date
stringlengths 10
10
| nb_tokens
int64 60
629k
| text_size
int64 234
1.02M
| content
stringlengths 234
1.02M
|
|---|---|---|---|
2016/09/06
| 1,702
| 7,016
|
<issue_start>username_0: What would be a good way to overcome bad experiences with a professor in my department, who is not my main advisor, but from whom I would like to get advice regularly?
During the first year of my PhD, I worked with the Professor in a class on a project that I didn't perform well on (because I was not very interested in that particular project + I didn't feel very confident on the topic by that time). Our relationship has cooled down since, and he was even debating whether or not to put me as a co-author on the paper that came out of the project with multiple students. (the authoring-issue is not part of this question; I mention it to describe the status of our relationship)
Now in my second year of my PhD, I realize that it would be quite valuable to have his advice on other projects that I work on, potentially even as a co-advisor, but I fear I messed up the relationship too badly.
What would be a good approach to overcome the bad/non-existing relationship? Or would that be a waste of time and I'd rather look for someone else, which could potentially even mean I need to change the focus of my PhD?<issue_comment>username_1: Invite him to lunch. You pay. Apologize for your poor past performance. Ask for a fresh start.
For me, the simple offer to buy lunch works well when I have a strained relationship I'd like to fix or a new one I'd like to form. I've been doing it for years in business and I do it now in academia. I've bought a couple lunches this year alone for colleagues (other faculty) and I'll buy more next year. What I find is that if I make the offer, "Could I buy you lunch?", I instantly find out if a strained relationship is salvageable. And if it's a new relationship, it's just a nice way to start it.
Can a student really offer to buy lunch for an instructor? Well, sure. Why not. Speaking as an instructor, whether I actually let you pay is, of course, another matter.
**Added:**
A good point was raised in the comments about possible COI. Speaking personally as faculty, if I felt that accepting the free lunch might raise COI or other ethical issues but I wanted to show my appreciation for the gesture, this is no problem at all. I would say thank you but politely decline and then negotiate an alternative, e.g., meeting in my office. But a lot depends on the lunch. If the choices on campus are Subway and the food truck, either seems fine to me. And anyway, I can always pay for my own when we actually get to the register.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I would advise you to just knock that professor's office door when you feel the need to meet him. Sending him an email to ask for an appointment could give him the opportunity to delay the appointment or to just answer you he is very busy for the next two to six months. When I feel the need to meet a professor of my department I just go and knock his office door. Generally, professors will listen me first, and if they are not available at the moment to talk to me, they give me an appointment. That is, I believe the best way to proceed.
I believe it will be scary for a professor to consent being a regular adviser to you while not being your official advisor. He may be scary to accept the title of regular consultant or advisor you want to honor him, thinking that your official advisor could apprehend that as a challenge or a competition to to him.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: 1. Request to meet with the professor. Make it very clear in the email/phone call/carrier pigeon note that you are looking to apologize for previous poor behavior/performance and want to make amends. He is busy, and he does not sound like the type to suffer fools; your emailing him is already making him suffer this fool (you) again, you need to clearly make him understand that you are apologizing.
2. When you meet, apologize. A good apology has three parts: (1) I'm sorry I screwed up. (2) I recognize that the screwup was my fault. (3) I won't do it again. You should offer all three.
If there was a good reason for poor past performance (personal illness, family situation, etc.), you can try to explain past behavior, but ONLY in the context of "...but that's no longer an issue so now I can be better." If you can't state that it won't be an issue don't bring it up. However, you *will* have to offer some form of "and here's why I'll be better this time around," because otherwise he has no real reason to take you on again.
3. Discuss your current request and ask whether he would be willing to help. Don't be upset if he says no or tells you that "he'll get back to you", which means no. Be polite and thank him for his time.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: My general impression is that professors quite like giving advice (it's almost a job requirement...) but are incredibly busy. I would thus suggest you do not try to change 'your relationship' but focus on the task at hand, i.e. directly but politely ask whether your professor would be available to give you some advice.
Of course there is the possibility that your relationship is so bad that your professor will not even consider meeting with you. In that case I would not try to change his/her mind. Just treat it as a lost cause and move on.
In the more likely scenario of you managing to schedule a meeting it's important you are prepared and respectful of his/her time clearly signaling to your professor that his/her advice will be not be wasted. If you are clueless about your questions that will quickly signal to your professor that s/he is wasting her time. If however you seem genuinely interested and it looks like you are indeed benefiting from the advice I wouldn't be surprised if your relationship improves significantly and could even develop into something more formal like that of a co-advisor.
Either way: simply ask that you would like some advice, ideally explaining what makes his/her advice valuable to you. You'll find out how to proceed after that. Good luck!
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_5: I would approach an "intermediary," that is, another professor who knows you reasonably well, and who also knows the professor reasonably well. Explain the situation and "apologize" in the strongest terms to this third party, and ask for advice. The third party may advise you that it is a "lost cause," but more likely, will set up the meeting for you. The professor may ignore you, but is not likely to ignore his colleague.
If the second professor is able to set up a meeting or another channel of communication, that's your "second chance." Make the most of it.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_6: Be honest with him. Tell him exactly what you told us in the question.
Admittedly it will be difficult to do this - being honest, open and vulnerable is a difficult thing to do, especially if you are not used to it.
He will appreciate your honesty and you will discover the fulfillment that comes from authentically expressing yourself.
Upvotes: 1
|
2016/09/06
| 636
| 2,603
|
<issue_start>username_0: I'm currently in my first year of undergrad in Physics in Leipzig, and was just wondering, does a 3 year undergrad program make it necessary for one to pursue MSc instead of going straight to Grad school for a PhD like most American Physics undergrads do?
P.S. My interest is inclined towards theoretical particle physics.<issue_comment>username_1: An undergraduate degree in physics in Germany will usually leave you better prepared for PhD work than an undergraduate degree in the U.S. Of course there are plenty of people who are individual exceptions, but what I'm saying is that the two degrees are not perfectly aligned. You need to keep in mind that the German equivalent of the U.S. high school is not perfectly aligned with the U.S. high school "diploma" either. You would have to do U.S. high school plus one or two years of U.S. college to be at a comparable level to the entering first-year college physics student in Germany.
I am basing this answer on what I have heard from my spouse who studied physics in Germany, and my spouse's comments over the years about what our son did in high school and college (physics major) in the U.S. where we live.
But the best way to check if my answer still holds would be to compare programs of study, course descriptions, and syllabi.
Bottom line, for physics, at least, you can probably go comfortably from a German undergraduate degree to a U.S. PhD program.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I know this is an old question, however, I can personally say your physics undergrad education in Germany is probably far superior to an American. I studied at Uni Freiburg as well as MSU and FU Berlin and it's ridiculous how much Americans pay for such an incomplete education. If you choose to move to the states, be aware that you will have to take qualifying exams during your first 1-2 years of grad school, during your 'masters' work. This was a turn-off for many of my friends in Germany, who could just apply for their masters program and start working at a Fraunhofer somewhere.
Also, don't think of it as 'master's' and 'PhD' as much as the first 2-ish years and then research. Universities handle this differently: For instance, I've heard of universities that accept way more masters students than they have PhD positions for and if you aren't working with a professor by the time your first couple years is over, you're out of luck. Others only accept as many as they can promise PhD positions to, which is not many, but if you talk about your course work and labs, you shouldn't have a problem.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/06
| 621
| 2,549
|
<issue_start>username_0: I have submitted a manuscript in (nature) Scientific report journal. it was under review for a month. After that it is showing decision started since last 30 days? what can be the reasons for such a long time in making decision? Should I ask for a status of manuscript?<issue_comment>username_1: An undergraduate degree in physics in Germany will usually leave you better prepared for PhD work than an undergraduate degree in the U.S. Of course there are plenty of people who are individual exceptions, but what I'm saying is that the two degrees are not perfectly aligned. You need to keep in mind that the German equivalent of the U.S. high school is not perfectly aligned with the U.S. high school "diploma" either. You would have to do U.S. high school plus one or two years of U.S. college to be at a comparable level to the entering first-year college physics student in Germany.
I am basing this answer on what I have heard from my spouse who studied physics in Germany, and my spouse's comments over the years about what our son did in high school and college (physics major) in the U.S. where we live.
But the best way to check if my answer still holds would be to compare programs of study, course descriptions, and syllabi.
Bottom line, for physics, at least, you can probably go comfortably from a German undergraduate degree to a U.S. PhD program.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I know this is an old question, however, I can personally say your physics undergrad education in Germany is probably far superior to an American. I studied at Uni Freiburg as well as MSU and FU Berlin and it's ridiculous how much Americans pay for such an incomplete education. If you choose to move to the states, be aware that you will have to take qualifying exams during your first 1-2 years of grad school, during your 'masters' work. This was a turn-off for many of my friends in Germany, who could just apply for their masters program and start working at a Fraunhofer somewhere.
Also, don't think of it as 'master's' and 'PhD' as much as the first 2-ish years and then research. Universities handle this differently: For instance, I've heard of universities that accept way more masters students than they have PhD positions for and if you aren't working with a professor by the time your first couple years is over, you're out of luck. Others only accept as many as they can promise PhD positions to, which is not many, but if you talk about your course work and labs, you shouldn't have a problem.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/06
| 1,005
| 4,472
|
<issue_start>username_0: The Journal "Scientific Reports", published by the Nature publishing group, is gaining popularity with time (impact factor now around 5.2). It highlights its editorial policy as one that is focused on scientific rigour and validity, rather than perceived impact.
My question is:
* How well regarded is "Scientific Reports" in the academic community compared to other more-traditional ones, especially in the physical sciences and engineering?
* Also, does the fact that it imposes article processing charges and publishes only open-access articles reduce from its perceived rank as a journal?
* Is its high impact factor a result of these factors, or is it actually due to high quality articles published in it?
* Many researchers know that some well-regarded specialist journals might have relatively low impact factor, but their reputation is still top-ranked. Say, for example, that I have a paper in physics or engineering, and I could either publish it in a specialised Physical Review or IEEE journal versus Scientific Reports, which one would be more well-regarded (assuming the first two have less impact factor than Scientific Reports)?<issue_comment>username_1: My take: any journal that considers rigour and validity only, and not perceived impact, will be less well regarded than an equivalent journal that has a good reputation for rigour and validity and also considers impact.
On the plus side:
* Page charges are normal for open access, and open access is a positive, so I don't think there's a problem there.
* As a Nature journal, Scientific Reports inherits a little of the "glow" of Nature, which will lift its reputation relative to other journals that don't consider impact (e.g. Helyion and PLoS).
* Nature journals employ full-time professional editors, which means that people submitting to Scientific Reports can also expect fast, professional review and editing. This help's the journal's reputation, too.
An impact factor of 5 is very high in many fields, but nothing to crow about in other fields. So I would expect this journal to attract higher quality papers from those fields in which 5 is considered a high impact factor, and lower quality articles from fields that typically have high impact factors.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Based on my experience, this journal is very good for publishing interdisciplinary research works and the papers in this journal are highly noticed by researchers. Also, the Nature publisher is a very important factor that you should consider in your's decision.
About IEEE, it depends on which target journal you think about it? IEEE have several journals e.g. in computer science, you opt to choose among IEEE TKDE, IEEE cybernetics, IEEE man, systems, IEEE PAMI, and etc.
I could say that the Nature SCi REP is better than IEEE TKDE but not better than IEEE PAMI.
About Physical Review, the same argument like IEEE! For example, the physical review letters is better than Nature SCI REP.
In order to recognize the validity and impact of a journal, several metrics should be regarded along the impact factor, including the H index, Eigenfactor Score, and Article Influence Score.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: *Scientific Report* judges the papers according to their validity of the methodology and analysis and not the perceived impact of the paper on the field. I can not speak for all of the papers that appears in this journal but at the first times that I got familiar with this journal and I was not ware of this fact, I read a lot of papers from this journal and at the end I was wondering what new thing this paper added to the state of the art. It is better to focus your efforts on journals that pay more attention to the novelty and impact of the papers they publish. In our new era of mega-publishing, people are very selective in their reading resources and they probably prefer to read the papers with higher impact and novelty that can help them to discover the new directions of the field.
