, public sector or private sector.
So it's up to you to build and provide that evidence. If time spent as a patent agent, estate agent, secret agent, travel agent or whatever helps you build evidence that *you* can do research, then that's helpful. If it doesn't, then it's not.
Similarly, if your role would be primarily about facilitating other people to do productive research, and you could provide evidence of that, then that would be helpful if you later applied for a post with the responsibility of facilitating other people to do productive research, for example a post such as departmental administrator.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> I am wondering about whether helping those people to formulate their ideas in a clear and defensible manner can be counted as an informal co-authorship of some kind.
>
>
>
My impression (based on my own experience as well as what I've heard from others) is that patent attorneys or agents typically make no contribution at all to helping their clients formulate ideas in a clear and intellectually defensible manner. Instead, the contribution is entirely on the legal side: formulating things in a way that is likely to pass the review by the patent examiner and any subsequent legal challenges, while at the same time claiming as much intellectual property as possible. This is a very valuable contribution, but not the sort of value that most of academia rewards (it's simply orthogonal to the intellectual contributions). It's possible that a law school or business school might specifically hire someone because of this experience, but for most departments experience as a patent agent would not count as anything remotely like research.
You could try to make a special argument for your case (maybe your activities would differ from those of the average patent agent), but you would face a lot of skepticism.
>
> In other words, is there some ethical authorship credit that would be attached — again, informally — to patent agents' research portfolio and enable them to further return back to mainstream academia at some point?
>
>
>
This is no such convention, and you would have to be very careful if you made any suggestions in this direction (since it could easily come across as trying to take unfair credit for other people's work).
I don't have any statistics, but I believe returning to academia after spending time as a patent agent is rare. I've known several people with Ph.D.s who became patent agents, and I've known of others, but I've never heard of anyone returning to academia afterwards. (I wouldn't be surprised if it has happened, though.)
>
> Considering the above-mentioned point and, perhaps, other aspects, how difficult would be for a Ph.D. graduate without significant research portfolio (at the moment) to return to academia (as postdoc, then faculty) after having worked as a patent agent for some time?
>
>
>
It depends on what sort of academia. Let's assume you wouldn't be teaching law or business, so those aspects of your experience would not be relevant. You could still make a case that your time as a patent agent gave you an unusually broad perspective on how your field is applied, and this could be attractive to departments. However, under ordinary circumstances it could not make up for a lack of recent research publications. If you keep publishing or apply to jobs without a strong research component, then you may be OK, but if you stop publishing, then it will be difficult to return to a research university, even as a postdoc.
Upvotes: 2
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2015/09/26
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<issue_start>username_0: I am wondering if my goal is to work in an industry as an electrical engineer, is it better to get PhD? I know PhD might open some options for me such as working in industry and teaching in academia at the same time or research job. However PhD is a long term commitment and during this time you can gain a lot more experience by working at a company and this will be considered as a professional experience, which may be more useful.
I would like to know what do you guys suggest? is it worth it to spend 5 years and obtain PhD?<issue_comment>username_1: I think it heavily depends on the kind of industry you are working in. In biotechnology for example, people with a PhD are more likely to get a job in research. In heavy industry,especially in production, you are going to meet much more engineers ore people with a master degree.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: The title of your question is rather starkly phrased. Since most electrical engineers working in industry do not have PhDs, clearly a PhD is not "really necessary".
There have been a lot of questions asked about this on the site already, which you may want to look into. In the absence of more specific information, one can only answer in general terms. What I would say is that PhDs are first of all for people who want academic careers and second of all for people who have a good, specific idea of what non-academic career they want and how the PhD will help them with it.
If your goal is to work in industry as an electrical engineer, I would try to realize that goal as soon as possible: i.e., as soon as you have a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. Then you can find out whether you really like it, get experience and so forth. You'll have a much better idea of the pros/cons of coming back for a PhD after spending time working in the field, you'll have plenty of people to ask about it, and you may even get financial support from your employers (so that for instance you may not need to do the teaching and grading that other grad students will, though as I type this I realize I don't know how much EE grad students teach or grade).
Upvotes: 1
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2015/09/26
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<issue_start>username_0: I have been through many different things with my previous advisor.
1. He wrote publications with my research proposal with his former female student after forcing me to give up the topic. Also, as soon as I completed the simulation study for a different study, he asked me to stop again and then gave it to her again (she published it as a single author).
2. He simply asked me a personal relationship. I told him no. Then he did his best to kick me out of my program. Even my Dept. and graduate college forced me to leave without my degree for about 6 months.
Luckily, I completed my Ph.D. and I am now doing my post doc. Recently my paper has been rejected in the 2nd round from a top journal. I heard from a colleague that my previous advisor called the chief editor (who was his student) and asked him not to accept my paper, alleging I copied his study (it cannot be true).
Despite my experiences as his advisee, I haven't ever talked about anything about him because I need a job. He just made a lot of crazy rumors about me, but I have been quiet. Should I be quiet again?<issue_comment>username_1: I would talk to the conciliation board on your university and to the editor . Ask your colleague, if he/she will confirms that information in front of the conciliation board. Furthermore, I would do some research (or hire someone) about code of conduct on your university valid this case. Last but not least I would write down every single accusing in a chronological form (kind of factual report).
Maybe you can prove by the timestamps of your files, that he copied ideas from you and not the other way.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Have you ever heard of Dr Ali's case "sex for pass mark?" (See <https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/curtin-lecturer-implicated-in-sexformarks-scandal-with-students-20100902-14p4g.html>). Even though your case is not quite similar to the above, because your previous advisor seriously violated academic protocol, he deserves to be sacked.
If what you said were true and that you had adequate evidence, I believe that you might have a chance to sue him through the media. Talk to the media first and then discuss the matter with the vice Chancellor.
Upvotes: -1
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2015/09/26
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<issue_start>username_0: I am an independent math researcher and I think I have discovered an interesting result in a particular field (in math). I would like to present my result in front of a committee of PhD admission.
My question: Is there a possibility that i can prove my research skills and the result in such a way that some committee will decide to integrate me into its doctoral (or graduate ) program ?
N.B. Do I need to publish the result (Do you think that all maths journals and referees can be absolutely trusted?) in order that it will appear credible, or at least to capture the attention of the members or any one who can recommend me to a PhD or graduate school?<issue_comment>username_1: Do you have experience in writing down math, for example, have you typeset your results in LaTeX?
It is probably quite hard to get a position by just "showing up", but independent research is definitely in your favour when applying for a phd position.
You can and should trust mathematics journals, if they are good ones (it takes some experience to learn which ones are good). If they ask for payment to be published - run away!
You should also put your preprint on arxiv, so that people can get access to your results early, and this also looks good when contacting a professor.
Make sure it fulfils the guidelines.
A word of advise: A lot of independent researchers have a tendency to just focus on their own research, and not read other mathematicians papers. You really need to get familiar with the field you are studying, and make sure to reference all relevant articles. A paper with no references gives a bad impression, and it looks like you have not done your homework.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: There are some problematical implicit assumptions in the question. First, PhD admission committees do not conduct interviews of the sort you imagine. They might look at a manuscript accompanying an application, but there's much more substance to an application for graduate-program admission than showing one item. (For that matter, professional mathematicians' perception of your work may be different than your own, so it might be unwise to put so much stock in the anticipated saving grace of your research work.)
You'll want letters of recommendation attesting to your future potential, based on your current and past performance, whether in literal math classes or in informal situations. If you've done a nice piece of work, this would contribute a bit, but it's by no means enough on its own.
Although it's of dubious serious value, the GRE Math Subject Test is something you'd want to sign up for and take it the Autumn before applying to grad schools (which needs to be done by early December for entrance the following Fall).
Publication is nice, but is an enterprise in itself, and not strictly necessary. For one thing, conventional peer-reviewed publication takes about a year or more in the best of times, so it wouldn't help you in the immediate future.
As in @PerAlexandersson's answer, you'd definitely want to type up your work in LaTeX or TeX, and make it conform to the general style of papers you can see, for example, on <http://arxiv.org/archive/math> There is nothing truly sacred about the formatting and such, but for someone trying to enter, it is often best to be generally conforming in superficial regards, to avoid too loudly announcing that you're an outsider.
Not all "publishers" are serious or honest, no. One way to form a list of plausible submission venues is to look at papers on arXiv, submitted by people with .edu emails, and see what journals their bibliographic entries have appeared in. Some of these will be very-high-status, so possibly inappropriate, but if you sift through you will have a good inclusive list of the most legitimate journals. Still, no compulsion to try to publish in this sense before applying to grad school. If anything, it'd be more important to simply have your result typed up in LaTeX and to create a fairly conformist appearance (for example, matching the arXiv papers). You can even get TeX templates from those papers, to see how the effects are achieved, since the TeX source is available at arXiv.
The traditional journals' editors and referees can generally be trusted, because they have much to lose by bad behavior. Still, there are no guarantees, so pre-publication [sic] on arXiv would establish your priority.
But, in any case, there are more parts to grad school application than just one or two or... pieces of work. Most math depts' graduate programs have web pages that elaborate on what documentation is required.
Upvotes: 5
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2015/09/26
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<issue_start>username_0: I am a mathematician on the job market this year and am wondering if I should talk at all about service and other aspects of who I am other than my teaching and research. So for example, committees I've been on, leadership roles, professional development, etc. And if so, where would I put this information? My teaching statement? Cover letter?
Let's assume that I'm applying to jobs that are more focused on teaching than research. Thanks!<issue_comment>username_1: Many (if not most) academic CVs have a section labeled "Service" that lists committee memberships, reviewing experience, outreach activities, and other university and community service. You could also reasonably include a brief "service statement", as an addendum to your teaching (or research) statement, that explains those service activities (and future goals) in more detail.
But keep in mind that you're not describing who you are *as a human being*, but rather who you are *as a potential colleague*. The service activities you describe should have direct bearing on your suitability for a teaching job in a university mathematics department. So coaching your daughter's robotics team could reasonably be included, but coaching her baseball team probably shouldn't.
Also remember that your service activities are almost certainly less important than your record in teaching and research. "Service" should be the *last* section of your CV, and any service statement should be significantly shorter than your teaching or research statements.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: You should list these activities on your CV, and perhaps briefly in your other materials.
But where these activities should be thoroughly described is in your recommendation letters. Hiring departments will not just want to see that you've been on a lot of committees: it's easy to be on a lot of commmittees without accomplishing much. (Alas, this is all too visible in my own department.) Instead, hiring departments will want to hear about the impact that your service has had on the department and on the people around you, and your recommenders are the most natural people to say this.
(Indeed, I remember last year we had one applicant who was finishing her Ph.D. at a non-elite program. Her research wasn't strong enough to get a tenure-track job at a research-oriented university (at least not without a postdoc first), but I vividly remember one of the letters which went on and on about all of the ways in which she'd made a hugely positive impact on her department as a grad student. It was quite moving really. Anyway, she got hired at an elite liberal-arts school.)
Anyway, if you are proud of your service record, make sure that it is addressed by a couple of your letter writers. (You don't need to have your service addressed by *all* of your writers -- indeed, it is good to have a balance of internal letters and letters from people outside your own department, and the latter will probably mostly talk about your research.)
Good luck!
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: If you have some experience serving on departmental or institutional committees, working with a student chapter of your professional society of even doing volunteer work at the national level as a student member of your professional society then these are things that you should probably include on your CV.
I would not list activities that aren't connected to your professional and academic career even if they do show your leadership- e.g. I wouldn't include the fact that you were the president of the campus theater group.
As a tenure track assistant professor you will most likely be expected to be involved in service at the departmental, institutional, and professional levels, but this kind of service is generally less important than teaching and research. One way in which some assistant professors fail is by putting too much of their effort into service work at the expense of teaching and research, so you don't want to give the wrong impression about your priorities.
Some of the things that you've mentioned might be more directly relevant in terms of teaching or research. For example, if you've participated in a "preparing future faculty" professional development program that's a positive experience to include but more as professional development in teaching and research rather than as a service activity.
Upvotes: 2
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2015/09/27
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<issue_start>username_0: I am writing a report on CPUs and I need to constantly need to cite technical information from a single reference multiple times throughout the report, specifically the datasheet for an Intel processor. Should I be citing my reference every time I cite some information from the datasheet like this?
>
> This sentence has some information. [1]
>
> ....4 pages later...
>
> This sentence has more information. [1]
>
>
>
Or should I only need to reference the data sheet once? I've searched around and it seems like it's a bad thing to cite the same reference multiple times, but I'm not sure how to handle this.<issue_comment>username_1: I would say that it depends on the chosen (or prescribed) *publication style guide* and the *frequency of citations* across your document. If the frequency is several other pages (like four pages apart, as in your example), I do not see any serious reasons to avoid repeating the reference citation.
Generally, citing the same reference multiple time is not considered a bad thing, at least, as far as I know. Having said that, this aspect of writing is very likely to be also dependent on best practices or customs in a particular discipline or area of research.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: I usually follow this rule:
>
> Any information on the paper can be classified as:
>
>
> * Outstandingly common knowledge (including a general reference - book/etc),
> * From another article (and you put the reference),
> * Original contribution from your work (no ref. needed!).
>
>
>
And I agree that is distracting to keep citing the same thing over and over again. What I usually do in this case is to say "we adopt the definitions from...[X]" and then I don't cite that source again in the following text, while mentioning stuff from that work. That way you make clear it is not your original work and where it is from without having to spam references.
Of course, if I have to cite it again, far from that text, with other references in the middle, I'd do the regular thing again.
Basically, in your case, I'd guess you could say something like "Using the information from the datasheet [X], ..." then do the whole thing without citing until you reach the next context...
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: The most important principle to follow is that the source of the information that you are discussing should always be clear to a reader. I thus find the following citation heuristics useful:
* When you present a single statement in isolation, as in your example, each such statement should be individually cited.
* When you are presenting a few statements in a chain, the first should have a citation, and the others be connected by prose. For example:
>
> The Toast-o-matic processor has an unusual 19 bit word size [1]. It is also notable for its grilled cheese coprocessor and unusually high power demands. Strong cooling is required, as the specifications note that its browning module is capable of attaining temperatures of more than 500F.
>
>
>
* For larger contiguous blocks, such as a full paragraph or section, there should be an explicit delineation of the region covered by the citation. For example:
>
> In this subsection, we briefly review the specifications of the Toast-o-matic processor[1]. The Toast-o-matic processor has an unusual 19 bit word size. It is also notable...