Although the high impact of *Scientific Reports* journal can be flaring at the first, but researchers who are familiar with the field and the journal eventually find that the impact may be the results of some another hidden factors like:
* The tendency of researchers to cite papers from open-access journals.
* The perceived prestige of Nature publishing group.
* The high volume of Review papers that get publish in that journal.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/06
| 1,034
| 4,181
|
<issue_start>username_0: I'm starting a lecturer position in Computer Science in the UK, which is roughly equivalent to a tenure-track assistant professor position. However, the department head told me that, while they do provide some support for conference travel, they do not offer any kind of startup package and we are expected to acquire our own grant funding to hire postdocs etc.
* Is it the norm that new faculty members do *not* receive any kind of startup support in the UK?
* If yes, how do new faculty members start building up their career? (I would love to continue devoting all of my time to research, but I will have some teaching obligations which will certainly lower my individual research output.)
I'm still a PostDoc in Canada for a few months and my supervisor is as puzzled as I am about this information.
**Background:** The UK university is part of the Russell Group, which is a self-selected collection of UK universities that are (supposedly) the most research-active.
**Edit (Regarding Teaching Load):** I have a 1+1 teaching load (reduced to 1+0 in the first year) but I was told that, in the UK workload model, one also has other obligations such as tutorial classes, taking on several project students, and master thesis supervisions. These students are being assigned to me and their projects are not necessarily related to my research.<issue_comment>username_1: In my experience, startup packages for Lecturers in the UK are much smaller than for Assistant Professors in the US. That said, I have never heard of a Science/Engineering School in the Russell Group offering no startup funds.
My School would typically:
* Guarantee £30,000 contingent upon the Lecturer applicant applying for a £15,000 [Royal Society Research grant](https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/grants/research-grants/) (if the application was not successful the school would provide £30,000, but if the application was successful the school only provided £15,000) These grants have a very high success rate.
* Guarantee funding for a 3 year Phd studentship
* Guarantee "research" computers for the Lecturer and PhD student
The school also had a small amount of internal money for running pilot experiments (applications up to £5,000) conditioned on a large grant proposal at the end and conference travel (applications up to £1,000) conditioned on presenting work. These could be applied for every other year. New lecturers were given a boost to their application scores for their first 3 years.
The school also could recommend new Lecturers for money from the University (up to £25,000). They could only recommend only person per year and the money was somewhat competitive.
If the new Lecturer was successful everywhere (which is not too difficult), they could expect £67,000 and a PhD student. The school would also make sure there was suitable lab space with furniture. In the UK, you are also paid on a 12 month contract so there is no need for summer salary.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Research grants for new academic staff are offered competitively by the various research councils, depending on your subject area.
You can learn about the various research councils and what grants they operate through the [web site for Research Councils UK](http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/funding/howtoapply/).
For Computer Science you should be eligible for an [EPSRC New Investigator Award](https://www.epsrc.ac.uk/funding/applicationprocess/routes/newac/new-investigator-award/), however the competition is fierce, so you should be sure to seek the advice and support of the research office of your University who can assist you in writing a successful grant proposal.
Some Universities, as noted, do offer their own support for new academics, but irrespective of funding available locally there is national funding, and also perhaps one might also look at [European Funding for new researchers](https://erc.europa.eu/funding-and-grants/funding-schemes/starting-grants) whilsts the window of opportunity remains open.
For an ambitious and promising researcher the position is not necessarily as pessimistic as you might feel.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]
|
2016/09/07
| 843
| 3,398
|
<issue_start>username_0: Full disclosure: I'm asking this as a displacement activity while I should be reviewing a paper.
Given how well journal clubs etc work, it has occurred to me a few times that reviewing a manuscript *as a group* would probably result in faster turnaround and more detailed comments. However, typically journals approach individual reviewers and place confidentiality restrictions on the reviewer so this mechanism wouldn't work. Does anyone know of any journals, ideally in the life sciences, which support or even encourage collaborative peer review of manuscripts?<issue_comment>username_1: In my experience, startup packages for Lecturers in the UK are much smaller than for Assistant Professors in the US. That said, I have never heard of a Science/Engineering School in the Russell Group offering no startup funds.
My School would typically:
* Guarantee £30,000 contingent upon the Lecturer applicant applying for a £15,000 [Royal Society Research grant](https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/grants/research-grants/) (if the application was not successful the school would provide £30,000, but if the application was successful the school only provided £15,000) These grants have a very high success rate.
* Guarantee funding for a 3 year Phd studentship
* Guarantee "research" computers for the Lecturer and PhD student
The school also had a small amount of internal money for running pilot experiments (applications up to £5,000) conditioned on a large grant proposal at the end and conference travel (applications up to £1,000) conditioned on presenting work. These could be applied for every other year. New lecturers were given a boost to their application scores for their first 3 years.
The school also could recommend new Lecturers for money from the University (up to £25,000). They could only recommend only person per year and the money was somewhat competitive.
If the new Lecturer was successful everywhere (which is not too difficult), they could expect £67,000 and a PhD student. The school would also make sure there was suitable lab space with furniture. In the UK, you are also paid on a 12 month contract so there is no need for summer salary.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Research grants for new academic staff are offered competitively by the various research councils, depending on your subject area.
You can learn about the various research councils and what grants they operate through the [web site for Research Councils UK](http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/funding/howtoapply/).
For Computer Science you should be eligible for an [EPSRC New Investigator Award](https://www.epsrc.ac.uk/funding/applicationprocess/routes/newac/new-investigator-award/), however the competition is fierce, so you should be sure to seek the advice and support of the research office of your University who can assist you in writing a successful grant proposal.
Some Universities, as noted, do offer their own support for new academics, but irrespective of funding available locally there is national funding, and also perhaps one might also look at [European Funding for new researchers](https://erc.europa.eu/funding-and-grants/funding-schemes/starting-grants) whilsts the window of opportunity remains open.
For an ambitious and promising researcher the position is not necessarily as pessimistic as you might feel.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]
|
2016/09/07
| 1,773
| 6,148
|
<issue_start>username_0: A lot of people are grumbling about [USPTO 9,430,468, "Online peer review system and method"](http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=9,430,468.PN.&OS=PN/9,430,468&RS=PN/9,430,468), which describes (if I'm reading it right) Elsevier's system of reallocating papers rejected from Journal A to a potentially more suitable Journal B. Parts of the patent describe the general process of peer review and (partly because of this) some of the criticisms currently circulating seem to think that this is a patent on the process of online peer review itself, which would clearly be ridiculous. However, the Electronic Frontier Foundation has picked this as its ['stupid patent of the month'](https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/08/stupid-patent-month-elsevier-patents-online-peer-review) for August, pointing out various examples of a similar process called cascading peer review dating back to at least 2009 ([example 1](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2633330/); [example 2](https://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2010/10/12/cascading-peer-review-future-of-open-access/)). Eff clearly has concerns about the novelty of this patent.
My question: what, if any, are the differences between Elsevier's now-patented 'waterfall system' and 'cascading peer review'?
(I'm not sure if this would be a better fit for Law.SE, but thought the audience here would be more familiar with the important areas of the peer review process)<issue_comment>username_1: Cascading Peer-Review is the result for focusing on reducing costs and improving efficiency (specially time and improvements on network of journals), many publishers have implemented services to redirect rejected manuscripts to related journals within their field.
It seems the **“Waterfall Process”** is the same with **Cascading Review** in the first glance. However we are not lawyers to judge this matter. It can be fully determined by professional review of the [claimed patent](https://www.eff.org/files/2016/08/31/original_application_-_us_patent_no_9430468_.pdf). But it seems in overall, as EFF states: *"The waterfall idea was not new in 2012. The process had been written about since at least 2009 and is often referred to as **cascading review**."*
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: **This answer is purely speculation.**
Looking the file over, there does not seem to be much difference between the Elsevier system and other peer reviewing systems that have already been in operation. It doesn't look to me like there is enough innovation there for patent protection to be warranted, but I am not a lawyer, so I may be misunderstanding the technical language and/or the standards for patentability.
However, the fact that the Elsevier system is named "waterfall" suggests to me that it was originally developed without any expectation that it would be patent worthy. Indeed, I suspect that the name was chosen specifically to point out that the "waterfall" package was Elsevier's in-house implementation of cascading peer review. "Cascade" and "waterfall" are synonyms, although "cascade" is more general and has a standard metaphorical usage that fits well with the description of how "cascading peer review" works. I find it difficult to envision how somebody could come to the name "waterfall" for the process unless they already had the "cascade" terminology in mind. (Of course, the people designing the system were likely fluent but non-native English speakers, so they may have seen the "waterfall" analogy as more apt than I do.)
Eventually, people higher up noticed the well-implemented peer review system and, in consultation with Elsevier's legal team, decided to try to patent it. I suspect that these people were largely unaware of the extent of prior art in this area; in particular, they did not recognize that "waterfall" was an implicit reference to the existing "cascade" framework. Or if they did, they thought that cascading peer review was too obscure for the similarities to be noticed; and they were right insofar as the patent was granted.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: I managed to get some more information on this from <NAME> ([@mrgunn](https://twitter.com/mrgunn)), Director of Scholarly Communications at Elsevier. So not an official legal statement from a patent lawyer, as he notes himself, but a plain-English explanation from someone familiar with publishing and who has had a chance to ask the people involved, which is pretty much everything I could have wanted. Short Twitter-transcript follows (stripping out Twitter tags; otherwise as written); I'll probably try to come up with a better way to format this later.
* @MrGunn: "The Elsevier legal team says this just covers our
implementation & is defensive."
(<https://twitter.com/mrgunn/status/777989863748448256>)
* @MrGunn: "IOW [in other words], not to be used to sue anyone else, just to prevent us
from getting ripped off"
(<https://twitter.com/mrgunn/status/777990251667087360>)
* Me: "Thanks, that's helpful. So what makes system distinct? How do
you tell if ripped off?"
(<https://twitter.com/username_3/status/778146459044745217>)
* @MrGunn: "(making room) It's common for software companies to patent
their implementations of a more general process. That's all this is."
(<https://twitter.com/mrgunn/status/778269748236685312>)
* Me: "thanks - that helps. So it would only be enforced if someone
literally copied the Elsevier code and tried to pass it off as
theirs?" (<https://twitter.com/username_3/status/778497951232618496>)
* Me: "Well, not necessarily line-for-line, but if you had reasonable
suspicion that they'd used the Elsevier system as a starting point?"
(<https://twitter.com/username_3/status/778498336156418048>)
* @MrGunn: "Enforceability of software patents is not a subject I know
very much about, but I would guess so."
(<https://twitter.com/mrgunn/status/778606526160175104>)
So it's not intended to cover the general process of cascade reviewing, but only the specific implementation used by Elsevier.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]
|
2016/09/07
| 1,043
| 4,331
|
<issue_start>username_0: I'm currently preparing a paper for publication and so trying to construct the figures. I'm finding it more difficult than making figures for a report mainly because journals expect one figure file for each figure, regardless of whether it contains subfigures or not. This leads to some problems/hurdles:
* I can't use LaTeX's `\subfig` package, so I have to manually place an (a), (b) and (c) on the figure and keep track of the caption if the ordering of these changes.
* Journals' rules about figure submission vary quite a lot, some can take pdfs, some want vector graphics, others raster.
* I have to somehow merge the output from various programs into a single file; for example diagrams made with Tikz make up the same figure as a graph plotted with python's matplotlib.
* With having to merge subfigures in such a way, my workflow becomes quite convoluted if I have to modify one of the subfigures, and then regenerate the single figure file.<issue_comment>username_1: I don't know how well this will apply to you because I don't use tikz much. But if you can save them as say a pdf, this might work for you.
I use illustrator (but inkscape is similar and free), and I link in the files so that if there is an update to any component it will update. And I merge them all together.
Then I can just save it as a pdf or svg (or whatever format the journal wants). I found this a little cumbersome to start off with, but now that I'm used to it, I have a hard time reverting.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I have used Matlab and Sci-Lab for creating graphics so far. In Matlab, I have also made the process of data analysis automatic, with minor interventions in the input parameters. Next, I have converted the data in separate files(\*.txt) to be read after by a new program which creates the final figures. From my experience, Matlab provides the best quality in EPS, and is also good for data analysis but is not free. Sci-lab is good for graphics and free, but for analyzing data is very slow and time consuming. From what I have seen, R also is a good candidate for plots and have the biggest number of line styles(when printed on grayscale), but I have not worked with it.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: 1. Use `\subfig` and typeset your document as you wish.
2. Save it as a pdf.
3. Within the pdf select the figure and crop everything else (on a mac you can use the select tool and then command-K in preview).
4. Save the cropped figure as a .pdf or .tiff (or whatever is required).
5. Replace the `\subfig` command with the cropped figure. It will look exactly the same (you may have to adjust the size) and will conform to journal requirements.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: I keep separate files for every subfigure, which may be created using different means.
I use LaTeX to create a pdf for the entire figure, which combines the subfigures. In this way there is one pdf file corresponding to each figure. The tex file is to arrange the subfigures according to the desired layout, as well as to place the (a), (b), (c). I use overpic to do the latter. The package textpos is useful for the former.
In the tex file for the document, the figures are inserted using the usual includegraphics command, and for each figure there is one includegraphics command.
Not sure if this helps. Probably you are already doing this and are looking for something more efficient.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_5: There's the usual automation tradeoff: <https://xkcd.com/1319/>
In practice, I end up using Inkscape (Illustrator if your school has a license, I guess) to manually put figures together from different parts for the final submission. This allows export to PDF or TIFF, and hasn't given me too many hassles.
If you are going to be regenerating these figures all the time, i.e. there's a big collaboration and everyone will be submitting new versions of these figures, or if you have a paper with 100s of figures, it might be worth it to develop a script using ImageMagick to connect all of those different pieces together, using montage and labeling: <http://www.imagemagick.org/Usage/annotating/>
However, the circumstances where this is a good use of time are going to be pretty rare! (Also note this is going to be better for raster output.)
Upvotes: 0
|
2016/09/07
| 1,802
| 7,667
|
<issue_start>username_0: I need to start learning about a new research topic, I've been collecting articles for about a year now. I collected +400 articles, spanning a range of ~40 years.
I haven't had the time to read them since I was working on finishing a few papers, I'm finished now so I want to get on it.
The question is: should I start from oldest to newest, or from newest to oldest?
I can see some pros and cons in both approaches:
### Oldest to newest:
* Pro: it *feels* right, since that is the way the research actually happened.
* Con: It will take me *a lot* of time to become acquainted with the latest developments in the field, and I am not able to start working on it until I do.
### Newest to oldest:
* Pro: I will quickly develop some knowledge (not in depth though) into the actual state of the field. This allows me to start working, at least on minor things.
* Pro: It will alert me of wrong paths taken previously in the field, so when I find them in the older literature I'll be already aware.
* Con: It will be considerably more difficult to follow, specially at first, since I'll be diving into the analysis of the latest developments of an unknown field.
* Con: I'll necessarily be jumping back to older literature anyway, risking going down the rabbit hole of research.<issue_comment>username_1: It depends on whether there's a lot of building on understanding certain concepts in order to understand some other things. If so, then you'll need to control the order you read things in rather carefully, so you don't end up rather lost.
If not, then follow your nose. Dive in where it seems most interesting, and then work your way around with your curiosity as your guide.
When this journey of discovery starts to slow down, then you can go through them more methodically. At this point you will be familiar enough with the area that you will be able to do some skimming (e.g. *it looks like this one was a preliminary form of the idea that was later more fully fleshed out in such-and-so*).
Make sure you make a guide for yourself, which you should update from time to time, of what your goals are, in other words, a list of what you are trying to accomplish and understand through this big reading project.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: If the new reviews are too complex you might need to start with some older ones, but I would really suggest starting from the newest publications. People already spent years and years collecting all the old research, sorting through the mess and writing "concise" reviews about it. There's no need to do the reading to repeat that.
You would need to follow your nose / go down the rabbit hole sometimes, but at least you'd know there's a hole. If you'd start from general/random papers 30-40 years old you'd just read dirt most of the time, research that never went anywhere, or that turned out to be wrong.
Remember that you're studying some scientific field, not the history of the field.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: **Neither.**
**First, identify the "important" subset** of your 400+ papers and read those. **Second, try to identify the "good" subset** of the papers and read those. **Then, (if at all) read the other papers**; perhaps you are doing all this with the intention of writing a review, in which case it makes sense to read oldest-to-newest to get a sense of the history.
The most obvious metrics which you can subsitute for "importance" are number of citations (these will likely include review articles) and the ranking (pick one) of the journal of publication. Note that "important" does not mean "good", "honest", "well-written", "reproducible", etc.
For a second sweep, focus more on what you actually do consider to be "good", based on authors and journals that you have found to be of consistent quality.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: Neither direction works well on its own. I have never profited from a literature review to learn a topic except in this way:
1. Skim the Introduction, "Related work" and citation lists of current research. Find sources that introduced new ideas or that constitute the definitive treatment of them, as evidenced by the fact that they keep being cited. Possibly iterate this process once or twice.
2. Read those older sources, in temporal order.
3. Now read those current texts that seem relevant.
A scientific paper simply lacks the space to properly explain the concepts on which it builds, so inevitably you will have to achieve roughly the same experience and mind-state that the author had to understand it well. Reading what they read is hands-down the simplest way of achieving this.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: Conducting your reading from a purely chronological perspective seems incredibly arbitrary.
Jumping in at the deep end and reading published journal articles would unlikely be an effective way of learning - journal articles are typically aimed at an audience that *already knows* about the subject at had. Hence, they would not furnish you with the core concepts and fundamentals that you would need as a newcomer.
If learning an entirely new subject, my approach would be to read several recently published introductory texts, such as those aimed at undergraduates or collections of essay, ideally from a variety of different academic publishers or university presses.
I would also speak with colleagues, associates and subject librarians for advice and reading lists.
The aim is to get a feel for:
1. Underlying concepts and theory of the subject
2. Points of contention or disagreement
3. Areas of uncertainty, current ground breaking research
4. Seminal texts or thinkers
I would then read the seminal texts in the subject with the other three points in mind, together with recommended reading from the people mentioned above.
From that point on it would be clearer whether reading old articles would be more or less fruitful than starting with the later work (eg if something has been refuted it might not be a top priority to read or if a body of recent work has utilized an old article that might be where you should look).
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_6: I don't think it's productive to collect hundreds of articles before you even start reading. Until you've made yourself familiar with the subject, how can you know which articles are useful, and which are not?
I think the best thing to do is identify one or two well-written review articles. If the field is not too distant from your own, you should be able to read a review article from start to finish. Otherwise, you can at least read it to get a sense of what is going on, and from there identify a few more articles which will allow you to gain some more depth.
And my recommendation is to read review articles from "most recent" to "older" --- there is nothing scientific about naivete', in my opinion. Knowing more does not spoil the previous work.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_7: If you want to get an overview over a field, find an overview paper or a book.
If you want to understand a special theory/method/theorem, take the paper where it is explained and gather all the relevant references that the paper uses. In some cases you have to dig even deeper and get the second level of relevant references (relevant = a crucial part of the paper depends on it).
Then I would go back and forth between these papers: If you struggle to understand the material, go one level deeper, if you get bored by irrelevant stuff, go one level higher. Try to sketch the relevant parts and their relation in your own notebook. That would be the approach I prefer.
Upvotes: 3
|
2016/09/07
| 705
| 2,646
|
<issue_start>username_0: Is there any research/study/survey/... that looked at the effect of background music in educational videos on the learning outcome?
I am aware of (1) but they focus on educational virtual environments.
---
(1) Fassbender, Eric, <NAME>, <NAME>, <NAME>, and <NAME>. "VirSchool: The effect of background music and immersive display systems on memory for facts learned in an educational virtual environment." Computers & Education 58, no. 1 (2012): 490-500. <https://scholar.google.com/scholar?cluster=4113404139067026741&hl=en&as_sdt=0,22><issue_comment>username_1: See Moreno, Roxana, and <NAME>. "A coherence effect in multimedia learning: The case for minimizing irrelevant sounds in the design of multimedia instructional messages." Journal of Educational psychology 92.1 (2000): 117. <http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.92.1.117>
>
> The authors tested the recommendation that adding bells and whistles (in the form of background music and/or sounds) would improve the quality of a multimedia instructional message. In 2 studies, students received an animation and concurrent narration intended to explain the formation of lightning (Experiment 1) or the operation of hydraulic braking systems (Experiment 2). For some students, the authors added background music (Group NM), sounds (Group NS), both (Group NSM), or neither (Group N). On tests of retention and transfer, Group NSM performed worse than Group N; groups receiving music performed worse than groups not receiving music; and groups receiving sounds performed worse (only in Experiment 2) than groups not receiving sounds. Results were consistent with the idea that auditory adjuncts can overload the learner's auditory working memory, as predicted by a cognitive theory of multimedia learning.
>
>
>
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Primarily **Distraction**
On a meta level, **impression of low video quality**.
That's from adding useless distracting content alone. Even if background music would be helpful in some way, it is quite possible that the user explicitly dislikes the chosen style.
Music that the user is closely used to can be of advantage, but that is unrelated; It would be typically louder and also conflict with background music.
A helpful effect of high beats per minute music may be increased dopamine levels, aiding concentration.
(Loosely related: Even worse are multi-second introduction sections with logo and music - it just wastes my time, right at the start. Makes a very negative first impression, even if it is an advertisement.)
Upvotes: 1
|
2016/09/07
| 787
| 3,325
|
<issue_start>username_0: In every university that I know, doctorate (and very commonly master's) students are expected to do a number of things which I would categorize as work, related to the operation of the faculty, such as:
1. correcting exams
2. supervising exams
3. supervising undergraduates in lab exercises, answering questions, usually organizing groups and lab exams
4. teaching lectures on the methodology for exercises of a course
5. various errands for the professor (I won't get into detail in this, as it's clearly immoral in my opinion)
From what I have heard, those practices are common in Greece. Every PhD student that I know has no official salary from the university, and may get paid from certain research funds for particular projects that he has to complete/contribute to from outside sources. According to the regulations in Greek universities, Master's and above students are obliged to provide "auxiliary work" without this being specified further.
Given the fact that correcting exams is actual work, isn't it immoral to do it without monetary compensation?<issue_comment>username_1: In universities in the USA, the type of work that you describe is typically paid for, with the student being employed as a Teaching Assistant (TA). In some cases, this is an hourly job; in other cases it comes with a stipend and tuition support. The time a student spends per week varies, but in my experience is most typically averages to 10-20 hours/week (typically lower for hourly wage, higher for stipend).
Many departments do *require* students to spend time as a teaching assistant, under the theory that the work of instruction is an important part of one's education. It sounds like the universities that you describe are using this theory, but then not compensating the students.
To my mind, whether this is moral or not depends on the nature of the work and the amount of time that is required.
* At one end of the spectrum, if a student is asked to give a couple of guest lectures over the course of a semester, then the experience of preparation and explanation seems like a reasonable inclusion in their educational experience, especially if coached by the professor.
* At the other end of the spectrum, if a student is asked to do 20 hours of grading and other "scut work" that has little educational value, then it is clearly a job for which they should be paid.
Somewhere in between there is some grey area, but in general my feeling is that the more routine and less educational aspects of teaching are *work* for which whoever conducts it should be definitely be compensated.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: For a related legal perspective, it was recently found (August 2016) by the National Labor Relations Board in the U.S. that graduate students qualify as "statutory employees", have an "an economic relationship to the University", and therefore qualify as being eligible for union membership and collective bargaining with the university over matters such as pay and job responsibilities. So this at least suggests a growing consensus that graduate students are real employees and deserve some consideration as such.