>
>
>
Upvotes: 3
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2015/09/27
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<issue_start>username_0: My ultimate goal is to teach undergraduate level mathematics, that is, classes such as calculus and differential equations, as well as introductory proof-based courses like linear algebra, abstract algebra, and real and complex analysis. Why? I just love to teach people who are interested in learning math, and I have the strong belief (it's more of a certainty) that all interested mathematics students can appreciate and find the joy to learn any of these core classes if they receive the right approach. I am willing to teach like this patiently because I like it and I'm willing to devote to it. I feel very comfortable teaching math.
I am receiving a bachelor's degree in mathematics from UC Berkeley in May 2016. Needless to say, I like math a lot and I am excited to learn math at a higher level in grad school.
My question is, given that my goal is to become a math educator and obtain a secured job, do I need to pursue a PhD in mathematics?
I know that the whole idea in getting a PhD is to do original research, but to be honest, this is not the exciting part for me to go to grad school. This is merely secondary for me. I would even say it is tertiary since I am more enthusiastic about studying more math and being a graduate instructor. I know community colleges, liberal arts colleges, and even some universities hire lecturers (whose only job is to teach). Should I get into a master's program to achieve my dream job instead?<issue_comment>username_1: I think your question is really "which universities will hire instructors without a doctorate?" This depends strongly on the country in which you want to work, and the type of university you want to work at. In some countries and at some universities, there are regular faculty who have only a master's degree. But in many cases (e.g., at typical four-year institutions in the US), you will be automatically disqualified, or may qualify only for a part-time or adjunct position.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: At least in the US, if you want to teach calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra, and are also willing to teach lower-level stuff (e.g., algebra stuff like quadratic equations and trigonometry) you can likely do that at a community college, which means you might not need a PhD. If you really want to teach abstract algebra and real analysis you probably could not do that at a community college, which means you'd probably need a PhD.
Upvotes: 3
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2015/09/27
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<issue_start>username_0: Should the fact that I already have a PhD in another (useful) subject be downplayed on the personal statement? I'm concerned that it would make me look unfocused, but I also think I may want to *emphasize* it because it demonstrates prior success.
In case it's relevant, my PhD is in physics, and the Masters is in Computer Game Engineering. I am applying to a one year, full time taught Masters at a UK institution.<issue_comment>username_1: Depending on where you've attained your PhD, your degree would certify a level of dedication to your work regardless of the subject. This level of dedication would relate to the effort you could put to the new area too.
I presume Physics is not too far from Computer Game Engineering either. What you've learnt from the previous course could benefit you in this course.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: A person qualified in another area (such as a Phd in Physics) who wanted to learn a new topic (like computer game development) would likely be welcomed on a full-time taught masters course. Full-time taught masters courses are often designed for those who want a change in direction and have the motivation to focus for the year to achieve that goal.
There are people who want to be an astronaut, for example, who go back and learn new skills and knowledge and collect several degrees in the process.
You do have to have an interregnum in employment, as a full-time course is exactly that. A lot of daily, weekly and monthly time needs to be devoted to it to learn all that material that others will have picked up in a three year Bachelor's degree.
I teach on such a course and we have many "career change" applicants who are well qualified in other fields. It is quite normal.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: One thing to consider is whether your target discipline is known to be a haven for career-changers. If it is, your Ph.D won't hurt you at all and will most likely help, as the program won't have to worry much about your academic capacity. Just about any professional or applied program fits this template.
Disciplines convinced that one must have a lifelong monastic devotion to them to study them at all will be less accommodating.
Upvotes: 2
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2015/09/27
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<issue_start>username_0: I'm currently applying to a masters program in a field unrelated to my current line or work. I am lucky to have a job that I love in a different field. Will this make the admissions committee question my commitment to their program? I am satisfied with my current job, but the Masters would enable me to try and do my dream job.
In case it's relevant, my PhD is in physics, and the Masters is in Computer Game Engineering. I am applying to a one year, full time taught Masters at a UK institution. (Related to [this question](https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/55060/73).)<issue_comment>username_1: If it is a full time master, I strongly advise you against having a job, especially a full-time one, at the same time. I don't know what the degree you're applying for looks like, but a master's course is usually pretty demanding and requires a lot of personal work. By pursuing two full-time activities at the same time, I think you put both of them at risk.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: A person qualified in another area (such as a Phd in Physics) who wanted to learn a new topic (like computer game development) would likely be welcomed on a full-time taught masters course. Full-time taught masters courses are often designed for those who want a change in direction and have the motivation to focus for the year to achieve that goal.
There are people who want to be an astronaut, for example, who go back and learn new skills and knowledge and collect several degrees in the process.
You do have to have an interregnum in employment, as a full-time course is exactly that. A lot of daily, weekly and monthly time needs to be devoted to it to learn all that material that others will have picked up in a three year Bachelor's degree.
I teach on such a course and we have many "career change" applicants who are well qualified in other fields. It is quite normal.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_3: Giving the impression that you might be a person who doesn't stick around for long can indeed be a negative when *job hunting* (although there are exceptions). I suppose conceivably it might be a problem for some PhD admissions scenarios. But I can't imagine it would affect you when applying for a masters. They just want to be confident that you will stay for one year -- and the life story that your CV tells will not throw that into question!
I once read about a musician, top in his instrument, with a successful concertizing career, who went back to school to study medicine, and then after ten years practicing medicine successfully, *went back to concertizing*. From that we see that if you're good, you're good, and that's what people care about.
One of the things that makes *you* good is that you are not afraid to follow your nose, and pursue things you want to learn more about. You don't need to hide that.
Upvotes: 1 [selected_answer]
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2015/09/27
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<issue_start>username_0: I have heard a lot about people doing research and writing papers about it, but I’m not sure in which cases the papers would be called a *research paper.*
Here are a few hypothetical example cases I could think of:
* A found a technique to increase clock speed of microprocessors
* B did research on life on a historical person by visiting people and places related to him. She/He found new information and She/he was first to successfully join the bits of information about that persons life.
* C researched about a writer. She/He did not find anything new, She/he just collected various information from different sources and put it together.
* D used sources like internet and books to show how technology X is very essential for doing Y. Although this may be obvious to some, no one has written about it before.
Assuming each of them writes about their work, who would write a research paper? When is something called a research paper?
My Internet research so far was not successful, as I did not understand the concept of a research paper and everyone said something different.<issue_comment>username_1: A research paper is a paper that contributes some new knowledge to your field. That is, if you do some work (research) that adds to the body of knowledge in your field, and you write up the methods and results of your research in a paper, this can be called a research paper.
So in your example cases:
* If A's technique is an important bit of knowledge that will move the field forward, then a paper describing it is a research paper. If it's a straightforward application of things that are already known, or a hack that's not going to move the field forward, it's probably not going to become a research paper.
* D's work would not be considered research, if it's obvious to those in the field.
* I don't know enough about standards in history to judge what's considered a contribution to the field, so I can't comment on B or C.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Any matter that one finds novel or improvement over a conventionally used method supported by practical results, simulation, or theoretical construction deserves to be published as a research article (paper).
In your cases, the following applies.
* A's article could be a research paper provided her/his method is novel or unconventional.
* B's article *could* also be a research paper as such papers are available for life sciences as well as historical biographies.
* C's article can't be classified as a research paper although it can be recalled as a survey paper.
* D's article do not have sufficient qualities for a research or survey paper. It may be published as a news or magazine article.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Complementing the other answers, a research paper is usually something new and useful that other researchers in the field might want to read. I'm "defining" it as such to say that what is considered useful **changes** from field to field.
Therefore, some stuff that would be considered a research article in one field (replicating experiments, physics for instance - *correct me if I'm wrong*), wouldn't be published in another (computer science, in this example).
That said, remember too that the definition of original contribution can change as well. A survey paper doesn't present any new methods, but the original contribution is the comparison of many methods in the same conditions.
There are also introductory papers, meant to gently introduce/summarize a specific problem/context to non-familiar readers. The methods presented are usually not new contributions, but the different presentation/approach is the new original contribution...
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_4: When studying at higher levels of school and throughout college, you will likely be asked to prepare research papers. A research paper can be used for exploring and identifying scientific, technical and social issues. If it's your first time writing a research paper, it may seem daunting, but with good organization and focus of mind, you can make the process easier on yourself. The paper won't write itself, but you can plan and prepare well so that the writing practically falls into place.
for more info: <http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Research-Paper>
Upvotes: 0
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2015/09/27
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<issue_start>username_0: How should one address the classic "Why do you want to become a research mathematician?"-type question that is normally asked in the statement of purpose when applying to Masters (and also) programs?
I've read (and I bet so has any admission board) lots of statements beginning with
>
> (\*) "I've ***always*** loved numbers and solving problems, which is the
> most rewarding thing of my life"
>
>
>
(or variations thereof), which seems like a rather lame way to start off.
I do have an enthusiastic love for mathematics and the challenges of research work, and have some "philosophical" reasons to dedicate myself to it (I've been mostly inspired by Prof. Thurston's answer to [this question](https://mathoverflow.net/questions/43690/whats-a-mathematician-to-do) which was asked on *MathOverflow*), and a somewhat defined (although broad) area that deeply arise my interest (which I surely should mention). However, I'd really like to avoid seeming unprofessional (or outright creepy) as in passage (\*), and trying to convince anyone that I've *always* been in love with my field "ever since I could take my first trembling steps". So my question is:
>
> What points should you keep in mind to address the question "Why do you want to become a research mathematician?" in a statement of purpose without seeming unprofessional but communicating your genuine and deep passion? And what is actually expected?
>
>
>
---
A related question is *[Choosing research ideas to include in a statement of purpose](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/1529/choosing-research-ideas-to-include-in-a-statement-of-purpose)*.<issue_comment>username_1: We can't answer what amounts to a *personal* question here.
As @BorisBukh's comments, you have to answer with the kind of questions that interest *you*, and why you believe you will be able to provide (at least partial) answers to them.
You will obviously have better chances to be accepted if your questions are in line with the interests and expertise of the faculty where you are applying.
**After question edit:** What a commitee wants to know is if you already have some knowledge of the area, are really interested, and know what you are stepping into. They don't want people who find out halfway that they don't like research after all and drop out.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I can't speak for all mathematics graduate admissions everywhere, but when I was on the admissions committee for my department (UGA) we generally did not take the statements of purpose all that seriously. Most statements of purpose are indeed a bit dull and similar to each other. The particular question "Why do you want to become a research mathematician?" is certainly not explicitly asked across the board (somewhat crankily I could ask "Why are you asking that for a *master's* program? The degree needed to become a research mathematician is a PhD. Depending upon your local academic culture, getting a master's degree could either prepare you to enter a PhD program or it could be totally unnecessary for that.").
It's not a *bad* question, but to me a very acceptable answer -- really the best answer -- is **because I really enjoy mathematics, I am good at it, and I am eager to learn and do more of it**. Not to brag too much, but I am in fact a research mathematician. Why did I become one? Please see the above bold-faced text: even with the benefit of many years of retrospective, I don't really see a better answer than that. In fact, honestly I think the bold-faced answer is probably better than the wordier answers I gave in my early 20's: how mathematics is the best field because it has an amazing internal consistency and a level of rigor and certainty unmatched by any other intellectual endeavor, how mathematical theorems are eternal so proving them is a form of immortality, and so forth. Yikes. It's not so much that I don't believe these things anymore but rather that I don't find these beliefs very interesting or distinctive: I think they fall nicely under "because I really enjoy mathematics".
The problem with taking the personal statement too seriously is that the ability to write an excellent personal statement -- especially an unusually *interesting* or *insightful* one -- is only weakly correlated to success in a math PhD program. I looked at personal statements to see whether they were *adequate*, e.g.:
* Do they use flawlessly correct grammar, syntax and punctuation? Do they express their (not so complicated) ideas clearly? Do they convince me that this student has strong enough writing skills not to be dragged down by this in the future? (Many STEM-types have alarmingly weak writing skills, and for sure it drags them down. I take the GRE Verbal score very seriously.)
* Do they avoid *gross misconceptions* about what a math PhD program and a math research career will be like? I don't expect an incoming math PhD student to really understand either one: most don't, but they learn eventually and adapt accordingly. However some students are clueless so far beyond the norm that it becomes a risk that as soon as they arrive they'll think "Wait, what is all this??" and drop out in their first semester.
* Do they seem like a responsible person and not a snowflake who thinks that graduate school is a summer camp that they get paid to attend? (It happens...)
* Do they avoid sounding **too** *weird*? Yes, mathematicians can be weird, like many people, and the amount of allowable weirdness in the mathematical profession is probably greater than most. But it is still only a finite amount, and I know people who have the intellectual skills to be a mathematician but not the requisite level of socialization. It's not pretty but it's true.
If you avoid these and similar negatives in a personal statement and mostly just evince a sincere, not terribly pretentious or twee "I really like math", then I suspect you'll do fine with this part of your application. You would in my department, certainly.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: >
> What points should you keep in mind to address the question "Why do you want to become a research mathematician?" in a statement of purpose without seeming unprofessional but communicating your genuine and deep passion? And what is actually expected?
>
>
>
What is expected is that you **answer the question** (*honestly*, as JeffE helpfully recommended). Nothing more, nothing less. We are not you and we do not know the answer. If the supposedly "creepy" (really? What makes it so?) passage (\*) seems most correct to you, that's what you should write.
And if I may add a personal note, to me the fact that you are asking on Academia SE about how to address this question carries an unpleasant whiff of someone trying to game the system, i.e., trying to come up with some kind of "correct" answer to the question that would ostensibly be most pleasing to the admissions committee. Probably I am being a bit harsh on you in saying this -- I have no doubt you are sincere in your passion for math and just want to maximize your chances of acceptance -- but that's my gut reaction. If you ask me, I would much prefer an "unprofessional" answer from someone who actually gave the question proper consideration and wrote about *their own* feelings on the subject, to a polished and slick answer that feels "professional" because the writer received help from a committee of senior mathematicians on Academia SE.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: Of course it would be unreasonable to expect/demand a sophisticated (either technically or psychologically) answer to this question, from a relatively young and inexperienced person, so that cannot be the use of this question.
My own reading of "personal statements" is as a sort of Rorschach test... allowing a gauge of the writer's maturity, sensibilities, and accurate anticipation of what grad school will be like, sharply different from letters of recommendation, transcripts, and such. Fluidity (or not) of writing is also evident. If/when I can hear the writer's "voice" in the letter, I find this very helpful in trying to visualize their future.
Some letters are, or seem, obviously duplicates of things-on-the-internet, or so ill-thought out as to be worthless except as evidence of disinclination to think things through (!). Some seem deliberately uncommunicative, which gives a strange impression. Some are childish.
Probably "sincerity" and/or "honesty" are best... although, yes, it is hard to be entirely honest when one knows that one is being appraised, and that manipulation-of-self can have an impact on one's future. I guess a point is that unless one is very adroit at "faking sincerity", it's better to not try. :) An inadvertently clumsy attempt at faking something is not a pretty thing. :)
After all, admissions committees know that most applicants are in the usual age bracket, so a certain immaturity or inexperience is expected. It's in the subtler, secondary features that admissions committees may find reason to make distinctions, and it's probably somewhat harder to "arrange" these, even in good faith.
Upvotes: 3
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2015/09/27
| 1,263
| 5,159
|
<issue_start>username_0: The faculties of some German universities offer a choice of doctoral degrees. For example, Technische Universität Darmstadt's Department of Computer Science allows candidates to apply for either a *Doktor-Ingenieur* (*Dr.-Ing.*) or a *Doctor rerum naturalium* (*Dr. rer. nat.*). Candidates choose which degree they want to apply for shortly before they submit and defend their thesis; the only [guidance](https://www.informatik.tu-darmstadt.de/de/forschung/promotion) provided is as follows:
>
> Der Dr.-Ing. wird im allgemeinen auf Grund einer Dissertation
> verliehen, die überwiegend ingenieurwissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse aus
> der Informatik enthält.
>
>
> Der Dr. rer. nat. wird im allgemeinen auf Grund einer Dissertation
> verliehen, die überwiegend theoretische wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse
> aus der Informatik enthält.
>
>
>
Roughly translated:
>
> The *Dr.-Ing.* degree is generally awarded on the basis of a thesis that contains predominantly engineering-related findings in computer science.
>
>
> The *Dr. rer. nat.* degree is generally awarded on the basis of a thesis that contains predominantly theoretical scientific findings in computer science.
>
>
>
Other German universities may offer yet other degrees. I know some computer scientists who hold a *Dr. phil.* (*Doktor der Philosophie*).
In some cases where the university offers various doctoral degrees, a thesis may meet the criteria for several of them. (For example, in the TU Darmstadt example, the thesis may contain engineering-related and theorical scientific findings in roughly equal proportions.) In such cases, is there any reason for the candidate to prefer requesting one degree over the other? Do the various computer science degrees have different standings or reputations? Will having one or another make it easier or harder to get certain types of jobs in academia or industry, either in Germany or abroad?<issue_comment>username_1: From my experience the flavour of your Dr. does not really matter when looking for a job in the (technical) industry. I am unsure if this also applies for academia.
In general a Dr.-degree is seen as a proof that you are capable of scientific work over a long period (including sustained motivation and organisation).
As it will most likely make you experience your own boundaries you should not chose the flavour of your degree by anything other than your personal interests and preference.
Your preference as well as the working environment should influence your choice more than letters after the hyphen.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: While the exact type of Dr. degree typically have a small influence on your future there is one thing to be careful with. Check the official translation of the degree into English. Some universities have chosen to translate the engineering degrees to "Doctor of Technology", which can be a headache when moving to a country where this is not a recognized degree. It's typically easier if the degree is translated to Doctor of Philosophy by the university.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: In general, the latin title of the degree conferred at a German university is of purely historical relevance (basically, indicating how the original [four faculties](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadrivium) of the middle ages split into the dozen or more departments of today, which happened in different ways at different universities -- obviously, Computer Science split off of Electrical Engineering in Darmstadt, rather than, say, Mathematics as in Munich); the important information is which department conferred the degree (which differentiates a Dr.rer.nat in Mathematics from one in Physics or Chemistry).
There is, however, one exception: The Dr.-Ing. (*Doctorate in Engineering*) still has a special place as an indication of the high regard in which German academic engineering is held (mostly, needless to say, within Germany, as well as by those directly influenced by this system, although a hundred years ago this was indeed something special), and is the reason why Darmstadt is offering a choice -- in effect, it's a marketing strategy to get students to enrol by offering them a degree that's perceived as more attractive. (This is also related to the fact that some universities still hand out "Dipl.-Ing." diplomas even though the Bologna process turned every other degree into a Masters.)
As to whether the choice of degree will make a practical difference in finding a job, that's hard to say. My feeling is that it will most likely play a role when transitioning to industry in Germany, where someone with a Dr.-Ing. might be seen as more "hands-on", practical-oriented, than with a Dr.rer.nat. (especially at small or medium-sized companies which might hesitate to hire a purely theoretical PhD). On the German academic job market, on the other hand, the university (and research group) where you got your title would be much more important. Outside Germany, I'd be surprised if many people cared much about the distinction (unless they themselves are the proud holders of a Dr.-Ing., of course...)
Upvotes: 3
|
2015/09/27
| 3,597
| 14,712
|
<issue_start>username_0: (Motivated by <https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/55082/hey-i-was-wondering-of-your-students-write-like-this>)
>
> The writing style probably [stems] from the electronic age of text
> messaging. In any case, an email between an a student and professor is
> a professional communication (not a social text message).
>
>
> [Example:] "hey. i was wondering if your students write like this when they send you emails or ask for your help in an email and weather or not your willing to respond when such little effort is put forth when writing."
>
>
>
**What can professors do to encourage properly written email messages from students?**
(Other than being a positive role model.)<issue_comment>username_1: >
> hey. i was wondering of your students write like this
>
>
>
Alas, yes, they do (however, I'm a non-native English speaker who teaches international students whose level of English is extremely varied, and there's not much I can do about grammar).
Anyway, during the first lesson I give the following pieces of advice (which are frequently ignored, though):
1. **Sender address:** please, use your institutional email address and avoid personal fancy addresses like "<EMAIL>". But if you really want to use such an email address, at least configure the email client to show your real name and surname.
2. **Subject:** write a meaningful subject: if you don't put a subject and respect point 1, I'll surely delete your email without even reading it, thinking that it is spam.
3. **Course information:** please specify which course you are attending or have attended: I teach several courses and if you don't specify this I may not be able to answer (this piece of information is the most frequently missed).
4. **Express your issues clearly:** if you have long questions or complicated issues, just ask for an appointment instead.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> What can professors do to encourage properly written email messages from students?
>
>
>
A rather straightforward option, that I have seen various professors follow, is to either **delay answers** to non-properly written e-mail messages, or to outright **ignore** the respective e-mails.
One precondition that I see for this is that it needs to be clearly communicated to the respective students that this is what is going to happen (i.e., to be on the safe side, it should at least be clearly stated next to the professor's e-mail address on their website).
**Advantages:**
* **The reaction (or lack thereof) has a direct effect.** Some less motivated students might have a stance like "I don't care whether Professor XYZ complains about my writing style; as long as I get an answer to my request, everything is fine.", and with the (non-)reaction outlined in this answer, the point is that they do *not* get an answer to their request unless they send their request in an acceptable way.
**Disadvantages:**
* **This is implicit feedback.** A student might be genuinely unaware of the degree at which they are breaching professional protocol by writing all e-mails like text messages to their best friend. I consider this a weak disadvantage, given that
+ **students are young adults** who should have had plenty of opportunity (including respective lessons at school ...) to learn how to properly write letters and
+ **a university is generally a "pull" system**; if the attempt to communicate was inappropriate, it is the *student's* responsibility to find out why, not the *university's* to readily deliver a step-by-step tutorial for something that *should* already be known and that *can* realistically be found out rather easily. Of course, it might be easy for the professor to provide instructions on how to properly write an e-mail, or even specifically point out the issues with a particular student's e-mail. However, teaching such basic text editing skills is not the purpose of a university, it should be known at least from highschool. Moreover, readily serving a correction seems detrimental, given that it does not help students develop into autonomous people who fix their own problems instead of waiting for someone else to fix them.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: The best way to deal with this is on a broader level and explain the rules during an introductory or preparatory course to all incoming students. For example, at our department, first year students have to follow a course on academic skills, and there they also talk about emailing professors. It also has the advantage that students don't have to deal with different expectations by each professor. One sign that it works at least to a certain extent: Students seem to learn in that course that they should sign with their name and their student number (something which I never expected and definitly did not ask for), but most of them actually do sign this way (at least when contacting me first).
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: >
> Your email communicates to me that you're still living in high school.
> Please try to communicate to your professors more formally. This
> exercises not only your ability to form well-crafted sentences, but conveys knowledge to your professors
> that you respect their time and their craft.
>
>
> If the latter is not the case, then you won't
> be able to depend on timely (or perhaps even proper) answers in
> return.
>
>
>
[Edit: Sorry I can't but help keep that first sentence. Rewrite as proper.]
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_5: I have a colleague whose signature looks like:
```
Dr. <NAME>
Thing I Like to Study Department
University of this Country
(123) 456-7890
<EMAIL>
Hello students: let's communicate formally. Let's start our e-mails with a greeting,
make use of a meaningful subject line, and write in complete sentences. I think this
will make our collaboration deeper and richer. Join me. -Dr. D
```
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_6: A professor should present a "Code of Conduct" to the students, along with the agenda, that explains expectations for all things like homework submission, communication, testing, labs, etc. If email is something that you expect students to treat at a formal level, they need to be told that explicitly. Some professors are very sloppy in there own style of presentation and communication. So, it is helpful for students to know all the expectations and acceptable class culture. Make sure they know that unsatisfactory attempts will not be given complete review, and will be given a generic response.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_7: I'd like to chime in as a student here. I tend to write my (initial) e-mails formally, **however**, many professors tend to reply in the most informal way possible. I often get replies like [sic]
>
> Sure, can you b ethere 29/8 at 10am?
>
>
> James
>
>
>
to my well-crafted "Dear Dr. Jamesson" e-mails. For students, this can be confusing: if I reply, should I go for "Dear James, I guess I can make it the 31st at 2pm" or still reply with "Dear Dr. Jamesson, I have a class the 29th. Could we arrange a meeting 31/8, for example at 2pm?" **In my experience, many professors write their e-mails in an informal way** (note that this may be specific for Dutch culture which is very informal to begin with). For students, this means that they'll continuously have to consider whether to continue writing formally, or whether the professor feels that that's highly necessary. For that reason, I don't think plainly ignoring students who don't write their e-mails in a formal manner is a good idea. Therefore:
1. **Assume good intent**. There are many reasons for students not writing their e-mails formally. This could include coming from a different social background (do you really want to ignore students who managed to make it from a disadvantaged position to university?!), an attempt to appeal to the 'personal' side of you as a professor (some of my friends write e-mails like that because they feel that professors will answer them more readily if addressed in an informal manner), or even being nervous about writing a professor. Don't assume all students are lazy - be that person who is happy if he can make the difference for one student in your class.
2. **Reply as you would to a formal e-mail, and notify the student that you would like a more formal inquiry next time**. Informal e-mails are usually perfectly understandable - there's no need to be condescending and pretend you don't understand informal e-mails. However, simply include a note at the start of your e-mail if you feel that the inquiry could have been more formal. Direct feedback is in my opinion one of the most important things in the academic world, so don't be afraid to simply (but politely) state that you want to be addressed more formally next time, and that other professors might appreciate that too.
3. **Students talk.** Believe it or not, but students sometimes talk about other things than alcohol and potential partners. It won't take long before the vast majority of students know that you prefer to be addressed formally. If more professors indicate this preference (since I imagine professors also talk about other things than research grants and potential partners), it won't take long before all students start writing all their e-mails formally. Of course, this process will have to be repeated with the new batch of first-year students. Keep in mind that the scope of being a professor goes beyond teaching the course contents, but that you are there to train students to be professional members of the academic community (otherwise, we could just get rid of all professors and only read the book instead).
I'd like to add the following, which I posted as a comment but I think it will help in understanding this answer (especially why I use 'informal' instead of 'sloppy' throughout this answer):
>
> Informality displayed by professors can be confusing to students. This,
> combined with students' ill-conceived ideas of how much effort should
> be put into writing even informal e-mails, makes for the sloppy e-mails
> described by the OP. Key point: don't assume a student is lazy if that
> could potentially disadvantage a motivated but 'uneducated' student.
>
>
>
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_8: A colleague of mine, in the classes she teaches, allocates a certain percentage of the grade for "professionalism". Students who send poorly written emails like your example will have points deducted in that category, on the grounds that it is unprofessional.
(Other possible deductions: asking questions that are clearly answered in the syllabus, having a phone ring in class, etc.)
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_9: We now offer a 2 credit required course in professional communication, but it doesn't happen early enough.
The best solution I've found is that if I don't find a student's communications to be suitable, I respond to whatever their inquiry is as best I can, and include some statement telling them that I expect them to communicate with me at a professional level.
Meeting requests are a source of frequent problems.
>
> Student: I hope you had a nice weekend. Can we meet?
>
>
> Me: Sure. What would you like to meet about.
>
>
> S: I'd like to drop a course
>
>
> M: What course would you like to drop?
>
>
>
Now, we've just had four emails instead of two, and I still have no concept of whether a meeting is really necessary or if any prep work on my part is required. If our timing is off, and the student and I are out of sync with respect to working hours, this can delay a meeting (which usually doesn't need to happen in the first place) by days.
For meeting requests in particular, I demand all the info up front, because I don't like being surprised at a meeting by needing to run down information and then have another meeting. I explain to the student that there are rarely meetings that I don't put 15 minutes of preparation into, and that if they tell me all those details, we could save a whole lot of time.
Lately, during orientation, our undergrad committee chair offers a bit of coaching on effective email communication with advisers. I hope it helps.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_10: I'm a PhD student, so my emails are usually to superiors; I do expect, though, to receive quite a few emails when the TA-ing season starts. I also expect that a few emails will be at a similar level to your example.
This question raises a bit of a conundrum for me. I have two options (although many more would arise if I let common courtesy slide).
1. I could ignore their lack of effort and just answer their question to my own standards. I am there to help them with physics, not language; my authority is negligible anyway, and I'm certainly not going to try and assert any such authority by telling them how they can or can not communicate with me. Heck, Im getting paid to help them, so I should probably stick to that.
2. Whilst formalities are a fairly strange construct, they do exist and they do signify a level of respect (one could argue that this is equivalent to a piece of arbitrary cloth tied in a certain way around one's neck signifies professionalism - it's just something that we kind of stick with). And, as advanced as our species likes to think it is, we want to feel respected. If I were to neglect my duty to inform the student that, whilst undergraduate learning is a nice sandbox where they're free to make mistakes, contacting more important people (future PhD supervisors, potential employers, authors of relevant papers, etc) in a manner which could be deemed inappropriate can, plausibly, have some pretty harsh consequences.
This does go on the assumption that their email is actually legible and they arent *actually* being offensive. If it isn't, or if there are possible ambiguities in any questions, that's a great opportunity: reply, with the appropriate level of formality, and point out any interpretation issues and request that their email be reworded more explicitly.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_11: Other than introducing a course on Academic communication, as some of answers mention, you could recommend a book on Academic communication to students, such as [this one](http://www.springer.com/us/book/9781441994004). From my perspective, it has a lot of advice that your students may find relevant.