[The Nation -- It’s Official: Graduate Students Can Unionize](https://www.thenation.com/article/its-official-graduate-students-can-unionize/)
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/07
| 3,011
| 13,381
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am a new STEM faculty member at a primarily undergraduate institution. I emailed my students (through the school-mandated online course management system) before the beginning of the term about the availability of the syllabus online, as well as other things. Several students told me that they hadn't checked their emails and didn't know where to find the syllabus. I have also sent emails to students about their testing accommodations, only to learn that the students hadn't read my email to them even though it concerned an upcoming quiz.
Would it be inappropriate for me to make a general announcement in class that it is important for students to check their school email accounts frequently, as that is how I plan on communicating with them? I certainly won't call out any students or mention any specific scenarios that prompted this announcement.<issue_comment>username_1: At every (US) institution I've attended or worked at, there's been an official school-wide policy that students are expected to check their school email regularly, and that sending official communications there constitutes sufficient notification. So check your school's policies; if you have such a policy, then it's certainly appropriate to remind students about it.
Moreover, in such a case, you can enforce it: if you send an email to school accounts saying "Please respond by date X if you want Y", and they don't respond by date X (whether because they didn't check their email or for any other reason), you may not be under any obligation to give them Y. (Disability accommodations could have special rules so contact your school's disability office to check on that.)
Upvotes: 7 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> Would it be inappropriate for me to make a general announcement in class that it is important for students to check their school email accounts frequently, as that is how I plan on communicating with them?
>
>
>
Absolutely not. I would find the above completely appropriate. Whether you just announce you will use that e-mail system to communicate or whether you will explicitly tell them they should check the e-mails (instead of letting them come to that conclusion themselves) is up to you.
>
> I certainly won't call out any students or mention any specific scenarios that prompted this announcement.
>
>
>
If by "specific scenarios", you mean referring to specific students, that is fine.
If by "specific scenarios", though, you mean the scenario of sending an e-mail about testing accommodations, resulting in "some students in this room" being unaware of the contents of the e-mail, I would find it fully okay to be specific to this (concrete, yet anonymous) degree. Bonus points if you can point out an actual disadvantage that resulted from that for the (still unnamed) student who failed to read the e-mail. Most likely, it won't happen again.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: Depending on your institution's policies, almost certainly yes, you can require that that your students check email and use it for broadcast messages. But you have to be reasonable. You can't expect they will check email any faster than you do.
Also, here in the US, where we operate under FERPA, fairly strict privacy laws, I try to avoid using email for anything related to an individual student's performance. I can't prevent a student from sending me email complaining I gave him a C, in which case I might respond by email. But with only a few exceptions, e.g., a LOR for which I ask for explicit permission to discuss the student's grades, or a limited discussion with my department chairman or a coinstructor on a course, I avoid discussing my students' performances via email.
I would definitely never report grades to my students via email; I do that only via our university's secure websites. This is in keeping with [our policy at University of Washington](https://www.washington.edu/students/reg/ferpafac.html) where I teach. YMMV.
>
> **Notification of grades via e-mail** is in violation of FERPA. There is no guarantee of confidentiality on the Internet. The institution would be held responsible if an unauthorized third party gained access, in any manner, to a student's education record through any electronic transmission method.
>
>
>
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: It is an official communication system, so reminding students that they should pay attention to it is completely appropriate (at the same level of appropriateness as telling them that they'd better get the textbook by a certain date, etc.) If you ask me, I would even include the corresponding reminder sentence in the syllabus saying something like "Most course announcements will be made by e-mail, so you are expected to check it before every class". Now, it is still a good idea to spend a few minutes to *repeat* the really important announcements during the class time if you teach face to face rather than online, but otherwise you are well within your rights demanding that the students pay attention to what comes towards them through all official channels.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_5: I would consider this to be a standard request at many universities, and certainly there is nothing inappropriate, especially if there is an official policy that students must check their email. However, depending on your student base, you could have students with more/less trouble getting access to email, and you might have to be aware of that and possibly work around it.
For instance, students without internet access at home (<http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/12/what-happens-when-kids-dont-have-internet-at-home/383680/>) or homeless students (<http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-cal-state-homelessness-20160620-snap-story.html>) might be a little more out of touch. It's probably worth considering why your students aren't checking email before you make the announcement.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_6: It's a given, when a Professor gives instructions, to check your school access portal email for upcoming test and general information, as long as the school policy does not dictate otherwise.
I personally have seen many students who like to play the "I didn't know I had an email for school game." Expecting to be given extra time to complete testing due to the simple fact they spent so much time not studying and focusing on party time.
Every course I've ever taken as a graduate and undergraduate, we were always notified that testing information and scores would be released to your student school email account. In some courses I took, all of your assignments for the upcoming week were given through student school email account, this account being a WAN "Wide Area Network", an access portal secured for the access of the school only.
This would be absolutely acceptable, and also a time saver for the Professor in case some students didn't show up on any particular day that an assignment was given verbally in class.
As far as homeless students are concerned, every college and university I have attended there was always a computer accessible area in the library or student representative lounges and even computer labs for study to access school email portal.
I would never send any official mail concerning the students grades or assignments through the public email internet system such as Google, Microsoft etc.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_7: I agree with everyone saying that of course it is appropriate and the students should already be doing this. However, it might also be to your benefit to find out what the students DO think is the normal means of getting course announcements. If all the other faculty are using the same course management system (Blackboard, Canvas, Piazza, etc.), and the students are in the habit of checking it multiple times a day, it might be easier to accommodate them, even if only to an extent of setting up a Blackboard page which redirects to the course webpage.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_8: The answers present already answer the "appropriateness" of the question. I would only like to add an extra point by focusing on @[<NAME>](https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1482/ben-crowell)'s comment.
It is very important that the schools setup includes features that make the school email system convenient to use. The most prominent of these features is the ability to forward email from and to the schools email system.
If you are asking your student to check an email that works well on a specific browser (I had a school which email system only worked on Internet Explorer, and I hadn't a single Microsoft machine at the time), or that can be accessed from school machines only, this is asking some of the students to put extra effort just to read emails. Effort that can be better employed in other places.
Assuming that the school computing system is pretty good and offers convenient features:
* some students will be happy to login to the school email and their personal email separately,
* some students will prefer to forward their school email to an inbox they check more often,
* and some students will even prefer to use the school email as their main email by forwarding their other emails to it (Yes that happens, a lot of students on `cantab` use it as their main email. This is mostly because cantab can be used even after the student leaves the university).
You are giving freedom and decision making to your students, which should (in theory) never be a bad thing.
Disclaimer: The base for this answer is my experience as a system administrator (including email server administrator) in institutions that actually were not schools or universities. Yet, I believe that user behaviour would not change much for a school. Unfortunately too many places do not consider this behaviour at all when setting up their email systems, even that that setup is trivial to make on pretty much all MTAs.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_9: I have attended three different universities now (as an undergraduate and a graduate student). Two of the three had official school email systems and students were expected to check their school email regularly. The third, for whatever reason, had discontinued its school email system for the students and emails were sent to whatever address I had registered to my name with the school.
I believe it is very reasonable to expect your students to check their school email, and it is very appropriate for you to tell them that they should be doing it. You may very well be doing them a favor by doing so, because it's likely you're not the only professor/administrator at the university who is sending important emails to their school email addresses.
**One thing I would suggest mentioning to the students when you explain your expectation that they check their school email: it's likely their school email will have an email forwarding they can set up.** Both schools I've attended that had school email have the option to set up email forwarding to any email address I want. I used this and had all school emails forwarded to my personal email account. This was very useful, all emails were in one centralized account (that was easier to use than my school account) and I never missed a single one.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_10: (Joined just to address this Question...)
In the absence of being able to comment as a newbie, I'll answer in this way as a related answer. I think it's appropriate and not an onerous requirement to check the official email regularly. If the official email is available via POP or IMAP, there will most likely already be instructions on how to set up your favorite email reader (Outlook Express, gmail, etc) to retrieve the school email to read in your email reader. It can be tricky but if a student is using the popular set of readers there is likely to be step by step instructions for setting it up; If you are using something other than those, you are probably technically inclined anyways and should get by.
So, you don't even have to "Go Elsewhere" to read mail, the students just set it up to funnel into their email reader, and away they go.
And like other contributors, I can't imagine that there's a policy that says that you should not expect your emails to be read. It's the whole reason teachers and students have email in a college. Now, privacy and webmail, that's another issue that could come up, and that is more of a question than expecting them to check their official email.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_11: Am I the only person who thinks there is a problem here indeed? As mentioned, most schools advise their students to verify their e-mails regularly, but what does this mean? On a daily, two-daily, weekly basis?
It is commonly known that once you start a computer, you have the tendency of browsing the internet, checking social media, ..., in other words, losing time, and it's only fair that schools don't encourage their students to lose time, but to use it effectively.
So I would advise schools and teachers to set up a rule, saying that students are expected to read their e-mails on a weekly basis. If a teacher wants to communicate with his or her students using e-mail and the message must pass in less than a week, the teacher must mention this e-mail during the class.
Upvotes: 0
|
2016/09/07
| 1,174
| 5,023
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am a PhD student and I have been contacted today by some other PhD student with a very odd request. He is from a different university in a different country and I don't know him at all. He is asking me to review his own paper before submitting it to some journal. Is this a common thing to ask? What is the best response in this case?<issue_comment>username_1: I'm not surprised to hear this. I often encourage my students to reach out to others working in their specific field. Do it if you have the time, interest, and expertise. Ignore it if you don't. Don't think there's more to it than that.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: If he's a complete stranger, I can understand the situation feeling a little creepy to you.
I suggest you ask him how he chose you for this role. Ask him where he's studying and who his advisor is. Look up the advisor online to see if everything looks above-board.
His response to a short email with a couple of neutrally posed questions may help you figure out if you are comfortable with his initiative.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: Since you don't know him at all, it can be a little weird, but the ice can be broken if you exchange some e-mails. As others have said, you can be more comfortable with him if you talk more. Also, you can ask if you two can collaborate on a project. You didn't give any details on the particular paper, if it seems a good idea, and also his publication record. If the paper seems good(even if it is not perfectly written yet), IMHO you can start a collaboration.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: From a social and scientific standpoint, you should agree if you have time and interest in the paper. You may get a contact who works on similar themes and you may collaborate in the future. As others have noted, the person will also likely be on the hook for reading one of your future manuscripts as well.
There is, however, another perspective, which is that of someone who is concerned about intellectual property. Many large companies have strict "no unsolicited ideas"-policies, because they do not want to risk future disputes. Something similar may apply to you: Say you are already working on a new method for solving problem X, that you have not currently published. You recieve a paper from a stranger who has had the same idea. Suddently, by accepting the manuscript, you may in the future be accused on plagiarism of the same idea. The reasonable thing would perhaps be to collaborate on a joint paper since you have the same idea, but people in the academic sector are *not always reasonable*.
This depends highly on the nature of your field of research. In my experience, these types of issues are likely more prevailent for research with commercial applications. Universities are increasingly becoming concerned about intellectual property rights as well.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_5: Barring the less-likely (and nefarious) reasons (he wants to make contact with you for some other reason, he is spamming all phds at your university) such request is perfectly legitimate.
You did not say if the paper is from your area of research, or whether he refers to some of your published work - that may be important in determining the reason why he is asking you for review.
Actually, checking the quality of one's paper with your peers (other phd students) is a very common advice given to phd students by their supervisors (if they are any good). True, this mainly refers to the other people in a lab, but there is no reason that people would not go beyond this.
What does he gain by you doing the review? Well, if you will criticize his paper, he can fix the problems and has better chance to be accepted first time around or with minor revision. The reasoning is, even if you are only phd student, if you can find problems with his paper, the more experienced reviewers will find them too (and probably some additional problems you will probably miss). It is not called "peer review" for nothing (check the definition of the "peer" in the dictionary).