Next, there are parts of the netiquette that everyone shares, and there are parts that differ from professor to professor. Your personal preferences on email communication with students should go in the syllabus of your course.
Upvotes: 1
|
2015/09/27
| 964
| 3,646
|
<issue_start>username_0: Our institute has office spaces for the PhD students with a number of cubicles in the same room. I happen to be an introvert and dislike people talking to me when I am in the office space, or otherwise. But people just love to gossip. They will talk about how bad their supervisor is or how bad my supervisor is, and even though a lot of what they say might be true, it takes a lot of unnecessary toll on me. It makes me very unsettled about my future.
I simply do not understand why people love to talk so much. Are they trying to be helpful? Are the seniors among them trying to guide me? How do I make it happen that I keep going to the office space and not have to make small talk or gossip with other folks there?<issue_comment>username_1: I like the headphones idea, and perhaps a baseball cap, worn rather low, would help in a similar way. Some more ideas:
1. You could put an embroidered sign on your cubicle wall (or a
calligraphy version) saying something like "If you can't say
something nice, don't say anything at all" or "If you can't say
something nice, say it in French." If those are too blatant,
perhaps you could post the latter phrase *in French*. Or choose one
of the many [images available online](https://www.google.com/search?q=%22if%20you%20can%27t%20say%20something%20nice%22&num=50&newwindow=1&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CCcQ7AlqFQoTCMHejI_zl8gCFccZHgodS5APyg&biw=1002&bih=860) that represent the concept.
I particularly liked "NO Trashing OR Bashing Zone."
2. When someone approaches you and starts yakking, there are two ways
of stopping them:
(a) Look interested, respond with a wide variety of facial
expressions, but without *saying* anything.
(b) Say, "I don't want to lose my train of thought, and I've got a deadline -- can you tell
me the rest tomorrow?"
3. Start coughing, grab an empty water bottle from your desk drawer, point at your throat, and walk quickly to the bathroom. If the person is still in your visitor's chair when you come back, point at your throat and communicate nonverbally that you can't talk -- until he goes away.
4. For the really stubborn person who needs a more careful explanation -- just tell them the truth: "I'm the sensitive type, and when I hear negative remarks, I soak them up like a sponge, and they affect me way too much. This is nothing against you -- but I have to protect myself. So when I hear you starting to tell me something that's going to affect me this way, I'm going to say, "I'm sorry, Rafael, but I don't want to listen to this." (And then if he tries again next week, say it.)
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: While it sometimes indeed can be annoying to have people talking when one has to concentrate (and for this, one indeed should have a pair of headphones ready), you could also think about changing your perspective. The point of having an office is also for social interaction and for exchanging ideas with co-workers. When I *really* have to concentrate, then I work a day from home or use a designated space we have for that, but in general, the reason that not everyone works from home but comes to the office is that academic work also is about teamwork, about social exchange, and about getting inspired by talking to others.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: Just say "Sorry, I have to interrupt. I'm working on X." Perhaps the X will be interesting to them and you've found a new use of their logorrhea and can hone your dialectic skills or even learn something that has value to YOU.
It doesn't even matter if you working on it right then, because now you are.
Upvotes: -1
|
2015/09/28
| 2,264
| 9,525
|
<issue_start>username_0: I will soon be teaching my first class as an assistant professor.
The class is made up of 130 undergraduate students,
most of whom are in their first year.
The class in a introductory course,
so I will be giving an overview of the field;
for each lecture I will going through one different topic,
with most of the material being qualitative rather than quantitative.
Last year the class was taught by Colleague A,
so I am adapting his material to prepare to teach the class.
Colleague A's lecture slides tend to be too sparse,
i.e. there are few words on each slide,
and it is not easy to follow the train of thought by reading the slides.
Another colleague, <NAME> told me that
students had mentioned to Colleague B that
students were unhappy with the lack of details on Colleague A's slides.
I feel a little stuck because
when I prepare slides for an academic presentation,
I try to keep my slides more sparse
so as to not overload my audience
who may be trying to read my slides and listen to me simultaneously.
As I prepare the slides now,
I feel that I may be erring on the side
of putting too many words in my slides,
e.g. the entire slide is covered with words.
How do I find the right balance of how much information
to put in my lecture slides to keep students happy?<issue_comment>username_1: Here's how I would approach this problem. As you've mentioned, it is a known fact that overloading presentation slides with information is a pretty bad idea. At the same time, the students' feedback indicates that they seek more detailed information on the topic(s). Therefore, the optimal approach to solving this dilemma is IMHO to keep the slides' content *sparse enough* for best readability, while, at the same time, to have additional, more detailed, information materials hosted *separately* and *linked* from within the main presentation or, perhaps, better, from the class' website (or both).
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Slides have a dual purpose: to help the lecturer through the lecture, and as a study aid for students. Because of this, I use two versions of slides: one for the students with a lot of details, and one for me with very few details. These are both produced from the same source (LaTeX), so there is minimal overhead on my part. I use my slides to guide me to tell a good story. Then the students have the whole story for studying later.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: Here's a general guideline:
**Figure out whether you want the audience to pay attention to you, or to the slide**
They can't do both. A large part of the time, you want the audience to pay attention to you and the words you're saying. At those times, the slides should be as sparse as you can make them. Really, the only function they have is as a reminder to people whose attention has momentarily lapsed: this is what I'm talking about, this is where I am in the line of the story. Also make sure, during these moments that you're not looking at the slides. The audience looks where you look, unless you make eye contact with them.
But sometimes, you want the audience to focus on something in particular. Perhaps you're taking them through steps in a proof or derivation, perhaps you're explaining a complicated diagram, you may even be reading out a quote. These are the rare moments when you're asking the audience to really focus, and raise their energy levels for a moment. Here, you're allowed to have dense slides. These are also the slides that you're spending a lot of time on, so make sure to put the effort in. Use all the visual tools at your disposal to make the message as clear as possible. At this point, you're actually allowed to look at your own slide, because you want the audience to do the same thing.
Finally, do not mistake slides for learning aids. If you want to give students something to help when they're studying, create a version with added notes and put that online. Don't clutter up your slides to make them serve two purposes.
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: I usually adopt a method similar to Dave's. I have my course notes, which is a latex document (not a beamer presentation, to reduce overhead) and the presentation.
The presentation has **very** little text. You don't put text on presentations (there are arguments against even bullet points). I usually put images, diagrams, equations and etc, the things I want them to see so they can understand the underlying concepts. After, they can see all the little detail in the notes, which are on a "printer-friendly" format, since it is not formatted as a presentation...
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: When I see slides during a presentation I want to see more detail than less for the most part. Put what's important in there. I tend to like to read as well as listen.
In some cases I'll read the slide as I'm listening to the presenter and listen as they go through bullet points.
As a presenter you're told not to simply read what's on the slide but use the slide as a summary. So it's not uncommon that they will skip or sum up multiple points. If you skip a bullet point it's ok but if it's something I want to know more of then having it on the slide gives me the opportunity to ask more about it in class. If you leave it off altogether then I don't know what I'm missing.
The downside to putting more info than less is to not make the font too small that it can't be read. If you really care view one of your slides with different font sizes from the back of your class room. Or use more slides.
Also, to answer the others that say make two sets of slides, more often than not I would not read the slides later on. I take notes in class from the slides and presenter but that's just me.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_6: I'll outline what the BEST professor I have ever had did (and this applied to everything from 1st to 4th year classes in the fields of business and engineering but could be adapted to other fields easily):
He had enough information on each slide that you knew what it was ABOUT, but nothing else. The remainder was left blank and they were posted online well in advance of the class they were used in. This meant that the students could print/download them and fill them in in class as he did.
During class he would pull up the slides on his tablet and then write and fill them in. This included everything from definitions to equations and the solution to examples. This meant that students ATTENDED class to get the notes (other class only 30%-40% of the students ever showed up), and in class they not only heard and saw the material, but wrote it down too which I found helped immensely not only with paying attention, but for recollection as well.
An average slide may look like this:
```
TITLE
---------------
| | Word to define: (blank)
| Picture |
| |
| | Word to define: (blank)
| |
| |
| | Word to define: (blank)
---------------
```
and in class he would go through, and explain the image/diagram, and then not just SAY the definitions, but write them in his own slides that were up on the projector. The other thing he was awesome at was actually pausing and waiting for students to catch up with what they were copying down.
Too much information and students in my program (engineering) would simply stop going to class because they could get all the relevant material directly off the slides. Too little information or slides not made available before the class made it REALLY hard to follow along - I find that I end up lagging behind the professor in these cases because taking sufficient notes at the same speed a professor is talking is difficult. Also, posting a complete set of notes online (even if it was after the class) for the students also resulted in class attendance dropping in my program.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_7: The right balance: Keyword imprinting. If you find your students rushing to write things down, you're doing something wrong. This is an exceedingly common pedagogical failure. You're purpose isn't to get them to pass tests.
What to do, if students have been habituated to write things down from high school is to not put much on the slides, but put the detail on-line. With only a keyword, they'll HAVE TO listen to you to understand what you're talking about. Key words can be remembered easily and will make an impression when reading the textbook.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_8: As I continued to ponder the question
of what is the right amount of information to put on my slides,
I came across writings by
[<NAME>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Fowler).
His philosophy to using slides is:
>
> When I use slides, I design them to be a VisualChannel: an accompaniment to my words, not as a stand-alone "Slideument".
> (See [link](http://martinfowler.com/bliki/TalkNotes.html))
> The main principle I've tried to follow is to think of them as a visual channel that complements the audio channel which is my spoken words.
> (See [link](http://martinfowler.com/bliki/VisualChannel.html))
>
>
>
In my opinion, this is very wise advice.
In addition, as mentioned in this [answer](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/55127/8802),
I can give a separate set of notes for students to read
in order to help them when they are studying.
Upvotes: 1
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<issue_start>username_0: I am wondering if it's common for universities to have multiple boards, each with a specific mandate to manage and carry out initiatives in a specific field, such as General Planning, Education, Finance, Global Initiatives, etc. I am particularly interested in universities in the US and the UK.
These boards would be hierarchically under the main governing board of the university and would be staffed with professors and led by trustees from the board. They would be at the administrative level.
Would it be more common to name these boards committees or subcommittees?<issue_comment>username_1: I know that you ask preferably for the US and UK, but as a side note, this model is standard for universities in Switzerland (and presumably other German-speaking countries). These are typically called *Kommissionen* (which translate to *commissions* or I think more appropriately *committees*). Contradictory to your example, these committees are not exclusively staffed with professors. They are composed of a president and representatives of all levels of the university employees and students: faculty, "intermediaries" (postdocs, lecturers), admin/technical staff, and students.
Here is [the list](http://www.uzh.ch/about/management/services/kommissionen.html) of the different committees from the University of Zurich. It includes the research committee, the ethics committee, the disciplinary committee, etc. The other universities of the country are organized in a very similar manner.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Yes, they are generally known as committees and they are common. PhDs don't generally like to be led (or perhaps there's just no one that seems qualified), so they form committees to get consensus and allow participation.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: The University of Cambridge, under chapter VI of its [Statute A](https://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/so/pdfs/2020/statutea.pdf), uses the words "Board", "Syndicate", and "Committee". The chapter doesn't give much clarity about the distinction between the three. However, it does strongly hint that a body whose purpose is to manage a ring-fenced endowment or to elect to a named professorship is expected to be called "Board" (and perhaps that, at some point in history, someone has tried to circumvent the age limit on membership of such bodies by calling some of them something other than "Board").
I suspect the only way we're going to find out what's "more common" is by counting up anecdotes like this from individual universities.
Upvotes: 0
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<issue_start>username_0: The APA citation basics write:
>
> If you refer to the title of a source within your paper, capitalize all words that are four letters long or greater within the title of a source: Permanence and Change. Exceptions apply to short words that are verbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs: *Writing New Media, There Is Nothing Left to Lose.*
>
>
> (Note: in your References list, only the first word of a title will be capitalized: *Writing new media*.)
>
>
>
(my highlighting).
I realize that this is a matter of choice and convention, but as I read scientific publications in Computer Science, it strikes me how often these practices are mixed. In the document, the "capitalized" version is predominant, but in reference lists, they are quite often mixed.
When I was in school I remember being taught that this was the right way of writing headlines, so I understand those who force bibtex to cite this way by curly-bracketing first letters.
But what is the reason for this convention? Is it fair to say that it is incorrect? Otherwise, how can it be argued to use small caps in the reference lists?<issue_comment>username_1: Each venue has its own set of rules. Sometimes it can change from within the same publication (on special issues and such).
Therefore, sorry, there is not straight answer. Check the guidelines of the journal/conference you are currently aiming...
ps: I don't remember ever mentioning the *title* of any work in my articles. At most "The method X was introduced by A et. al [1]".
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: As Fábio says, it is very unusual in academic writing to mention the title of a work in the main text of an article. In the rare event that you do this, I suppose I can understand the rationale for capitalising most words (using "title case"): it makes it easier to distinguish the title from the surrounding text. Other ways to achieve this, IMO preferable, would be to put the title in italics, or within quotation marks.
However, when listing the title in the bibliography, the usual standard is simply to reproduce capitalisation of the title exactly as it appears in the published work. (In most cases only the first word, and terms derived from proper nouns, will be capitalised.)
You mention small caps at the end of your post. Using small caps is not inconsistent with maintaining normal capitalisation. Small caps doesn't mean everything is capitalised; it is simply a font style where capitalisation is distinguished by size, rather than shape. Only the full-size caps are genuine capital letters; the small-size caps are lower-case letters.
Upvotes: 1
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| 1,440
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<issue_start>username_0: Two years ago I took an upper undergraduate/graduate course which I passed with a good grade. Sadly I missed many of the lectures, did few of the suggested exercises and managed mostly by cramming a few days before the exam.
To little surprise but to my great regret, I have now forgotten quite a lot of the material. I cannot formally retake the course, but I have considered attending the lectures and work through the exercises, while not handing in any work. Would the professor, who taught the course the last time I took it, frown upon this? Would he question the grade he gave me and or consider me to be a poor student for forgetting so quickly.<issue_comment>username_1: At least *I* would not discourage anyone from sitting through a course again. The notion that one has permanent and total recall of almost anything is untenable: one must review and rethink (or *use*) periodically, or things fade away from disuse. For that matter, there are usually several layers of understanding/appreciation, and getting to the subtler ones takes time and (re-)thought.
Perhaps you'll be better off than others who got their grades and don't even realize that they'd benefit from re-thinking the material.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I don't think the professor would frown upon this (although certainly ask) or question the grade he gave you earlier.