What do you gain by honoring his request (although, I should stress, you are in no way **obliged** to do the review, especially if it is far from your own area of research!)? Well, first, you will get insight into what your peers (your competition perhaps) are doing. You may get a invaluable chance to peek into the good paper which will be officially published in 6 months or even longer (although, until it is published, you will be bound by the confidentiality). Yes, you may find out that the paper is worthless and that it was all waste of time, but hey, welcome to academia and the world of peer reviews. It will not be your last time.
So, I would suggest, that you ask him why he contacted specifically you. If he is following your publications, then perhaps you will be interested in what he is doing. If you find out that his research is unrelated, politely decline and say that you are not expert in his area.
Upvotes: 0
|
2016/09/08
| 1,286
| 4,976
|
<issue_start>username_0: >
> If one wanted to cite an article where the listed author is a pseudonym and it is well-known that the name is a pseudonym then which name ought one use?
>
>
>
Normally I would just use the name listed on the paper, however there is the following situation that made me wonder: there is a paper by one <NAME> which is a pseudonym of one Bernard Dwork. It is somewhat 'well-known' that this is a pseudonym as it is listed in the Wikipedia article and in the MathSciNet review of the paper. However, in a certain textbook there is the line
>
> On the other hand, Dwork in [Bo]...
>
>
>
and the reference at the end of the book corresponding to [Bo] is the paper of Boyarsky.
So it made me wonder, should I follow the example in the textbook or not?
**EDIT**: to clarify, I am not debating the entry in the bibliography, I am debating whether one should write "On the other hand, Dwork in [Bo]" or "On the other hand, Boyarsky in [Bo]".<issue_comment>username_1: If the pseudonym is not listed in that book and the author refers to [Bo] as "Dwork" that would cause a lot of confusion, in my opinion. Personally, I'd go with a consistent naming of the author, be it pseudonym or real name. The choice which name you choose depends on which name is better known or listed on the source. So it should be either
>
> On the other hand, Dwork in [Dw] ...
>
>
>
or
>
> On the other hand, Boyarsky in [Bo] ...
>
>
>
to avoid any confusion.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_2: Always use the name that is used on the article/book you are referring to.
If someone searches for an article referred to as being written by Dwork, but the name on the article is Boyarsky it will only cause confusion about whether this is the article they are looking for.
Regarding the pseudonym: I would not mention it at all. It is up to the author when or where they reveal that they use a pseudonym. Even when it is commonly known I would still not do this, except when you have explicit permission from the user of the pseudonym. This way you avoid spreading awareness of the use of the pseudonym in a situation where the user may not desire this. One exception could be when there is suspicion of the pseudonym being used with ill intent. Generally though I think it is good to be cautious about such revelations.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: Given that you've mentioned the author is deceased, so you're not risking harming them in some way by connecting them to something they didn't wish to be connected to, **I would list both the pseudonym and the author's real name.**
If someone is reading your work and is interested in following the trail of literature you've laid out (in my research I frequently assemble lists of relevant papers by following the papers cited in others I'm referencing, and I think that's common), **then having both names may be very useful.** Particularly if this author has published things under both names, or other authors citing him have mixed using the pseudonym and his real name. For example, what if criticisms or support of his work address him in both ways at times? Only giving one or the other may conceal some other relevant papers or information from the reader.
If the author were still alive though, I would error on the side of respecting their anonymous wishes unless given permission otherwise.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: People have been writing phrases like "On the other hand, Bourbaki [1, Chap. x, Thm. y] ..." despite knowing that Bourbaki is a pseudonym. Do the same with Boyarsky or just drop the name: "On the other hand, Boyarsky in [Bo] ..."
or "On the other hand, [Bo] ...", since you want to give credit to the paper or to the Researcher, not to the author personally.
If they wanted to give credit to actual members as persons, they made a footnote clarifying who Bourbaki was. Produce a similar footnote if you want to give credit to Dwork as a Person: "On the other hand, [Bo] \footnote{<NAME> is a pseudonym under which Bernard Dwork published.} ...", or move this note text to a section like "History of development", if you have one.
The above shows what *is* done in reality. Now let us turn to what *should* (not) be done.
By default, it is ethical only to give credit to a Researcher in scientific papers. You may give a credit to a Person if you are asked for that by the person. If the person did not ask you to give him/her credit, and you don't care, don't give credit to the Person. If the person did not ask you to give him/her credit, but you still do wish to do that for whatever reason, ask the person, and, if he/she is dead, ask the descendants or relatives. If there are none or you cannot find any, an ethic way would be to adopt a similar viewpoint as in copyright laws: do whatever you wish with the pseudonym after 70 years after the person's death, but do not disclose the identity before that.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/08
| 826
| 3,643
|
<issue_start>username_0: I belong to an environment where gaining a valuable/ meaningful Letter of Recommendation (LoR) is difficult. There exist various reasons, from they themselves not being researchers to fake letters; but that is not the region of interest for this question.
I have been working in the industry for couple of years, where I had the opportunity to work with a Masters student. I mentored her, worked on a project, and we have proposed a new algorithm. That is pending a review, but we have put a pre-print on arXiv. A notable thing is, there was no other project guide. I, and my student, we both believe and agree to the fact that I led the project and saw it to the succession, be it the underlying mathematics or drafting a paper.
I am applying to US universities for MS degree in Computer Science. As mentioned above, running out of quality recommendations.
So the question is: will it be considered a quality letter if my student writes it? The thought of doing so occurred to me while reading that, in the application, review committee looks out for the direct proofs that persons is capable of conducting a quality research. I felt that this project is my biggest evident proof.
I already agree that from person to person, the scenario would differ. But objectively, are there solid reasons? Have you witnessed such a case in the past? If yes, did it have a positive impact?<issue_comment>username_1: There's nothing to stop you from submitting a LOR written by your former student but it's very difficult to see how such a letter could help you (in either business or academia). If you can't get someone who has supervised your work to write your letter, you should at least try to find a peer who could do it.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: The bar is fairly low for MSc degrees. Most masters degrees are profit centers for departments/universities.
You could ask your student, but you could also ask your old college professors (even if ten+ years ago), priest, or work supervisors. They should at least attest you have a pulse and no apparent criminal tendencies.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: There are at least a couple of issues which could lessen the persuasiveness of any recommendation your student offers.
Firstly, consider a mentor/lecturer/supervisor/etc. asked to write a letter of recommendation for a student. It's likely that they have other students, and so have better grounds to make comparisons about the strengths and weaknesses of the student. Now consider your student. You may be one of only a small number of mentors they've had, and they may have little to compare you against.
Secondly, there is the issue of power. If a student asks their mentor to write a letter of recommendation for them they can exert very little power over them, and consequently the reader would be less concerned that the writer has been coerced to say things they don't necessarily believe. Now reverse the power relation. You may have influence over the educational outcomes of your student. Would your student feel comfortable making negative points about you if they could potentially lead to you not being accepted onto the masters.
Now, I'm not saying that your student's opinions are baseless, or that you would use your position of power to force them write something that they didn't believe, but if I was presented with two equally good LoRs, one written by a professor and another written by a student of the candidate, I'd likely put more worth in the former.
The other answers suggest a few possible alternative referees, which I'd agree with.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]
|
2016/09/08
| 598
| 2,539
|
<issue_start>username_0: I have read various posts on SO related to my question, so the parts I got answer I am not putting here.
My advisor has asked me to write a paper and when I sent the draft it's with him until the last week of deadline for journal. Then he called me for meeting and I could clearly see the nice and crispy pages just printed without a single dot, and also he roughly turned pages and then told me do this and that. And these changes would take a lot of time. Then he again did the same and proposed such changes that are close to a whole revision and most of the times I ended up having to revert the changes. If to be honest, I want to tell him that please at least for one time read the whole paper, propose changes and let me do it then, it will save our months of time instead of keeping it with you for more then a month without reading. Same thing happened when I was writing my first annual report which had to be submitted before the 9th month of starting PhD, I submitted in my 7th month and ended up passing first year in 16th month after starting date.
I can't change advisor due to my study leave rules and my tenure of leave as well as the scholarship he gave I can't even talk to him as he is very reserved, not open for discussions or arguments.
Should I just do as it is or do I need to ask someone from management for help?<issue_comment>username_1: It is your PhD, not his!
While it is true that writing papers is hard work you really need to take some initiative here. You need to arrange the meetings and make sure things are done by the deadlines.
In all honesty he probably has more important things on his mind than your deadlines.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: He sounds like a pain-in-the-behind advisor. But you said you don't want to change advisors. Can you find someone else to mentor you, somewhat informally?
>
> Should i just do as it is or do i need to ask someone from management for help?
>
>
>
There's nothing wrong with having a conversation with an administrator in your department. When requesting the appointment, you could say you would like to ask for some advice. Then in the appointment, describe your difficulties in a very calm, neutral tone, stressing the difficulties meeting deadlines. Take notes on the advice you are given; appear optimistic and grateful. Ask if you may come back in a couple of months to check in on how things are going.
That may be enough for the administrator to have a helpful conversation with your advisor.
Upvotes: 0
|
2016/09/08
| 1,522
| 6,559
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am finishing up my PhD this year and my adviser has recently recruited two new PhDs to our research group. I am the adviser's first student. Up until this year, we have had consistent individual research meetings weekly. Now, the adviser wants to incorporate weekly group meetings in addition to individual meetings. I think this can benefit some PhDs. However, I don't feel that these weekly group meetings will be particularly valuable to me. This is because I have a clear research agenda that is my top priority right now. I am wrapping up two manuscripts to incorporate into my dissertation, while also applying to jobs and post-docs, to finish my PhD in less than a year.
I am not discounting the importance of reading new research articles or the importance of collaboration between group members. However, I think the mismatch in PhD progression -- me, a finishing PhD with several first-author manuscripts with multiple collaborators, and the 2 new students, starting to test out and find research ideas -- will take away from my priority, finishing the PhD and wrapping up my thesis while also being a potentially stressful, time sink. This is tied into the fact that my adviser often has poor time management skills, allowing meetings to run for over 3 hours.
How do I tell my adviser, in a respectful manner, that I cannot attend all of the group meetings? Or, that I think prioritizing my final two manuscripts and dissertation are a more valuable use of my time?
Thank you for the advice! Let me know if I can clarify anything.<issue_comment>username_1: You don't tell him that at all. You go and contribute as best you can.
Even if the meetings are of no value to you, your presence may be very helpful to your adviser and the newer students. That alone should be sufficient reason to attend. It's not always about what you personally can get out of something. Sometimes it's about what you can contribute. It's also sometimes about just doing things for people who've done things for you.
If you feel the meetings could be better run, consider what you might do to become a more helpful participant, facilitating discussions and consensus outcomes that don't take 3 hours to get nowhere. Ask questions that invite others into the discussion, offer your own ideas, propose plans or assignments. If you were there 3 hours and nothing happened, consider the possibility that may also have been 3 hours when you didn't do much either.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> How do I tell my adviser, in a respectful manner, that I cannot attend
> all of the group meetings?
>
>
>
Directly, as if they were an adult human being instead of a soul-sucking demon.
But do consider the possibility that you are undervaluing the meetings. While they may be a distraction from your PhD thesis, your thesis is ultimately just an administrative hurdle near the beginning of a decades-long career as a researcher. One of the most important components of such a career—whether in academia or not—is mentorship. These group meetings could be a valuable opportunity for you to practice mentoring the more junior students, in an environment where your own mentorship efforts can be mentored.
If you're merely frustrated with the way your advisor is running the meetings, offer to run the meetings yourself.
Also, if your advisor is supporting you with a research assistantship, attending these group meetings may simply be a job requirement. If you do not attend the meetings, you may need to find a different means of financial support.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: An interesting question, but I think, for me, the core answer is: "You don't".
Not everything done in a lab or research group is directly beneficial to every member involved. There is still a reasonable expectation that you attend. There's also a number of benefits to you:
* Mentoring opportunity: Knowing what is going on in the lab may mean you are helpful to new PhD students. This gives you experience mentoring, and also makes sure you know these people, who may someday in the future be your colleagues.