One question I think is relevant is whether it's worth your time to attend the lectures again. Since you already took the course, I would imagine that you already have the exercises, the syllabus, etc. As such, perhaps you could simply work on the exercises yourself and refer to reading material (prior lecture notes, textbook chapters, etc) whenever you get stuck. If the class meets 3 hours a week, you can then apply this time to solving problems and focusing on what you really didn't understand the first time rather than listening to things with which you may be more comfortable. This method of targeted "relearning" of material that I have forgotten from past courses has served me well in the past, and it's a nice skill to develop for whenever you need to learn a new topic without taking a formal course.
Of course, this comes down to personal preference. If you have the time and motivation to sit through a course again, then by all means do it.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: I would say it is generally up to the instructor. If the class involves things like "labs" being done, where you use up materials or there is some sort of preparation needed, your likelihood of approval may be reduced. However, for just sitting through lectures, I wouldn't mind (as a college instructor).
When I was an instructor, my job was to share knowledge, and help students to become skilled. If some previous student wanted exposure to my lectures again, I would have no objection as long as it isn't causing any problem, such as depriving any of my currently-enrolled students (who currently have higher priority to my resources) by imposing a reduction in their experience. The more common alternative is that a previous student would rather spend time playing video games than re-visiting a class when such visits are not required. If a student chooses to invest in improving their skill, that is only likely to be a good thing (for me, for the university, for the student, for the students' employers).
One thing I would be cautious about doing is to be very wary about asking questions mid-class if you are out-of-the-loop and not a formal student. However, I remember visiting my mother during a Pre-calculus class, and noticing an error made by the instructor. I raised my hand (as a non-student) and asked a question which helped the instructor to recognize the error, and the instructor thanked me. It was an entirely positive experience, but it was a bit of a gamble because some instructors would not like that.
I would probably try to not interact with the instructor, unless the instructor initiates the interaction (by calling my name, specifically). For instance, I would not try to to help the instructor move the class along, by having me ask a bunch of questions when I have an idea of how the instructor will respond. As a visitor, I have a different role, which is often to be rather invisible.
Whether the instructor questions, to himself/herself, about the grade given, is not likely a concern of yours, if the instructor only teaches beginner-level classes and you're unlikely to have the instructor again. Changing a grade may be a significant bureaucratic headache, even if it is just a few days later (and maybe even if it is done before the grades are due, once the instructor submitted the first time). An instructor is unlikely to change a grade over a minor reason, like changing an opinion of how much you deserved. (Although, if there is a clear actionable reason, such as responding to fraud, the instructors may be more inclined, perhaps in part because there may be a clear policy that is less painful to the instructor.) So long as you were honest, you probably don't need to worry about your prior grade.
The reason why <NAME>'s instructor laughed was probably the admission of not remembering stuff. There might be classier ways of saying "I'm interested in being exposed to the material again", especially something like being a TA. Of course, a lot of the precise details will vary between different instructors, and differences in institution (university) policies/cultures might also have some influence.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: Recommendation: be honest with the professor and admit that you didn't take the course seriously last time. If you do that here is what I would expect to be the answers to your questions.
*Would he question the grade he gave me?* Possibly. But it's very unlikely that he would be so bothered that he would want to change your grade; and even if he did want to, he probably can't at this stage.
*[Would he] consider me to be a poor student for forgetting so quickly?* Maybe. But he would also, most likely, consider you to be a good student for taking an interest in the subject, recognising the problem, and trying to get it fixed.
Upvotes: 0
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<issue_start>username_0: I want to digitally publish a document which includes mathematical equations – including symbols for integration, summation, etc.
This isn’t possible in MS Office or Notepad, which makes things difficult. Is anyone aware of software which would let me typeset math on a computer?<issue_comment>username_1: [LaTeX](http://www.docs.is.ed.ac.uk/skills/documents/3722/3722-2014.pdf) is the industry standard. Note there is also a [very helpful Tex/LaTeX site](http://tex.stackexchange.com) here on Stack Exchange.
Upvotes: 7 <issue_comment>username_2: You should use LaTeX if writing math.
If you don’t want to, there is another option, which is [Mathtype](http://www.dessci.com/en/products/mathtype/). This is commercial software which integrates well with Microsoft Word.
Otherwise, you can also use an [online LaTeX equation editor](https://www.codecogs.com/latex/eqneditor.php) and download the result in .gif to paste into the Word document. This is free to use.
However, learn LaTeX; it is the best option.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: If you really want to type fast, you can use LyX or Scientific Word. These are very easy to use, but in the long term, LaTeX is always better because it is more flexible and you can really see what you are doing when you are writing your equations.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: Libreoffice / OpenOffice is also a nice choice. Equation edition is similar to latex (text based) and it fit neatly into a complete WYSIWYG text editor.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: Look for a program called Scientific Workplace or Scientific Notebook, by MacKichan Software. It allows you to write math; it can solve equations that you write; and it can produce graphs and charts.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_6: If you're publishing in HTML or another SGML or XML-based markup language, you might want to look at [MathML](http://www.w3.org/Math/).
The other HTML-friendly option is one or another of the LaTeX translators (see [this StackOverflow question](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/116054/what-is-the-best-way-to-embed-latex-in-a-webpage) for more); a common problem with those, unfortunately, is that they sometimes output small images that are inaccessible to those with visual disabilities. MathML can be read aloud by suitably-equipped screenreading software.
Upvotes: 1
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<issue_start>username_0: I've been tinkering with the idea of installing several glass boards in the lab & offices instead of white boards. They look cool, and seem to erase better. But I do not have extended experience using them.
What are the pros and cons of using glass boards compared to white boards in general?<issue_comment>username_1: I find actual whiteboards easier to read than plain glass due to the see-through nature of glass. Some places have glass walls that face a hallway or glass windows in their office doors that people use as writing surfaces with dry-erase markers. That can be fine, but the fact that you can see through the surface can be very distracting when writing/reading the "board".
Regular whiteboards can be hard to keep clean and should be regularly wiped with a wet cloth or paper towel, in my experience, and then dried with a clean cloth or paper towel. This seems to keep them readable and usable longer than using a dry-erase board eraser which seem to do a poor job of removing the dry-erase marker dust. This is very similar to what places with good janitorial services do with their chalkboards (i.e., wash them frequently). I don't know about the long-term issues cleaning glass which has been used with dry-erase markers, but I assume the issues of getting the marker dust off are similar. Wash them to clean them.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: When I was a grad student, I mounted a 1x2 meters glass plane in front of a white wall at my place. It was great for scribbling stuff and for large drawings. I also developed the habit of drawing on the glass doors at my previous lab, because the closest whiteboard was in another room.
The big advantage: **glass is very smooth**, you will never have stains accumulating like on a white board. No matter how zealous you or the cleaning staff is, white boards are a bit porous and the material deteriorates with time (UV radiations, etc.) and becomes even more porous, making it harder to clean up.
For the same reasons, if you inadvertently use a permanent marker instead of a white board marker, it's easy to clean it up. Finally, existing glass structures also provide large surfaces for drawing.
The disadvantages: lighting (back lighting, shadows, etc.) can impede reading what you wrote. It helps if the glass is placed immediately in front of a white wall. Also, the cleaning staff might erase your brilliant ideas overnight because they were instructed to clean all windows.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: The whiteboards we have are easier to read than the glass boards, even though the latter have a white backing etc. Whiteboard markers do not mark in the same way. I was using both kinds of board today with the same pens. On the whiteboard, the ink is darker. The students could read both, but it was a small group in a small room. Writing on the glass board is more of a struggle than the whiteboards - not horrible, but the difference is distinctly noticeable if you are using one one moment and the other the next. The whiteboard definitely is easier/clearer.
In the newest rooms, we have glassboards on three walls. This creates a great deal more glare than whiteboards would. This can be a bit uncomfortable and colleagues of mine have mentioned getting headaches from the light. This is despite the fact that these rooms also have newer lighting systems i.e. spotlights and panels of diffuse light rather than the older strip lights.
Upvotes: 3
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<issue_start>username_0: Recently I have had a paper accepted by peer review (4 reviewers!) and received an invitation to have it included as part of a 'special issue' (which, of course, I accepted).
The question is: how to emphasize in a CV that the paper is published in a special issue (without being too pretentious about it)?
Related question: is it even worthwhile to emphasize this?
This is related to the question: [How best to present publications in different areas on a CV?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/27862/how-best-to-present-publications-in-different-areas-on-a-cv), would it be best placed in its own section or emphasized as part of the normal bibliographic record.<issue_comment>username_1: How to present this information may depend on your field. In mathematics, special issues are uncommon, and they carry no additional prestige. (A special issue might attract stronger papers than usual, or it might be forced to accept weaker papers due to an insufficient supply of thematically appropriate submissions.) On the other hand, in computer science particularly strong conference papers are sometimes invited to special issues of journals.
1. You should emphasize the special issue on your CV only if this is a widely recognized concept in your field and it is generally considered prestigious.
2. I'd recommend listing papers in special issues together with other papers (but with a special indication if appropriate), rather than in their own section.
3. If you can give a short but compelling description (e.g., the program committee invited the top 30% of the papers at Conference X to the special issue), that could help people from other fields make sense of the designation. This can be valuable in both hiring and tenure cases.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Unless your field has other traditions, I would strongly suggest not distinguishing it in any way. In the fields where I have interacted, being part of a special issue / special collection provides no different prestige than anything else in that journal. Instead, they are typically used more as organizing points for synchronizing a thematic collection of articles---more a publication opportunity and a promotional focus on a particular area of a discipline that the editors think is worth highlighting. As such, they're definitely good to be part of, but not appropriate to significantly distinguish on a CV.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: As per my knowledge, in the following fields
* Computer science
* Electronics and communications
* Information technology
the reputation of special issues are no different from the regular journal under which it is published. That is *unless* it is being issued through a top tier conference. Hence no differentiation is necessary in this regard.
Upvotes: 0
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| 660
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<issue_start>username_0: I am working at a consulting firm as a Data Scientist. I applied and was accepted to talk at a scientific conference. I am going to talk about a topic I worked on mostly during office hours and which has also been presented to customers by me.
At the conference there is going to be a poster session. I plan to put my company in the acknowledgments. What contact information should I put into "contact information" regarding a) my email address, b) the telephone number, and c) the address? My private, my company's? I lean towards private email and phone number and company's address. What do you think and why?<issue_comment>username_1: If the content you are presenting was created on company time, then you should put down your business contact details. Just as you would in interacting with a client. This is a professional interaction.
If the content you are presenting was created in your spare time, you should probably use your private contact details. (But discuss this with your manager.)
Alternatively, think about adding *both* email addresses. And add a link to your LinkedIn account, as well. (Use a [URL shortener](https://duckduckgo.com/?q=url+shortener) if it is too long.) In industry, your affiliation may change (even) faster than in academia, so your business email address could be obsolete in six months, with no forwarding.
Think about embedding your contact details in a QR code. People can simply scan it and have your details directly in their mobile device.
---
I am in a similar position. I use my business contact details for work-related research, much/most of which I do in my spare time. In addition, I do stuff that is in no way related to my day job. By agreement with my manager, I also use my business address for that work.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: If your work was supported by your employer, then you should use your company address to acknowledge the affiliation. If it's work done in your spare time that is not sponsored by your employer, use your personal details.
Don't bother with the phone number – in academia, it's generally considered bad etiquette to call someone unexpectedly (unless it's an emergency).
Use whichever email address you wish – if it's a "professional" address like <EMAIL>, it doesn't matter. You might lose access to your email address if you change employer, so it's also important that you use an address you'll have access to for the foreseeable future.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: Since you have done the research during your work hours and using your company's resources, you should definitely provide the company's address. However, when it comes to the email id, it would be preferable to include your personal id, as you would not have access to your professional email in case of a job change.
Upvotes: 1
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| 1,626
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<issue_start>username_0: The Hirsch index, or [*h*-index](http://www.harzing.com/pop_hindex.htm) is a widely used citation statistic that, arguably, accurately reflects the impact of a scientist. It takes into account the number of publications as well as how often those papers are cited. For example, an author with 4 publications each with at least 4 citations, has a *h*-index of 4. Another author with 200 publications, each cited only once, has a Hirsch index of just 1, simply because the papers are not cited more than once. A possible confounding factor in this index are self-citations. If the latter fictional author would have cited all his previous work in his latter 100 papers, their *h*-index would sky rocket to 100.
[Google Scholar](http://scholar.google.com) nicely provides the *h*-index and at my institution they use Google Scholar to calculate the h-index for every researcher. However, Google Scholar **includes self-citations**, while I have heard colleagues from other institutions say that a *h*-index **should not include self-citations**, for reasons illustrated above.
Interestingly, the widely used [journal impact factor](http://wokinfo.com/essays/impact-factor/) (JIF) from Thomson Reuters **does include self-citations** [(Shema, 2012)](http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/information-culture/on-self-citation/).
My question is: should the *h*-index include or exclude self-citations? Is there a consensus reached on this topic? If there is no consensus, should the *h*-index then not be accompanied by an identifier to clarify which of the two methods was adopted to calculate it?
**Reference**
**-** [Shema, *Sci Am* blogs, 2012](http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/information-culture/on-self-citation/)<issue_comment>username_1: First and foremost, I recommend reading the related question: ["Why is it said that judging a paper by citation count is a bad idea?"](https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/37021/22733) That question may help relieve some of your concern about the importance of having an answer for this question.
Now, turning to H-index: to the best of my knowledge, there is no consensus as to whether self-citations should count or not count. Saying whether self-citations are included might be useful, but then it would also be useful to know quite a bit more about how the database for computing an H-index is being constructed.
My own thinking on pros and cons goes as follows:
* Omitting self-citations means you get a clearer picture of whether *other people* are paying attention to one's work.
* Self-citation is also entirely appropriate and legitimate and [at moderate levels can be a good indicator of a healthy and ongoing research program](http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/information-culture/on-self-citation/).
* Defining self-citation is not entirely obvious, when co-authors are taken into account. Consider the following: if A and B co-author a paper, and then B cites the paper, should that count as a self-citation for A too? It's not A who is citing, but the citation still might be "discounted."
* Finally, precise values of H-index are not very valuable in any case, since [bibliometrics are not very good at evaluating scientific impact](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/37021/why-is-it-said-that-judging-a-paper-by-citation-count-is-a-bad-idea).
Given all of these things, I personally think the best thing to do is to count self-citation in H-index and mark it clearly as such.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: There's no firm consensus on whether to include self-citations. (For example, the [original paper by Hirsch](https://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0507655102) discusses how one could correct for self-citations but doesn't include this as part of the definition of the h-index.) The reason is that it doesn't matter: the h-index is a crude tool, and if your decisions make delicate enough use of it that the outcome may change depending on whether self-citations are included, then you are using it wrong.
For example, you mention a hypothetical case of someone whose high h-index comes primarily from self-citations. In a case like this, someone on the hiring/tenure committee should ask "Gee, why does this candidate have such a high h-index when the rest of the file gives little or no evidence that their work is influential or important?" Then a few minutes of investigation will reveal the truth.
There's nothing special about self-citations here. I know a case of an eccentric researcher in mathematics who gets a lot of citations from followers of his publishing in marginal places. The total number looks impressive, but if you look at where the citations are coming from, you find only rather weird-looking papers published in places you've never heard of. To keep from being misled by cases like this, you have to do some due diligence when you see a surprising number, and if you're doing that already then skewed h-indices from self-citation are not such a great threat. (In practice the skew is generally pretty small, too.)
The net effect is that if the hiring or tenure committee is just paying attention to numbers like the h-index, without any perspective or further investigation, then that's a major problem with their methodology. If they do notice oddities but feel compelled to give credit for a high h-index anyway, then that's an even worse problem.
In practice, different websites for computing h-indices can give substantially different values, depending on which sources they count citations from. If you care about specifying a well-defined number, then you need to tell exactly how the h-index was computed (which goes far beyond just whether self-citations are included).
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Self citing is a common thing in medicine where good number of the papers are simply case reports and reviews. A faculty can co-author with large number of students and trainees and keep citing his/her previous papers. The publication numbers can be unreal, citations become mathematically multiplied and h-index will be high. I came across authors with average 3 papers per week and most of papers cited their own previous papers.
I agree that bibliometrics do not reflect scientific impact, it simply bedazzle those who look at volume rather than quality. How many times NIH reviewers count publications as a measure of candidate. Jobs in academia is the same.
Upvotes: 2
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<issue_start>username_0: I am currently PhD student, just finished 3rd semester. But it is just 5 months that I defended my proposal, and due to university rules, you are considered an official PhD student just when you defend your proposal. I would like to change my group, due to different reasons, one is financial matters. As my one year financial support from an external fund ( not offered by my current supervisor) is finished and my supervisor also said he has no money!
I already applied for a new open PhD position (not in the same university but in the same city). The new Professor invited me to his office for interview. Should I tell him that I am already PhD student? What if I say nothing?<issue_comment>username_1: Such matters are of both sensitive and ethical concern. The best thing to do is to tell the truth.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: It is crucial to tell the truth.
* For your current supervisor, you will need to let them know that you are interviewing with the new Professor, and explain why you are doing this. This *potentially* could work to your benefit as your current supervisor may offer to be a reference and offer assistance to you going forward.
* For the new Professor, let them know upfront that you are already a PhD student and the reasons why you are moving.
Most of all, as has been said in the comments, **be honest** - because if you are not honest, it can (and probably will) blow up in your face, potentially generating distrust from the old and new supervisors/Professors.
In your comments to the question, you mentioned that you are not sure as to whether or not you are going to leave your current position - before you progress any further, make sure you are certain in what you are doing (at the very least to be sure you're not wasting anyone's time).
An acquaintance of mine did something very similar, and was caught out a few months later - he had to overcome significant suspicion about the reasons for his move, as he had not explained it to both parties.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: When it comes to your academic and professional life, you should always be honest. Starting a long-term association on a wrong note can be damaging for your life and career. I would say whether or not the supervisor asks you, you should inform him about your current position and the reasons for leaving. It is your moral responsibility to inform him. If you hide such an important information from him, it might lead to trust issues later if he finds out.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: Leaving a group because you are not getting paid is perfectly reasonable, and thus you should explain that to the new professor. This may play to your advantage, as you already have some experience, and can start being productive earlier. That also explains what have you been doing your last year.
If you don't tell him, and he learns somehow, he may either ask you directly, imagine some (realistic or not) possible scenarios, or wonder what else you may be hiding. He may also wonder if you would do the same to him, leave after one year, and deem it too risky to hire you. On the other hand, if you are upfront with your case, you show that you have a legitimate reason to leave, and you won't probably leave for as long as he can fund you.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: I did something similar, and I fully agree with @Ghost and @username_4's advice which upholds honesty is the *only* policy in academia. I shall tell you what I did (NOTE: I am sharing my personal experience, by no means I am asserting that *my way* is the way that it should be handled, as situations differ).
In my second year of PhD, I realized that I was not satisfied with my research area, and that I should look for an opportunity which will let me explore ideas that I want to for my PhD.
After I made contact with a professor with whom I would have liked to work, I informed the person that I am yet to have a discussion with my present adviser regarding moving to another university, and requested him/her to refrain from contacting my present adviser, until I could have that discussion. After getting an approval from the school and the potential adviser, that I would most possibly be offered a position, I sought out to have a discussion with my current adviser to make him/her aware of the situation.
In that discussion, I was very frank about why I am considering to leave my lab, and that I would be very open for future collaborations. I spent the rest of the semester wrapping up my work and discussing about future project directions with my mentor and another lab-member who took up my role. I left the lab on a nice note, and I still maintain a healthy relationship with my previous adviser and lab members.
In research, we never know with whom we would need to collaborate in the future. Apart from that, many jobs require recommendations from past advisers. Hence, having a trust-issue-free-relationship with peers, advisers and fellow researchers is a must for personal development.
Upvotes: 2
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2015/09/29
| 835
| 3,577
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<issue_start>username_0: **In general, is a position in academia the best way to contribute to a field of study?**
**In general, are contributions to a particular scientific field made from an industry position as impactful as contributions (to the same field) made from an academic position?**
---
For example, say, you worked in one of the best teams/labs in industry for a given field (e.g. IBM or Google for a technology-related field). Can you produce work that rivals the work produced by some of the best academic groups/labs in that field (e.g. from MIT or Caltech for a technology-related field)?
Or is it that, although the people at these industry positions work with the latest ideas in the field, they don't (actively) contribute back to the field? I.e. they don't produce new ideas w.r.t. the field, but rather work on implementing the newest ideas in the field in commercial products?
Is it correct to assume that, in general, in a given field, a top researcher from industry has less understanding of the field (as a whole) compared to a top researcher from academia?
I realise that the question is perhaps a bit subjective, but as academics, if you were in an industry position, working on the same (or very similar) things you are working on now, do you think you could and would contribute as much to your respective field as you are contributing now?
The question is not about being active in academia from an industry position. I know that is possible. My question is, rather, about the quality, and to a lesser extent the quantity, of work.<issue_comment>username_1: In computer science, and in math, people at AT&T and IBM labs have done very significant contributions. I'm sure you will find other examples all over the place. If you dig around the CVs of some of computer science stars, you'll find they didn't always (or even exclusively) work in academia.
The benefit of working at such a lab seems to have been freedom from teaching and academic management hassles.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Speaking as a researcher in industry, there is absolutely no reason to think industrial research need be inferior to university research. Top industry labs and top university labs regularly both compete and collaborate.
Industrial labs and university labs do tend to have somewhat different strengths and weaknesses, however. The key difference is the fact that universities tend to be based around students, while industry tends to be based around employees, which has the following implications:
* Students (and especially undergraduates) are much cheaper than industry employees, and so it is much easier for universities to take risks.
* Employees are much more predictable and reliable in their work, so industry research can take on bigger and more complex tasks.
* It is OK for papers-per-person-per-year to be much less in industry, so industrial research can do projects that require more infrastructure and less "sexy" work---even though they may be just as important a piece of research.
Now, it's true that most of the industrial world is not doing good research, or even any research at all. That is, however, also true of the world of education. For the top groups, however, I would suggest that the right way to think about it is not even "industry vs. university," but about complementarity and partnerships between the two, as both sides tend to be acutely aware of their advantages and disadvantages and therefore frequently collaborate in order to get the best of both worlds on their projects together.
Upvotes: 2
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2015/09/30
| 966
| 4,107
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<issue_start>username_0: I'm applying to a PhD program in computer science. My friends and advisors all recommend that I cold-email the professors I'm most interested in working with and have a conversation with them about their research. However, I feel like just asking something like "What type of research do you do?" would just come off as lazy since most professors already have information on their website.
So that leads me to wonder, what are some productive questions that I could actually ask professors in the context of a cold-email or scheduled phone call?<issue_comment>username_1: Within the content of a cold-email, the primary intent is to impress the professor whom you are a complete stranger to. First show how well her/his area of research superimposes with yours. Then show how much you are interested with the work he/she has done (and make sure you are specific). The most pleasing question that could be asked to a professor in a cold-email to ask what sort of project that she/he is working on currently and how willing you will be to assist him/her in it.
I suppose the general guidelines for a cold-email provided in this [link](http://www.forbes.com/sites/francesbridges/2013/08/01/how-to-write-a-cold-e-mail/) would benefit you.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> However, I feel like just asking something like "What type of research do you do?" would just come off as lazy since most professors already have information on their website.
>
>
>
Yes, don't ask anything you could reasonably learn from their web site, their publications, textbooks in this area, web searches, or Q&A sites. It's incredibly annoying when people write to ask me to put work into explaining something to them, when they show no sign of having put any work into this themselves first. (The worst question of all is "how can I apply to your department?", since that one can be answered in a few minutes by anyone with internet access.)
Also, don't volunteer your services for the professor's projects or propose a collaboration in a cold e-mail. This might be appropriate later, after you have established a serious research connection, but until that point it's awkward. Nobody is going to say yes based on very limited information, and the choice of no vs. maybe puts people in a difficult position: if they say no based on very limited information, it may come across as insulting, while if they say maybe it can come across as overly encouraging.
>
> So that leads me to wonder, what are some productive questions that I could actually ask professors in the context of a cold-email or scheduled phone call?
>
>
>
From my perspective, the only really productive approach is to engage seriously with the professor's research area. If you can propose new ideas or questions and start a conversation with genuine intellectual content, then that's great. It will be a worthwhile discussion for both of you, regardless of whether it helps you get admitted, and you may end up impressing the professor. But this is a high bar, and you shouldn't expect to be able to send substantive messages to many people. If you can't think of anything genuinely interesting to say, then it's better not to say anything at this stage (you can think a little more about this area before e-mailing the professor).
The focus should be on the subject matter. When random strangers write to me, I'm not particularly interested in telling them about myself (to the extent I want to tell the world about myself, it's far more efficient to do so publicly, rather than telling one person at a time). I'm even less interested in hearing an infinite series of random people tell me about themselves. Most of them want to be admitted to grad school in my department but aren't going to be, and it's just not a good use of time to read a lot of e-mails in which applicants tell me more or less the same things they are going to say in their actual applications. On the other hand, I'm always pleased when I get an e-mail that starts a genuinely interesting research discussion.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]
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2015/09/30
| 680
| 2,875
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<issue_start>username_0: I am making a scientific poster. A block spills from the left column to the right column. So I divided it into two blocks, one with a heading in the left column at the bottom and one without heading in the right column at the top. The design of those blocks looks, as if a regular block was cut in half and placed where described. However, a colleague did not get that at once and wondered why the right upper block had not headline. Should I put a "continued" or "cont." or "cont'd" at the bottom/top of the two blocks, or trust my readers to get that?
**EDIT:** My blocks are:
1. Introduction
2. Discussion the challenge / issue
3. (the one split) about given a general solution framework
4. Given an example implementation.
5. Contact Information and Acknowledgments
I don't see how I could rearrange the blocks.
Also:
* The conference gave specifications that it has to be portrait.
* My (large) boxes don't allow row based.
Note: I am using tikzposter for my poster (in case someone cares).<issue_comment>username_1: If you really must split your block, I would recommending to make it clear that you did, e.g., by repeating the title (if your blocks have such a thing) on the second block and appending *(continued)* to it. Alternatively, you can enumerate the two blocks, e.g., *Framework I* and *Framework II.*
However, if any possible, try to avoid the whole situation, e.g., by:
* Rearranging exchangeable blocks such that you do not have to split a block. At the very least, you can place the block with references and acknowledgements (if you have one) almost everywhere.
* Split your block at a structurally feasible point and give the second part a different title.
* Change the layout of your poster completely. For example, make some columns wider and some thinner, switch between portrait and landscape (if the conference gave no recommendation in this respect) or make the layout row-based intstead of column-based.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Your poster blocks aren't rearrangeable because you wrote your poster like a paper/article. It should not be written this way, in part to avoid this exact situation. This is also why it is not obvious to others that your block is continued top-right; posters should not be required to be read in a specific order and your assumption that people would assume the top right always follows the bottom left is unfounded. If you have time, redo the poster to take advantage of the format instead of being hindered by it. Consider approaching the layout of the poster *first* and then re-writing modular pieces of information to fill the poster afterwords.
If you don't have time, make sure you at least remove the block split. Rewrite the section to be shorter or split it into two distinct sections, adjust your margins between blocks and/or your font-size, etc.
Upvotes: 2
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2015/09/30
| 3,928
| 16,510
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<issue_start>username_0: Over the last few years, our university has seen a rise in high-tech academic dishonesty. We have a no electronics policy, except calculators when needed (even those now are provided by the school, and personal calculators are not allowed). However, students still sneak cell phones into the exam and use them in a very inconspicuous way.
We have had students take pictures (presumably with a cell phone) during an exam and have someone outside the room sending them back solutions. We have had them communicate with classmates somewhere else in the room (some have been caught this way giving the right answers to the wrong exam). We have had numerous students using their phones to store notes, copies of old exam solutions, etc., and use them as an aid during the exam (this is the most common).
We have caught some students, but I know it is a small fraction. Students will tell us they see cell phone use routinely during exams, but don't want to squeal on classmates because of anticipated reprisal. Our instructors are quite vigilant in watching the classroom, but it is very difficult to watch 30 to 70 students constantly. (Larger classes have multiple proctors.) Instructors have been informed of the classic cues as well. Our penalties are stiff (first offense, F in the course, second offense, student gets the boot from the school). However, students are still getting away with high-tech cheating.
My question is, does anyone have any sure fire ways of identifying students attempting to use cell phones or other high-tech cheating devices during exams? I'm looking for methods, electronic sniffers, etc.<issue_comment>username_1: Ultimately, this is not a technological problem but a cultural and pedagogical problem.
The problem with technological solutions is that they set up an "arms race" with the students, in which you will certainly lose. Electronics are constantly getting smaller and obtaining more means of communication, so a student who really wants to cheat will likely have a means that you won't be readily able to distinguish. Consider, for example, the recent emergence of smart watches: are you going to ban watches from the classroom? What about low-tech but still effective forms of cheating like scraps of paper? If you get a frequency scanner, will you be able to catch somebody using non-standard communication bands?