* New ideas: I've had papers come out of lab meetings where I was pretty sure I wasn't going to get anything out of it.
* Templating: As you've noted, you don't like how your adviser is running these meetings. That's fine - this gives you experience with what works, and what doesn't, and what you'd like to change.
This is, in some ways, "giving back" to the lab.
Now, to address how long they are taking, you may consider talking to your advisor about that, respectfully. That perhaps retention is dropping after the first hour, and it would perhaps be better to rotate, rather than have all projects discussed in every meeting. Or have a fixed agenda, so everyone can come prepared. But that's a far cry from simply no longer attending.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: A possibly better approach than what you suggested is to propose to your advisor about either shortening the meeting time or making the long meeting less frequent, say monthly instead of weekly. I personally think group meetings are important, but I prefer to keep it short if it is happening every week. I believe a weekly meeting that runs more than an hour is too long, and it can be disruptive to your workflow. It is not unlikely that the new students find it too long, too.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_5: Although it rather looks as though you don't have time to check the answers and comments you've collected here either, I do understand your impatience and will offer some suggestions for your underlying problem (although I will not answer the question you put in the title).
Try getting together with one or both of the new students over coffee. Have a conversation that enables the new student to focus his or her thinking so as to be able to make a succinct, efficient contribution to the next meeting.
Suggest an agenda to your advisor by email. Try to anticipate what you think your advisor would like to accomplish in the meeting, along with any additional ideas you think might help produce a useful meeting for all concerned.
If this goes well, then after a couple of weeks, you can make a proposed agenda in which your presence is listed for only certain agenda points.
In other words, ease your way out, partially.
What I'm suggesting is that you not announce your intention of absenting yourself for a significant part of each meeting, but rather, create the conditions for that to happen organically.
Upvotes: 1
|
2016/09/08
| 2,058
| 7,748
|
<issue_start>username_0: Our students are asked to sign an "academic integrity" pledge with each assignment and exam, vowing that they have not given nor received unauthorized assistance on the assignment.
What (peer-reviewed) evidence is there to support the claim that these pledges make a significant impact on the rate of cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty at the university level?<issue_comment>username_1: There is some research on this, with inconclusive results. Some problems with the existing literature:
1. These studies typically rely on student reports of cheating (i.e. students fill out an anonymous survey asking if they have cheated and if they have observed cheating)
2. The effectiveness of such a pledge seems to vary tremendously with context (big school vs small school, online vs traditional class, field of study, how much emphasis is placed on the honor code), and it is difficult or impossible to control for all of this
3. Many of these studies compare schools with a pledge *and unproctored exams* to schools with no such pledge and regular exams, which is not exactly the comparison you ask about.
See:
McCabe, <NAME>., and <NAME>. "Academic dishonesty: Honor codes and other contextual influences." Journal of higher education (1993): 522-538.
Hall, <NAME>., and <NAME>. "Honor among students: Academic integrity and honor codes at state-assisted universities." NASPA Journal 36.1 (1998): 2-18.
McCabe, <NAME>., <NAME>, and <NAME>. "Academic integrity in honor code and non-honor code environments: A qualitative investigation." Journal of Higher Education (1999): 211-234.
McCabe, <NAME>., <NAME>, and <NAME>. "Honor codes and other contextual influences on academic integrity: A replication and extension to modified honor code settings." Research in higher Education 43.3 (2002): 357-378.
Roig, Miguel, and <NAME>. "Attitudes toward cheating before and after the implementation of a modified honor code: A case study." Ethics & Behavior 16.2 (2006): 163-171.
Vandehey, Michael, <NAME>, and <NAME>. "College cheating: A twenty-year follow-up and the addition of an honor code." Journal of College Student Development 48.4 (2007): 468-480.
Konheim-Kalkstein, <NAME>., <NAME>, and <NAME>. "Comparison of honor code and non-honor code classrooms at a non-honor code university." Journal of College and Character 9.3 (2008).
LoSchiavo, <NAME>., and <NAME>. "The impact of an honor code on cheating in online courses." Journal of Online Learning and Teaching 7.2 (2011): 179.
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: An indirect answer... Similar to highway speed limits (I'm thinking of the U.S. in this analogy), the effect is not at all to induce everyone to conform... but it has a useful inhibiting effect, generally reducing behaviors that are collectively dangerous.
So, based on some decades of observation of 20-ish peoples' behavior, a great many will have a very positive reaction to being implicitly trusted, and many more will be inhibited from behaving dubiously, while, yes, still, a certain number will see "a business opportunity"... to game the system, for what it's worth.
An idea that I only glommed-onto in the last few decades (I'm old...) is that one should not corrupt one's dealings with the vast majority to defend against the ... infelicities... of a tiny minority. E.g., it's not a good thing to behave distrustfully to everyone just because one anticipates that there will be people trying to game the system rather than learn anything and demonstrate that knowledge in some (stylized but...) reasonable fashion.
Yet I do have many qualms about how this happy idealism could apply to kids in less-advantaged situations. As in the question of whether it's really a crime to steal bread for one's starving children in a hostile situation... well, no, perhaps it's not actually immoral to "cheat" in certain circumstances. (I recall the quote on my homepage, that it is illegal for both rich and poor "to beg, to steal bread, and sleep under bridges"...)
It may be true that all these fictions have financed "education" in the U.S., and elsewhere. Still, presumably, education is preferred to dys-education? To ignorance? But/and why do we give grades and frighten or penalize people about real-life issues?
Very strange, in my opinion... and/but this is veering away from the literal question... sigh...
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: There is evidence that *when* the integrity pledge is signed makes an important difference in its effectiveness. One laboratory study asked participants to solve math puzzles for a financial reward, self-reporting the number of math puzzles they had solved. Unknown to the participants, the researchers did know the actual number of puzzles they solved.
The researchers found that signing the statement of honesty after self-reporting was no more effective at curbing dishonesty than having no pledge at all (about two thirds of participants overstated the number of puzzles solved). But signing the statement of honesty before self-reporting had a measurable effect on reducing dishonesty (only about one third overstated their performance).
<NAME>., <NAME>., <NAME>., <NAME>., & <NAME>. (2012). [Signing at the beginning makes ethics salient and decreases dishonest self-reports in comparison to signing at the end.](http://people.duke.edu/~dandan/webfiles/PapersDisHonesty/Signing%20at%20the.pdf) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109(38), 15197-15200.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_4: The point is not so much to prevent cheating as to make it clear that cheating (as defined in the statement) is unacceptable and that all parties involved understand and accept this.
This meas that if cheating is detected at a later date you have a very clear and mutually agreed statement that what the accused person did was unacceptable and reduces any arbitration to establishing the facts rather than arguing the toss in terms of academic morality.
While this may not prevent determined cheats it will certainly remove any ambiguity for anyone tempted to cheat on the spur of the moment.
It also means that you have a definite legal basis for a civil contract where accepted academic practice is not covered by general civil or criminal law.
Equally it meant that any academic sanctions have a basis in a civil contract rather than just being arbitrary, especially in the context where academic qualifications are increasingly seen as paid for commodities.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: I graduated from a very small (~1200) college that uses an honor code. It has been my general experience that simply having an honor code is far less important than having a culture that is centered around the honor code. For example, my college welcomes every incoming class with a huge honor ceremony where the students sign the pledge. The signed pledges of the current students are hung in the dining hall as a daily reminder, and this has been the tradition for ~100+ years. The honor code is also framed in every classroom and required for all major assignments. There is also a student-led (faculty and staff also play a part) honor court, which handles any alleged violations of the honor code. At my alma mater, there are relatively few violations per year.
In contrast, I know students from colleges that have a younger, less salient honor code and culture who have out-right admitted to cheating. While this is by no means empirical, I've talked with others who have had similar experiences.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/08
| 1,322
| 5,512
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am going into my third year at university of my Math degree and have decided to undertake an independent project under the supervision of a lecturer who is, primarily, a number theorist. One of the main reasons I wanted to do this project (which includes producing a presentation and report) was for the experience.
At first discussion with my supervisor I had no clue what I wanted the project to be about so he threw out some possibilities. We ended up agreeing on the topic "solving polynomials by radicals": charting the historical and logical development of formulae similar to the quadratic formula for cubic and quartic equations, and a why no such formula can exist for degree 5 and higher.
However, recently I came across a numberphile video with regards to the Collatz conjecture and it seemed quite interesting. I know that as a third year student I definitely do not possess the capabilities of making any sort of impact on the conjecture and that my project would have to focus on its origin and the work done on it so far but the little research I have done has piqued my curiosity.
Would it be worth it to speak to my supervisor about changing the topic? I dont want to irritate him unnecessarily.<issue_comment>username_1: Short Answer: Sure, go talk to them.
In my experience the faculty, especially your advisor or supervisor, are generally eager to speak with you, provide advice, and work with you. Not only are they interested, it is their job. They have the job because they like it.
Talk to them about your topic. It is not unusual for people to change things all the time. Go for it.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: By the way, I am also a number theorist.
In my recent answer to [another question](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/76536/) I described the fickleness of undergraduates in a way which I hope comes across as largely sympathetic. The point of being an undergraduate is to explore the academic terrain a bit, flitting from topic to topic. If you're not a bit flighty you'll have trouble flitting properly, which is more dangerous: you don't want to spend years working on something and discover at the end that you don't like it at all (you want to spend much less time).
However, my answer concerned research, and your project doesn't sound like a research project. It sounds rather like a **reading project**, or in other words a (largely) independent learning experience. (For those who don't know, "solving polynomials by radicals" is an important topic in mathematics which received a definitive solution in the first half of the 19th century.) For a reading project, you do want to exert some care in choosing something that will be worth the reading.
So I think you should *definitely* talk to the lecturer right away. He gave you a topic because you didn't have something in mind, now you have something in mind, so it's time to go back. However you should not be surprised to receive an explanation of why solving polynomials by radicals makes a better reading project than the Collatz Conjecture. In the former case, there is an absolutely central question in number theory and algebra, it has a great answer, and all the steps leading up to that answer are also highly central and important. In the latter case there is a rather isolated, curious open problem. It's elementary, innocuous and catchy, which combine to create the psychological impression that it can't be that hard...but it *is* that hard. In particular I am struck by the statement
>
> I know that as a third year student I definitely do not possess the capabilities of making any sort of impact on the conjecture[.]
>
>
>
To that I reply:
>
> I know that as someone with a PhD from Harvard who has successfully solved some open problems in number theory that I *probably* do not possess the capabilities of making any sort of impact on the conjecture.
>
>
>
The point being that nobody does, so far as I know. If you think you want to tilt at windmills, it's a good time to check in again on what the assignment was. (This is not to say that you should stop thinking about the Collatz Problem altogether. Rather, if you like it, think about it in your spare time.)
I will end with a story. I taught an advanced undergraduate number theory course twice: [see here](http://alpha.math.uga.edu/~pete/numbertheory2009.html). Each time the course included a final project. I gave a lot of suggestions for these final projects, and so far as I can remember most students did follow up on one of my suggestions. Certainly that is true with the two best projects, which both led to other (novel!) work by those students later on. The first time I taught the course, a student told me that he wanted to write about what ancient Greeks knew and believed about perfect numbers. I told him honestly that I knew almost nothing about that and therefore couldn't be confident that there was much to say. He replied enthusiastically that there were many things: did I know for instance that the Greeks thought that there were no odd perfect numbers, that there were infinitely many even perfect numbers, and that the final digits in this infinite sequence always alternated between 6 and 8? Well, no, so I let him write on that topic. When I read his paper, I found...well, I have already told you everything I remember on the subject, but it turned out that I had made the wrong decision. Some topics are more fruitful than others.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/08
| 3,568
| 15,316
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am an undergraduate student in computer science, and I have been working as an undergraduate researcher in theoretical computer science for 7 months. There was this problem that my supervisor mentioned, and I worked on it for a while. But I only managed to solve a sub-case of the problem, which didn't interest my supervisor at that time. However, he wanted me to write a manuscript about it anyway. I put a lot of effort into writing it, but he didn't bother to read it. And we have moved on to other things.