The best defense against cheating students is other students who understand that it cheats *them* out of the value of their well-earned grades. If you can inculcate a school culture where most students are not just not cheating but actively opposed to cheating, then it will be much harder for cheaters to prosper.
The second best defense against cheating is to design exams that are more about process than product. Think "show your work" and "essay question." Yes, it's possible that a cheating student will outsource their work and render themselves a puppet of an expert whispering guidance in their ear, but that's a lot harder to do than secretly googling for information about Kirchoff's laws. I am, in fact, a big fan of open-book tests, which tend to push students to focus on synthesis instead of memorization. This, I believe, has much more value to students in the long run, and also has the nice side effect of rendering high-tech cheating much less valuable as well.
Upvotes: 7 <issue_comment>username_2: Some universities have taken to disabling the WiFi in classrooms to deal with the laptop use "problem". That doesn't get you around cellular data use on phones, and you can't legally jam cellular signals (in the US) as keshlam noted in their comment.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: The solution is a lot more complex than "Do x to stop cheating."
We are moving into a stage as a society where the ability to retain a large amount of facts is not as important as being able to process facts and draw conclusions from them. With the wealth of human knowledge at our fingertips, what is more important?
The ability to recall a billion facts at-will, or the ability to process any given fact in a logical and intelligent manner coupled with the ability to discover any related facts?
If you get nothing from this response take in this one thing:
>
> You will never win this fight. Cheaters will always be one step ahead.
>
>
>
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: It is a hopeless task trying to prevent cheating for *standard* exams.
The suggestion of username_1 will not work. While I personally never cheated, I would never snitch on someone which cheats. You are working together as a group which builds social cohesion and teachers/professors are an outgroup. You simply do not do that. Apart from that it is not my business to prevent cheating.
The other thing is that the impression of "lazy" cheaters is often wrong. I often wondered why cheaters do often a staggering amount of work for cheating which they could have used for learning. They are getting all possible exams, write down the core questions, prepare their cheating sheets, build groups... There are people out there who are so good that you even do not see cheating in the exam from the next table behind although you know that they are cheating.
My electronics professor in the university solved the problem for himself: He allowed that students bring *everything* into the exam. Calculators, sheets, lexika, laptops. The students were divided in space, if necessary, he took two rooms.
So he designed the question in advance to be not solvable with pure knowledge approaches. He designed tasks, modified them so people who did read and learned the stuff understood what the design was doing (if they were not sure, they knew easily where exactly the necessary information can be found) and made the design so extensive that it takes time to read and solve the question sequentially. Only five questions for two hours.
The cheaters were stuck. Because the tasks were unique, they could not use old exams (If similar tasks were mentioned, you could bet that the professor modified them so that old approaches were useless or even traps). Information did not help, they had information, but not the knowledge to use it. Because the tasks were so extensive, the time penalty for smuggling out the questions, let them solve frantically by an expert outsider, smuggling them back and write them down was so prohibitive that it was not an option.
The spacing out was intended to make communication not impossible, but simply an ardous and easy to spot task. Even if someone who knew the stuff would help he simply was not able to tell the solution because it needed too much explanation.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_5: I answered a [similar question](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/31494/15949) a while ago. This answer might be interpreted as an extension of the previous one.
The exact same issue happens in my university too and my opinion on this subject is usually met by very negative comments.
I think the reason of high tech dishonesty is not the ethics of students. It is about the examination system itself. While technology is growing ~~exponentially~~ [almost quadratically](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore's_law), the students still take exams with pen and paper. Even homeworks are designed for a student to "read the course book" whereas he/she can clearly use the Internet.
When a student uses an Internet article verbatim, it is called *plagiarism*. But when he/she paraphrases, it is called *a good homework*.
The students should be able to use any device they want. Cellular phones, laptops, whatever they want. The questions should be prepared accordingly. The students have to struggle to find the correct answer to a question.
If a question is like "how high is the Mt. Everest", students will cheat. Either one might have memorized the answer and does not hesitate to *help a friend* or just *take a look* at the answer by typing it in his/her cellphone.
However, if the question is like "please discuss the reasons not to climb Mt. Everest", then (i) there is not a unique right answer, (ii) even though laptops are free to use in the exam, the student should do a tiny research to state the reasons, and (iii) *helping a friend* becomes *being a chump*.
By the way, I have never cheated in exams and I am not defending cheating. But at the time a baby is able to unlock and choose a game to play in a smartphone, expecting teenagers or adults to keep themselves away from technology is not very reasonable.
Examination methods must keep pace with technology just as every other thing in life.
Bad news: [Google Glass is being used by more and more people](http://www.cio.com/article/2369965/consumer-technology/how-many-people-actually-own-google-glass-.html) and we cannot do anything about it.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_6: Create a smartphone/tablet app through which the exam itself is administered. This could simply be a stripped-down browser, with no special features like JavaScript support, no navigation controls, and that won't persist if it loses focus, e.g., the student switches to another app to cheat. (You can advise students to enable airplane mode, then turn WiFi on and connect to your special test-taking network, which doesn't provide general internet access, to avoid the risk of an unexpected phone call resetting their test.) Design the app to query a hard-coded server on your network for the address of a landing page, from which the students can select their test, which is delivered in a plain HTML format with basic form controls. If the exam is longer than an hour or so, you could also provide outlets for charging.
If any students don't have (or don't wish to use) a smartphone/tablet, they can still take the regular paper test, but in a separate, small room, which will make it trivial to spot a smuggled device.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_7: Open book exams and speed
-------------------------
Some types of exams are rather immune to such cheating, namely exams designed to be taken with "open book" (i.e., any and all reference material allowed) with a rather strict time limit.
If questions are designed to test *skills* obtained during the course instead of memorization, then preparation of any extra "cheating" materials helps the learning process (as it's well known that transcribing material helps you also remember it better).
Another approach is that question time limits can be designed so that you can finish them all in time *only* if you know the answers right away - where you possibly could look up some answer (or ask it to someone else), but if you have to look up multiple answers would mean that you simply run out of time before even reaching half of the questions. I have had a bunch of subjects with such open book exams, and they were surprisingly effective at revealing differences between mastered/not mastered areas of study.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_8: I am aware of several commercial products that can detect phones in areas they are not supposed to be used (typically used by the financial markets to spot inside trading). Such as those from [AirPatrol](http://airpatrolcorp.com/), [BV Systems](https://www.bvsystems.com/Products/Security/PocketHound/pockethound.htm) and [Libelium](http://www.libelium.com/products/meshlium/smartphone-detection/). Some of these you buy multiple sensors to work out which "zone" the mobile device is being used in.
Then I suppose to detect electronics generally (that are not connected to a network) you could go down the whole route of metal detecting. Unless they are using [tiny mobile phones that are alleged to defeat metal detectors](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23782136) but as the devices are so small reading a vast sum of information off them discretely would be somewhat difficult.
Depends really how far you want to go (full airport style pat-downs?) and how much money you have.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_9: This is a relatively easy matter,
You tell them no cell phones, have them sign a peice of paper that states in large font, "NO CELLPHONES/MOBILE DEVICES, I understand that using a cellular/mobile device(including but not limited to: ipad, iphone, and/or other type of electronic device) I WILL FAIL THE TEST AUTOMATICALLY" sign and dated. The threat and follow through of punishment of actually receiving an F for the exam, will spread like wildfire throughout the school hallways.(The biggest problem with follow through of punishment, will most likely be school administration, whom need high graded students for political reasons...)
AND/OR
You have a group of volunteers(could be other students from a different class, concerned parents, ect ect imagination is the limit...), whom stand behind the students, and observe them.
Combining both techniques, ensures a low tech way of informing of consequences, and removing cheaters, combining them makes a strong stand.
Also, if permissable, a slightly dimmed room may give yourself/volunteers an advantage of spotting the classic bright lit screens of a mobile device...
I will note that I agree with Amagii, at least in part, that changing tests from that of pure memory to that of testing logical thought processing, can change the way our tests are made, reducing burden of "dumb logic" aka reward for just having a good memory, to instead rewarding those with the ability to understand the subject(after all even the greatest and most skilled academics keeps reference books, so why build tests on the false premises that we don't need them?), which in the long run will be far more rewarding. Not just for the current academic settings, but out in the real world.
Best of Luck.
username_9
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_10: **The best way to counter cell phone use is to not allow cellphones.**
In the "most strict" exams I have ever taken (*the Canadian/U.S. Government recognized tests for knowing the English language*), each person had their own bin in which they emptied their pockets into. No sweat shirts or hats allowed. A gentle pat-down was done, mostly just making sure pants pockets were empty, and one of those metal-detection or electronic detection wands briefly waved over me. All the exam preparation takes place in a different room from the room the exam was taken in, so you can't just leave stuff there before-hand.
During the exam, we were only allowed to use the tools given to us. There was very strict monitoring. Some portions were on a computer, but the short time limit on those sections meant that even if you could get around to the internet or whatever without getting caught, by the time you managed to look anything up the question would be over.
---
For my own school, there is an official "testing center" in which very similar procedures take place, though not quite as strict with the pat-down and metal detector - it is where all midterm and final exams are taken for every course. I suspect any student who puts enough thought into it and has the courage *could* cheat in this setting, but the consequence for being caught is very severe - an automatic failing of the entire class and possibly being expelled.
---
In the case where the exam is going to be taken in your every-day classroom, exam preparation for the previous strategy could be unfeasible, especially depending on the number of students. You'd need lockers, or bins, and some way to keep each person's stuff separate. And the time to sort all that stuff out. There's a couple other ways to enforce a "less strict" version of this policy:
* If the exam is going to be taken first thing in the morning, collect everyone's cell phone at the door before they enter the room. They can have it back when they are finished with the exam. (*In some cases, you could collect all the phones in one bin - when everyone gets their phone back any missing piece of property should readily be apparent, but you'd have to keep everyone in the room until everyone is done and has their phone back. Even then, some issues could arise - there needs to be trust by all parties if they are going to share one "bucket" to put all their phones into - There probably isn't going to be that trust in a room of 25-40+ students.*)
* Have each student place their cell phone on their desk/area in an easily visible spot. Keep extra attention on those who do not appear to have a cell phone, but be sure to still watch everyone.
Upvotes: 2
|
2015/09/30
| 679
| 2,773
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<issue_start>username_0: What is the most appropriate way to refer to the preceding/succeeding (sub)sections within a paper? In my case, the paper style does not allow enumeration of the (sub)sections.<issue_comment>username_1: I would recommend simply saying it directly, like, "in the previous section" or "in the following section." You can also refer to a section by content, e.g., "in the review of prior work" or "in our discussion of results."
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I agree with [username_1's answer](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/55260/20058), but if you have sections or subsections with short titles, you can even refer to the section's title:
>
> As described in the Introduction, etc.
>
>
>
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: I actually disagree with @username_1's advice on this. I would recommend **not to use** "previous" and "following" qualifiers. The rationale for my advice is rather simple - writing artifacts and, especially, academic writing ones, are naturally almost always subject to rearranging sections and smaller chunks of material by authors (between revisions and within ones). Thus, these rearrangements risk breaking the correct navigation in case of using *relative qualifiers* (actually, the same applies to using *section numbers* for reference).
Therefore, I would advise to **use section titles** as more stable identifiers. Having said that, I realize that it is possible to use *auto-fields* or similar features, which somewhat alleviate the problem, but still present risk of having inconsistent document in the end (i.e., due to *auto-updating* issues).
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: Some options:
* **Make it a section with a number.**
If it's so important that you want to refer to it, why not make it a section? I don't think section numbers are always and necessarily structured logically. If the subsection is important (like "an important example") it could be a section.
* **Reference the Example/Theorem/Remark/Note/Notation/equation number/[whatever]**. You should have something referenceable in the vicinity of your subsection.
* **Reference the section** (not the subsection).
* **Use "above" or "previous section"**, but only if it's half a page before what you wrote.
* Refer to the subsection by name. (In my opinion least preferable. How am I going to find it?)
Whatever you do, make it easily findable! I almost never read papers start to finish on a first reading. In fact, I often read it backwards from the main part of the paper. I read the interesting bits and try to follow the argument. I hate coming across references that are hard to find. **Don't assume every reader is going to read your paper cover to cover on a first reading.**
Upvotes: 2
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2015/09/30
| 964
| 3,664
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<issue_start>username_0: I am a teaching assistant and I am writing a list of instructors that I have assisted.
Should I go with full titles such as Assoc. Prof. Dr., Asst. Prof. Dr. or is it enough to write Dr. only.
I have encountered many CVs that only uses Dr. no matter the person is either assistant professor, associate professor or professor. I think people only write Prof. instead of Dr. if the person is a Professor Dr. What is the right way to do it?
The same question applies to writing names of project supervisors, thesis advisers, references etc.
The country I will send my CV is Sweden.<issue_comment>username_1: In my experience, I have always used the titles Professor, Associate Professor *or* Doctor - with an explanation of their position afterwards:
e.g. Professor <NAME>, Professor (Basket Weaving)
Academics with the titles 'Professor' and 'Associate Professor' have a higher academic rank from academics with only the title 'Dr.' - the use of Professor etc. implies that the academic does have a 'Dr.' - it would be a bit redundant to use both.
These are academic ranks (source [Boston University](http://www.bu.edu/handbook/appointments-and-promotions/classification-of-ranks-and-titles/)), and it is always polite and respectful to give recognition of one's rank.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I suspect that this is strongly culturally dependent. In the American tradition of egalitarianism, my C.V. has never had any titles in it at all, following the example I saw amongst my older peers and professor. On the other hand, I suspect that a German C.V. might be much more particular, since [academic titles are considered important enough to be protected by law there](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/12432/22733).
My suggestion to you, then, would be to look at the CVs of people with a position similar to that you aim to obtain, and to adopt the style that they have used.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Your title framing do depend on your culture. In some countries, it is customary to only include 'Dr.' before your name and your occupation like Asst. Professor, Associate Prof., or Full Professor below your name.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_1: I'm not sure what the question is asking exactly. Are you asking whether to include your own title, or the titles of your references? Based on everywhere I've been in North America and Europe (which doesn't include Sweden, but does include several places), I would say that an Academic CV should always include job titles in the following places:
**YourFirstName YourLastName** (no postnominal letters!)
--------------------------------------------------------
*Curriculum Vitae*
Education
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* PhD, *YourGradField*, **FamousUniversity**, 2015. (have to name the degrees here!)
* BA, *YourUnderField*, **RegionalUniversity**, 2005.
Academic Appointments
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* Postdoctoral Research Fellow, *YourCurrentDept*, **ModeratelyFamousUniversity**, 2014-2015. (do use your full job title here!)
Publications
------------
1. "Blah, Blah, Blah: A Transdisciplinary Inquiry into Stuff," *JournalOfWhateverYouStudy,* 2014, pp n-m.
References
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**Prof. YourAdvisor** (use the prenominal here).
Professor of WhateverYouStudy (use the full, fancy title here.)
Dept of WhateverYouStudy
FamousUniversity
1000 MegaFame Ave.
East Coast, America
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: I would advise dropping the secondary titles, which are mostly academic details internal to your university. If the viewer is interested in greater detail, they can look them up themselves or ask you.
Upvotes: 2
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<issue_start>username_0: Many journal articles start with the phrase: "Towards a theory of...", as in these real examples from diverse fields:
>
> "Towards a theory of innovation in services" (Management)
>
>
> "Towards a theory of soft terms for the supersymmetric Standard Model" (Physics)
>
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> "Towards a theory of communicative competence" (Sociology, Linguistics)
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> "Towards a theory of parallel programming" (Computer Science)
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>
>
My literal interpretation is that a full theory is not being presented; instead, the article presents useful elements or steps.
But I wonder if this phrase is overused and tired. It seems like it could be a mask or even false modesty, perhaps to deflect criticism. My inclination is to avoid it if my article actually presents a theory, or most elements of a theory. I would be inclined to use it *only* if the article was presenting a primarily a *directional argument*, i.e. "go this way, and not that way" to make progress on this theory.
Based on this data from Google Ngram Viewer, English books, it seem like it is declining in popularity:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/JdBs1.png)
**Question:** Do you think this phrase is tired, and therefore should be avoided when possible? Or do you think it is valid and should not be avoided?
I'm looking for answers that are based on experience, conventions, and norms in particular fields and institutions.<issue_comment>username_1: Nice analysis. *But*, you would be surprised to see many other overused idioms too in publication literature like "A novel approach to..." where in theory nearly all proposed research method should be novel. Nevertheless such papers do get accepted for publication.
In the end it is the author and the reader who is to be concerned with the titles. If you feel that the reader would tire of the idiom, then you may not include it in your articles. As stated in your question, at times the idiom do very well fit the article. In which case there would be no need to avoid the idiom. But you may regulate the overuse of the phrase if you are to review any manuscript that comes with the phrase.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: I think this phrase should be avoided when possible: not because it's tired, but because it is hesitant and unspecific.
A title like *Towards a theory of branch sprockets* tells me that the author wanted to present a theory of of branch sprockets, but they didn't quite manage and they ran out of time. That's not a bad thing in itself, but it's a weak pitch for a paper. **The best way to structure your paper is to think of what what you're presenting and put that in the title. Here, you're thinking of what you wanted to present, but can't.**
I would prefer a title like *A partial theory of branch sprockets* or *A fast, approximate algorithm for branch sprockets optimization*. The point of a title is to let me know whether I should read this paper instead of the other 50 papers I could be reading. These titles tell me what the return will be on the investment of reading. With the *Towards a theory...* approach, the authors are only telling me what their long term goals are, not which step they took towards this theory, towards which theory in particular they hope to be moving, what steps still remain, and so on.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: I think that, in a grand scheme of things, it is simply a matter of *style* and, thus, using that phrase is totally appropriate. Moreover, I don't find the phrase "toward(s) a theory of ..." to be tired or cliché.
In my opinion, it clearly captures the following two important aspects of a such research study: 1) what is the *ultimate goal* of the research; 2) that not all sufficient *ingredients (elements)* are present in the current study to be considered a scientific theory (or the study otherwise does not satisfy *essential criteria* for a theory). On the latter aspect, for more details, see, for example, the relevant Wikipedia page's [section on essential criteria of a scientific theory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_theory#Essential_criteria) as well as [this research paper](http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.470.4555&rep=rep1&type=pdf).
Upvotes: 1
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<issue_start>username_0: Let Smith be the last name of a U.S.-grown-up professor you not only have taken part in whose class but also ended up becoming a friend of whom in a general sense; I wonder if it still sounds good if in an email to him one uses "Dear Prof. Smith" to address him. I am not really sure, given this condition, if using "Dear Prof." to begin an email to him would somehow become a tone that he does not like? But, on the other hand, I am afraid using, say "Hi Prof. Smith", would sound like one is exalting himself to the place at which Smith stands as a professional scholar.
The title of this question may not be precise (I am not an English native speaker); please feel free to edit it.<issue_comment>username_1: If you have already interacted with the professor extensively and also in an informal way, I would just address him by first name. "Dear John" or "Hello John", the first one being somewhat more formal. When you greet him you would say "hello John" I think, and not "Good morning professor John".
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: In the US, it is very unusual to combine the title "Professor" with a *first name*. I have never been referred to as "Professor Tom" in my whole career.
You can either write "Dear Prof. Smith", using the family name, or "Dear John". You should only write "Dear John" if you would call him "John" when you speak in person. (For people you haven't met in person, the decision is a bit different; but for people who you know personally, this is a good rule.) For example, my students generally call me "<NAME>", but sometimes after they graduate I invite them to call me Tom; in this case, it would be perfectly appropriate to send me a letter beginning "Dear Tom".
I would use "Hi John" only to convey a very informal tone. Even with colleagues or students with whom I'm good friends outside of work, I still use "Dear Mary" when contacting them about professional business. For this reason, I don't recommend using "Hi Prof. Smith"; it mixes an informal term with a formal term.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: "Dear"? Is he *dear* to you? "Hi" is no good either, and is reserved for friends.
No, the answer to this is to just address him/her directly: "<NAME>,".
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_4: >
> Let Smith be the last name of a U.S.-grown-up professor you not only have taken part in whose class but also ended up **becoming a friend** of whom in a general sense
>
>
>
Given that, I imagine you've emailed Professor Smith before? If they sign their emails, check how they do so. That is usually a great hint as to how people wish to be addressed. I have never had a problem with addressing first emails as "Dear Professor XYZ" and then shifting towards a more informal "Hi [however they sign their emails]".
In addition, I would add that "Dear" can come off as either dated or *overly* formal. Although it wouldn't *hurt* necessarily, it might come off as trying a bit too hard if you open every email within a single conversation this way. However, the older the professor is, the more they tend to appreciate such gestures (at least in the US).
As long as you're using conventional salutations and parts of their actual titles and names ("Hi John" is often ok, "Yo Johnny-boy" is definitely not ok) you should be fine. If they correct you, respect the correction but do not worry that a bridge has been burnt. The US just doesn't place relationship-ending weight on titles and email formalities. That said, if you're very worried, it never hurts to *ask*.
Upvotes: 0
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<issue_start>username_0: Ever since I have known the term *academic integrity*, I have known that it is bad to breach it––I have known that it is in my best interest to maintain academic integrity and in the best interest of all others. However, recently, I have been wondering *why* it is so detrimental to break academic integrity though ***only* in the context of assessments.** For example, consider the following hypothetical:
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> ### Background
>
>
> Roger is a student in university in History class 1. Jacky is in history class 2. Both classes are of the same curriculum. Roger has a history exam on Monday. He studied hard and took the test. There was one question that he did not know the answer to.
>
>
> ### Situation:
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>
> During lunch, Roger told Jacky about the test, that it was easy for him but that there was one question that he did not know the answer to. He tells Jacky the question. After lunch, Jacky found the answer to the question that Roger told her about in her notes. On the exam, she got the question right.
>
>
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Roger's grade was not harmed by Jacky's success. Grades were not determined through a [stanine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanine), percentile, etc. In the end, Jacky knew the material needed for the test, even though she was told what to study.
Why is it extremely unethical and considered a breach of academic integrity in almost all cases to share test material with others? What detrimental effects does it have on the person receiving the information/hints?<issue_comment>username_1: Assessments are only meaningful if their results correlate with the underlying quantity they seek to probe. In the case of graded coursework, the intent is to educate; to leave the students with more knowledge and ability in the course's subject than before. If someone cheats on a test, then the test is not measuring what it is supposed to measure. In the extreme case, someone could learn the answers to a short test by memorization, and have no ability in the course's subject.
The problem with the way you have posed your question is the assumption that the students are simply supposed to know what is on the test, which is false. They are supposed to learn much more than that, and the test is supposed to be a fair way of measuring progress (and encouraging review of all the course material). Cheating on tests destroys their usefulness. They are no longer measuring and encouraging the learning that they are intended to.
This is a deep problem, related to [Goodhart's Law](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodhart%27s_law) in economics (when a metric becomes an objective, it ceases to be a good metric).
In your example, Jacky suffers because she has not been motivated correctly to learn. The other students, who didn't cheat, suffer because their grades are now less representative of having learned well in the course.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: Why do you think that cheating, or more generally any breach of academic integrity, has to be of direct and immediate detriment to *each* involved person? The basic idea, to my understanding, of academic integrity is that by violating it, the *system as a whole suffers*, which is clearly not the same as *there are direct negative consequences for each involved individual*.
In your example, cheating on a test\* can easily be very positive for the individual that is cheating (assuming (s)he is not caught, and also ignoring that (s)he probably did not learn what (s)he was supposed to learn, which may lead to trouble down the road). Of course, for the academic system in total, cheating students are pretty bad, as they severely undermine the value of examinations.
Similar arguments can also be made for other cases of academic honesty - as a young researcher, it *may* be quite positive for me to build a great career on manipulated data and forged experiments, but for science as a whole this would clearly be terrible.
This of course leads to the question what incentives rational individuals have to not act against academic honesty. Those fall into two basic categories: fear of repercussion and ethics. Both categories are easy to understand. Clearly, it *may* work out great for me to cheat on tests and forge my data, but it *may also* easily be discovered and backfire on me - and if it happens, the consequences are typically dire enough that overall it is not worth the risk for most. Further, as academics we are nurtured in the thought that academic honesty is the foundation of science. Hence, many (most?) academics would not want to violate academic honesty for personal advantage even if they knew for sure that they would not get caught. It is simply our understanding that the entire system is based on academic honesty.
---
\*By the way, your scenario would not *ubiquitously* be considered cheating. For instance, in my old alma mater in central Europe, sharing test questions with the next year of students is completely normal and a widely accepted practice among faculty and students. Goes to show that what is considered ethical also differs among regions and institutions.
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Consider an oversimplified situation where the course covers 10 simple facts. Time only permits the instructor to ask 6 questions on the test. We can hope that, on average, a student who knows only 5 of the 10 facts will get 3 of the 6 questions right, and earn a score of 50%, which accurately reflects that student's knowledge.
But if someone tells the student what the 6 questions are, they can focus their remaining study time on memorizing just what they know they will be asked, ignoring the other material. They can now get 5 out of 6, or 83%, on the test, which does not reflect their true knowledge of the material.
Ask yourself this: *If Jacky in your story was capable of learning the way to answer question 4 between the lunch and the test, why wouldn't she just do that anyway?* Because knowing what the questions will be allows you to focus limited learning time on just what will be asked. The assumption that your mark on the test matches your overall abilities is broken.
If asked to predict which group is larger:
* people who know more after the exam than they otherwise would have, because they were motivated to study part of the course material (your description of Jacky)
* people whose mark on the exam is higher than their mastery of the material overall, because they could focus their studying on what would be asked
I would say the second group is **far** larger, and the existence of the first group does not make it ok to create even a single instance of the second group.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: >
> Why is it extremely unethical and considered a breach of academic integrity in almost all cases to share test material with others?
>
>
>
It's not a a breach of academic integrity when the students share test material. It's their job to gather knowledge. Questions do not have a label on them if they were ever asked in some test or exam. So what if Jacky read about the question in a book while preparing for the test? Or she was clever/distracted enough to flick through a related history magazine and saw the question there, which is the same source the creator of the test got the idea for the question from?
It's a breach of academic integrity when lecturers/professors/... are asking the same question in two different tests in a row, *because* of the possibility that it could be shared. It doesn't matter what the reasons for this behaviour are (for example, if it's difficult to come up with new questions/laziness/whatever). One shouldn't actively hide information related to the subject from the students. Hiding the information goes against the job: to teach. I recommend the exact opposite: make previous tests available to all students. This way students know what kind of questions to expect, have more material for preparation and it guarantees that there are always new questions in tests (to compensate for knowing about questions in previous tests).
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_5: The breach is obvious -- there's an unfair advantage. Even if the Bell curve isn't used, it harms the reputation of the Institution or the pedagogy of your professor.
It's as simple as that. Now if you didn't want to live up to the rules given by your Institution, then you shouldn't have enrolled.
There are nearly zero exceptions.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_6: It was unethical of Roger to tell Jacky about the question. If she answers it right in the test, there will be suspicion that she only knew the answer because Roger told her about the question. Which may be true, or may be false, but the suspicion is there.
Imagine Jacky had made a list of items to study each day, and this question was on her list for the last afternoon before the exam. She didn't know the answer when Roger asked. She would have learned the answer in that afternoon. So now she has the dilemma that if she follows her list and learns the item Roger told her about, and answers the test correctly, there will be suspicion of cheating. So what is she going to do? Putting Jacky into that situation is unethical.
In reality, I would be surprised if the exact same exam questions would be used on two tests at different dates at the same university.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_7: Any grading system that relies in tens to hundreds of students keeping a common secret is a failure and pretending it will work is somewhere between wishful thinking and unethical. In fact, business models based on hundreds of customers keeping a secret don't even work in fiction.
In other words, if you communicate the content of a test to whole classes, you are not sharing a secret with them: you are publishing it, and talking about it is not lack of integrity, it's just talking about public domain facts.
Reusing tests is possible, and it may have some (debatable) advantages, but it's up to faculty organizing the test to prevent flow of information to harm fairness for some students. For example, an institution I worked at prevented students to take away statements or any paper while ensuring that remembered and spoken information was not enough to noticeably affect grades.
Please remember that the way we evaluate students leads the way they learn. If we grade them with a test where the only thing preventing them to cheat is a completely unrealistic integrity goal, we just teach them to break our rules. In fact, they will be thinking that we are just pretending to hide our incompetence or laziness behind an integrity curtain.
And just a final example: Would you tell your students "please answer the test without looking at the formulas in the blackboard" or would you clean the blackboard before handing the statements? And if you leaved the formulas in the blackboard, whose fault of integrity would be that?
Please accept my excuses if I'm offending somebody for being too direct. My English vocabulary falls too short to express those ideas with nice words.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_8: I think it is very natural for students to discuss exam questions. But obviously a student who knows the paper in advance has an advantage, and therefore a student who know one question has a fraction of that advantage. If there were subgroups taking the same test at different times, I (as exam setter and marker) have always had them sign a form promising they would not discuss the test until the final tranche had taken it. I did not really police this vigorously, I just wanted them to be aware of the problem.
Upvotes: 0
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