A week ago, my supervisor called me, and he said that he found an interpretation of the sub-case of I've solved, that economists are interested in. And he said that we can publish it in a journal. So, I was really hyped. We met the next day, to review my proof. But when I arrived, I learned that a friend of my supervisor found an implicit assumption at the beginning of my proof which was clearly wrong.
As you can imagine, I was devastated. I've tried to find a workaround, and fix my solution, but I've just found another thing that I've overlooked. So I've lost my enthusiasm and self-confidence.
However, my supervisor claims he found a completely different idea to solve the problem. He explained it to me, however it has some parts to be completed. So he wants me to write a manuscript about it and fill the gaps. However, I cannot find any motivation to do so. I am overwhelmed by the feelings of failure and anger.
I know that I should be working on my supervisor's idea, but I'm so distracted with the mistake I've made. How can I overcome my mistake, and start to work again?
UPDATE: A month later, we solved the problem :)<issue_comment>username_1: Perhaps I'm taking the OP too literally at his word, but my first inclination is to see it like this: an undergraduate tried his hand at research, had a predominantly negative experience, and now is not motivated to continue even though his advisor gave him something else to do. Well, there is one obvious answer: don't continue with your research if you don't want to. Whenever an undergraduate is doing mathematical research (TCS research counts), they are doing it for the purpose of getting a sense of whether they like it and want to continue with it more than any other purpose. So if you feel strongly enough that you don't like it, it may well be that in fact you achieved what you were supposed to achieve in a fundamentally deeper sense than the one you are feeling bad about. Most undergraduates doing mathematical research decide at some point that it is not really for them, at which point they stop.
To be honest, my experience with undergraduates doing mathematical research is that they are often rather fickle and flighty in their approach *when viewed through the lens of a professional researcher*. I have spent hours, days or more trying to give undergraduates the training they need to work on a problem that I've chosen for them, only to hear from them next week that they are now interested in something *entirely* different, e.g. some pattern they saw in the numerical output of some code that they wrote. Whether that is disappointing depends entirely on my expectations. I now think that treating an undergraduate as a "non-positive year graduate student" is the wrong approach: in particular they should not be assigned a problem that one would expect an older student or researcher to spend several months working on. Certainly they should not be given a problem such that a failure to solve it -- or even a complete neglect of it -- will have a significant negative impact on their advisor or anyone else.
Circling back to the situation: I worry that the OP has been placed in a situation which is "too serious" for an undergraduate student. A little context is missing; e.g., the OP writes
>
> I have been working as an undergraduate researcher in theoretical computer science for 7 months.
>
>
>
Does that just mean that you've been thinking about TCS for 7 months? Are you getting paid to do it? (Most undergraduates in the US are not paid for academic work they do during the academic year...but the OP may well not be in the US.) Are you getting paid as a sort of undergraduate research assistant to your advisor?
There are some nuances in the situation that make it hard for me to read. On the one hand, it's possible that your supervisor is doing a bang-up job: he gave you a problem that you were interested enough to work on for several months (already a successful undergraduate research experience, I claim). You claimed to solve a piece of it, which is nice for you but not necessarily something that needed to be written up. Then your advisor discovered that there actually was interest in what you had done, and was involved in the process of discovering a mistake in your writeup. After that happened twice, he stepped in by sketching an approach of his own. That sounds really supportive to me. (I'm sorry that you put a lot of work into a writeup that he didn't comment on in detail, but: I've been on both sides of that situation. It happens, too often, to good people.) On the other hand, if your advisor actually expects you to function as someone who can mostly carry him through achieving his own research goals: when it comes to *mathematical* research, at least, that's very bad. At the most you have a short internship as a mathematical researcher: it's his career, and the burden of responsibility needs to fall on him in every way. If you are feeling bad because you think that you've derailed his own research plans or otherwise disappointed him: well, I think that's very poor behavior on his part.
To end, perhaps you should embrace the fickleness of undergraduate research. Not feeling excited about the project? Don't work on it...**for now**. If there is something else that interests you, anything else, look at that instead, and talk to your supervisor about that if you choose. It may well be that you could regain your positive feelings about TCS research by thinking about -- well, anything -- and when that occurs and/or some time has passed, you may actually enjoy returning to the problem and proposed solution your supervisor gave you. (A big secret: I am a real life research mathematician, and giving up on something that isn't going well *for a little while* in order to regain enjoyment and confidence is something that I do very often. Sometimes there is exactly one hard problem that I want to chip away at for days, weeks and months at a time...but more often, there isn't, and sometimes I wonder a bit at how hard people who only work on one thing are actually working.) Or not, which (according to me!) is really okay.
Final word: don't do mathematical research if you don't enjoy it. Seriously.
**Added**: I am concerned that my "final word" is not being understood as I meant it. First of all, an equivalent version is "If you don't enjoy mathematical research, then don't do mathematical research." Maybe this stops people from reading this as "don't do mathematical research [plus other words]"! Second, the statement has to be construed in a reasonable way, and in fact anyone who is doing mathematical research has to construe it in a reasonable way *for them*. Certainly I **don't** mean "If you wake up one (or two, or three...) days and have negative feelings about mathematical research -- or if you have one (or two, or three...) setbacks in your mathematical research -- then you're not cut out for it; just stop now"! What I mean is "The main reason that people do mathematical research is because of the joy and sense of personal fulfillment it gives them -- not that it *always* makes them happy and fulfilled, but that in choosing which of the many things to do with their life, this choice seems to make them more happy and fulfilled than the alternatives." There are extrinsic rewards to mathematical research as well -- if you are successful enough at it, you make more than enough money to survive, you have more control of your daily schedule than many other professionals, there are many opportunities for travel, and so forth -- but if you remove the intrinsic rewards, the extrinsic rewards don't stack up against other careers that a similarly talented, hard-working person could probably achieve. Also *not enjoying* mathematics is not a failure and is not the same as being bad at it. It almost seems silly to have to say this out loud, but: the people who do mathematical research as a career are not the ones who in all the world are the most talented or most successful at mathematics -- they are the ones who are talented and successful enough to get paid to do it and who value the activity enough to devote their lives to it. Most undergraduates who do some mathematical research do not want to devote their lives to it. That's not a character flaw or an intellectual weakness on their parts: there are just a lot of other valuable things to do. Finally, I'm not saying "Look, most undergraduates quit, so you'll probably quit." I'm saying "Most undergraduates quit, so the *idea* that you might quit should not be so horrific that you can't even contemplate it." All things in moderation: if you have a bad experience with something, taking a small break from it, reassessing your commitment to it, adjusting your practice of it to rekindle your joy are all reasonable, healthy responses. So is powering through the pain, sometimes. These are all good things for us to have in our repertoire.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: As an early-career mathematician, I have had this experience, more or less exactly, several times. I think I've solved a problem (or made good progress toward doing so) and I become proud and emotionally invested, only to show it to a mentor (first my PhD advisor, then my postdoc supervisor) who quickly points out a fatal flaw in my reasoning. Sometimes, he will propose a different and much better method. I completely get how demotivating this can be. After all, I would think, why am I even working on this project if my mentor could do it himself more quickly?
But you have to overcome these feelings. Here are some points of view that helped me do so:
* Trying things and failing is how we learn. There's a mathematical lesson here about why my techniques failed and my mentor's succeeded. There's also a lesson about how to do research: how to do sanity checks, how to avoid "premature optimization," etc.
* My mentor is a professional researcher with decades of experience. Of course he can solve things more quickly than me. Even if it feels like my role is to work out the details of his ideas, I'm learning a lot by doing that. And these "brilliant ideas" are usually adapted from previously existing techniques anyway--it's more an experience gap than an intelligence gap.
* Experiences like this keep me humble, which comes in very handy when teaching people who understand less than I do.
I would encourage you to try to power through these feelings of inadequacy. Part of being a mature researcher is not being afraid of being wrong.
Having said all that, a good way to avoid situations like this is to keep the person you're working under more in the loop while you're doing the work, so that they can steer you away from dead ends. In your case, it wasn't necessarily your fault that your supervisor didn't devote much time to your project, but in the future you should try to get high-level feedback earlier in the process.
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Okay. I was in a well respected PhD program for two years, doing research, when I got sick, and now I've been sick for 3 years unable to do math. I'm won't say what your experiencing isn't real or unpleasant, but I'd like to suggest I have some perspective to offer you. A lot of it comes from realizing unhealthy emotional habits doing math that contributed to the stress that brought me to where I am now, unable to do math.
Fundamentally, I believe the healthiest way to approach mathematical research is to truly and deeply appreciate your ability to exercise your mental faculties, your ability to ponder interesting ideas, and your abilities to think of interesting questions. This is something like, "Neat, summation by parts is a neat tool and it's neat how it can be used in all these sorts of problems and, wow, maybe it is useful in this problem in such-and-such a way," vs, "Gosh, my attempt to use summation by parts fails to solve the problem. I suck."
This is different from successfully solving problems. That is a fine goal, but if you allow it to dominate how you relate to doing math research, you will be stressed out all the time unless you happen to be wildly and luckily successful.
I'm suggesting an attitude of humility. With this sort of an attitude, you can more easily accept what everyone else tells you, that failing and making mistakes is a big part of research. Of course it will happen to you. It happens to others too, though you don't get the inside scoop into their research lives. Certainly some people appear to never fail, and maybe some people really are that successful, but envy will only stress you out and make you feel depressed.
You need to practice this by expressing wonder or thankfulness for what you do understand. Here are some examples.
"Wow. I actually do understand the problem statement!"
"Neat! People actually care about this problem, it impacts the world in some small way, and I get to participate in the community by thinking about it."
"It's neat that I was able to use [this clever integration by parts trick] in an attempted argument."
"I am thankful I have an opportunity to participate in the mathematical community and potentially write a paper."
"[Anything you think it positive: i.e., something about your experience, your paper, etc., you'd rather have than not have, no matter how small or trivial.]"
Fake it until you make it. If you think there is a modicum of merit in adopting the humble attitude, then you are being honest when you practice such thoughts.
The point is, if you approach things from a humbler perspective, the experience wasn't wasted even if you don't achieve your goal. And it really is a privilege to think about mathematics. If you find you cannot, not matter what you do, enjoy the process of thinking of mathematics and working through ideas on your own regardless of whether it is fruitful or not, then maybe it is true that research isn't your path.
I miss my days of research and have realized I love thinking about math on my own. Hope there's something useful here.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: Focusing too much on your personal experience may have something to do with it - the world is bigger than your own self, connect to it.
Maybe find other motivations: e.g. "some economists out there just can't wait to use the methods you derive" or "theoretical CS is beautiful no matter how treacherous"
It also may be a case of burn-out. Usually those recedes with Rest-and-*Recreation*.
Or is it '*re* creation'? In the sense of trying to create something in an unrelated area, succeeding and regaining self-confidence by proving yourself you still have value (despite being just human and making mistakes).
Upvotes: 1
|
2016/09/09
| 701
| 3,158
|
<issue_start>username_0: My question actually is complicated. A company provided me data for my thesis. They allowed me to use the data in my thesis. But I need get their permission if I want to publish my thesis. The thing is, my thesis can be googled at school's database. So I am not sure if this means "publish."
I thought I do not need to get their permission since my thesis is already online and everyone can download it. Therefore, I submitted the paper (not cover everything in my thesis) to a journal and get accepted.
Recently I found out that the company refuses to let the paper be published. So I want to withdraw my paper from the journal.
I am the first author of the paper, and another person is the second author. I am not sure if I can decide the withdraw thing or I should let the second author know first? Also, how should I email the editor?<issue_comment>username_1: If you signed over copyright then the paper is not really legally yours anymore. What you should do is let the journal know, really the publisher not the editor, what has happened. Look up the term vicarious liability
At the same time have the same conversation with your university
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: The basic problem here is communication. You failed to do the necessary communication up-front. Now you are going to have to do it, and do it much better than your first attempt.
Firstly, you need to talk with your coauthor and your supervisor. Expect them to be unhappy that you are only now reaching out to them, and that the proprietary nature of the data wasn't fully explained.
Secondly, you need to talk with your school's research administrators. What is their policy on externally sourced data? Is there a common form of agreement? Is there a term sheet listing what are acceptable and unacceptable terms? What are the ethical expectations for dealing with commercial and with third-party data? It's very unusual for a student to negotiate directly with a company about the provision of data without some formality being required by the university. The aim being to avoid your current predicament. As a result the administrators may not be best pleased that whatever process exists wasn't followed.
Thirdly, you need to have a formal meeting with the company. Do some homework to ensure that you are speaking with the right people. Take copies of your paper -- I am assuming they have seen it, but maybe they haven't looked into it. Explore with the company what the cause of their objection to publication is. Maybe you implied a confidentiality they now feel you have betrayed, so you may need to make some deep apologies. Once you know the cause of their concern you can both explore if there are ways which meet both your wishes. It may not be possible to do all of this in one meeting. A negotiated agreement will almost certainly mean a rewrite a substantial portion of the paper.
Since you have already displayed poor communication, negotiation and business skills I strongly suggest you engage with the university and see if they can provide a senior person to do most of the heavy lifting with the company.
Upvotes: 3
|
2016/09/09
| 2,110
| 9,066
|
<issue_start>username_0: If a professor is scheduled to teach two hours, only one day a week, but instead he only teaches one hour, one day a week - in an extremely rushed manner - and tells his students he has to leave, is there anything that students can do about this behavior, if the professor continues in this way?
Let's assume this professor also doesn't post any supplementary notes at all, doesn't require a textbook, doesn't assign suggested background reading, but assigns a few hard homework problems per week.
Let's also assume that he is tenured.<issue_comment>username_1: You're paying tuition fees (either personally, through a sponsor, scholarship, government taxes etc.) and not getting all of the education those fees should pay for.
Make a complaint to the appropriate body. If you feel at risk of irking the prof's wrath then do so via student union/representative; alternatively, go to the Head of Department and tell them it's confidential.
In your complaint be specific: one what exact dates did lectures end early, at what time. Ask other students to support complaint as well - though in my view keep it to one or two students you trust, you don't want it snowballing into something messy.
Good luck.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: In university education, the goal is not to spend a certain number of hours in a classroom. Courses and university degrees have certain **learning objectives**, and if there is a way to reach the learning objectives more efficiently without spending so much time sitting in the lecture hall, this is usually a **good thing**. It is perfectly possible to have a very good course with 0 hours of lectures and plenty of homework.
However, if the course arrangements are **not** helping you to reach the learning objectives, then you can simply give feedback on the course. Most universities have implemented some form of a **course feedback system**. If this is not the case at your university, then this is a much bigger and a more important issue.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: As @Nate Eldredge this, how this is received is going to vary widely based on academic culture.
Let me assume that this is a course at a US university, and that it is an "official" course: that is, one that students register for, receive a grade for at the end, and the instructor gets some credit for teaching. In this context, the practice would probably not be acceptable to many key people in the university. At most US universities there is a notion of **credit hours**: there is a positive number of "credits" a student gets for a course (most frequently 1-4) and also a number of hours per week that the course meets. Now (by widely agreed upon convention rather than cosmic truth, of course) there is a fixed conversion factor for this: at my university, 50 minutes of class time per week = 1 credit.
An instructor who only meets for one hour out of a scheduled two hours is risking the disapproval of the registrar, other departmental faculty including the head, and the students of the course. The registrar is probably going to be unhappy because it looks like the course is trying to cheat the system: if everyone decided to claim twice the number of credit hours that they actually met, it would cause absolute chaos for (especially undergraduate) programs. The departmental faculty are also going to be unhappy (to say the least) about this, on the one hand because the number of credit hours usually figures into the teaching load -- the standard departmental teaching load basically amounts to faculty teaching so-and-so many hours per week (on average; loads can vary from one semester to the next). Claiming twice as much as you're doing is certainly not okay. And of course, most faculty want courses to be taught *well*, and it is hard for me to think of clearer evidence that my colleague is not doing a good job with his teaching than that he is only meeting for half the scheduled time. Finally, it is likely that the students are going to feel shortchanged ("halfchanged"?), and in light of all the stuff above, I don't see a satisfactory rejoinder to a student who feels that way: on the contrary, I think they're right.
So what to do? I would suggest beginning by bringing it up to a departmental faculty member. Good places to start are: (i) the instructor of the course, if you feel comfortable, (ii) the department head, (iii) whichever faculty member you feel closest to in the department (e.g. your academic advisor). For such conversations, it is important to stay calm and factual. Be willing to proceed in several steps. Definitely indicate an awareness that there seems to be some kind of real mismatch here, and if necessary you might want to mention that university administrators like the registrar might be concerned about it as well. (Again, I honestly think they would, and departmental faculty should know that they would. So this is more like a reality check than a threat of escalation.)
Another idea: can you ask some other faculty member (or person in a position of authority) to visit the course? Anyone who shows up is certainly going to notice a two hour course ending after only one hour. On the other hand, they may well talk to the instructor before they show up, which might result in the instructor's taking the full class time. Which is what you want, of course. If that happens once and then he goes back to halftime, then it gives you an easy opening to speak to him about what's going on.
I want to end by saying that this really is cultural. What you're describing sounds like quite an extreme case, but there is variation between US universities and personnel at those universities on the practice of ending early. It is not unheard of for instructors and students to feel that they have done all they need to do in a certain course meeting and thus end early: they may even feel great about doing so. For me personally, over the course of almost two decades of instruction at US universities, I have moved steadily in the direction of thinking that for a three credit course, the very least I owe the students is 150 minutes a week of me in the classroom. I remember though that I taught one undergraduate course at my institution, pretty soon after I got there, and for various reasons I decided to cancel three of the 50 minute class meetings, including the last one (excluding the final exam and review sessions for the final), because I was interested in presentations given by graduate students in a different course that met at the same time. The present me finds the past me's behavior slightly outrageous...So indeed, some variation on how this is perceived exists!
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: Crucially missing: Out of how many class meetings, how many times has this happened and what exactly did your instructor offer as the reasons at the time? Is it possible he actually does have a good reason, even if it's not one he's willing to disclose to the entire class? Similarly re: the textbook, etc., what does the syllabus say?
Were I in your shoes, I can appreciate why you might feel uncomfortable directly confronting your instructor about his short lectures, which seems to be your main complaint. I don't think you should talk to other students and I don't think you should discuss your concerns with other instructors. It's not really their business to get involved in students' complaints about how other instructors run their courses and doing so can easily cause hard feelings and may even draw a rebuke from their chair.
I think you should speak to your department chair, preferably in his or her office, not by email. Do not oversell your case. If he cut his lecture short exactly twice out of 6 lectures and one time was only short by 15 minutes, don't get caught overselling this as somehow "an hour short all the time". Try to avoid subjective complaints like "seemed rushed" unless you can explain what you mean with an example, e.g., "he cut off questions on DeMorgan's Theorem, saying he didn't have time". Avoid claims that "everyone" is upset that seem to imply you're out there rabble-rousing. This is your observation and that's all matters.
Be specific: This is what happened on these dates, you're offering what you intend as constructive criticism you hope can lead to some improvement. But you're uncomfortable directly confronting your instructor and you're asking for some confidential help.
I can pretty much promise you that your department chair will have a conversation with your instructor, your name will not be disclosed and that if there is some genuine substance to your complaint, the problem will get fixed. But be prepared to learn there could be a pretty good reason for his behavior you don't know about, e.g., a family crisis. Also be aware: if your chair finds you've made a frivolous or exaggerated complaint or that there's another side to this you failed to mention, that might also attract his or her attention. These things can boomerang.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/09
| 1,364
| 5,678
|
<issue_start>username_0: Scientific publishing absorbs a lot of money from the budgets of scientific organisations, either by publication fees or subscription fees, and many feel that the value added by the publisher is questionable ([source](http://www.nature.com/news/open-access-the-true-cost-of-science-publishing-1.12676)). That money comes from funders such as NIH, NSF, the EC Framework Programme, national research councils and large charities (Wellcome, Gates). **Why do such funders not close the circle and offer a not-for-profit mechanism for publication, either individually or collectively?**
Many (most, I suspect) scientific societies operate journals, and some of these offer travel grants or small project grants for research with no restrictions on the submission of resulting papers to their own journals, so I don't see how it could be a conflict-of-interest thing. Some universities do the same. I also see sites like PubMed Central and EuropePMC which are funded by research funders and act as repositories for full-text publications.
There are some suggestions of a move in this direction from the mathematics and physical sciences ([link](http://www.nature.com/news/mathematicians-aim-to-take-publishers-out-of-publishing-1.12243)), although this would be run by the academic community, not the funders.
[edit] I forgot about this when writing the question, but [PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases was started using a $1.1 million grant from the Gates Foundation](https://web.archive.org/web/20080220095150/http://www.gatesfoundation.org/GlobalHealth/Pri_Diseases/OtherInfectiousDiseases/Announcements/Announce-060914.htm), so this is a relatively high-profile example of a journal that was (at launch) directly funded by a grant-funding body. And I'd also forgotten that PLoS is explicitly non-profit, although they do use the income from some journals to help support the others financially so some individual journals might run at a profit.
[edit2] I'd also somehow forgotten [this announcement](http://wellcomeopenresearch.org/resources/WellcomeOpenResearchPressRelease.pdf) back in July that Wellcome was launching a journal called "[Wellcome Open Access](http://wellcomeopenresearch.org/)". This one will only accept submissions from Wellcome-funded researchers, but will also accept negative results, null results and data-only papers, so will arguably overlap less with traditional publishers.<issue_comment>username_1: As you note, in a major sense this is actually already done on a large scale by the NIH in the US. The [NIH requires](https://publicaccess.nih.gov/) that all publications resulting from its funding be made freely available on PubMed under an open access license within 12 months. While PubMed Central does not do peer-review, it does provide the other half of the functions of an archival publication, in providing hosting and curation.
By doing this, the NIH is accomplishing most of the goals you mention, because there is now much less pressure to subscribe to lots of high-cost journals. At the same time, however, this is better for the NIH than running journals itself for at least the following reasons:
* Running journals does have a significant cost, even if that cost is often hidden in free society journals and overcompensated for in for-profit journals. Forcing compliance as a byproduct of funding is probably much cheaper.
* If the NIH started running journals, it would be *competing* with traditional journals, and thus would obtain much less coverage than it does by just forcing public deposit of their articles.
* Scientific publication is highly international, and even the biggest countries are a minority of the researchers in any significant field. There may thus be significant perceived or real conflicts of interest if a major government funder is running the peer review process for other nations.
In short, it appears to be currently much more efficient to accomplish such goals by using the compulsory power of contract clauses than by investing in competition with the existing publication ecosystem.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: This is more of an exception, but actually some funders do act as publishers. For example, the scientific journal [Elife](https://elifesciences.org/) was established by Hughes Medical Institute, Max Planck Society, and Wellcome Trust. Another example is the HFSP Journal, which was established by the Human Frontier Science Program (however this journal no longer exists and recently the name was [hijacked](http://www.hfsp.org/announcements/hijacked-journal)).
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Some do. The National Institute for Health Research in the UK publishes a whole library of journals, covering most of its research programmes.
<http://www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk>
If funded from a covered programme, publishing in the programme journal is essentially compulsory - some of the funds are held back 'til publication, and ultimately if a project fails to provide an adequate report the funds can be recovered from the host institution.
(Most investigators will also publish in a regular journal such as BMJ, NEJM, The Lancet etc - often more than one paper from a project)
It's thought the publication rate for patient based health research is about 50%. NIHR manages 98%
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: They would be biased.
If you fund research you want/need it to be successful. Success in academia is measured in (metrics based on) published articles. That is, you could manipulate your (and your competitors') success ratings by accepting more research that you yourself have funded (and less of others).
Upvotes: -1
|
2016/09/09
| 1,208
| 5,410
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am a postdoc in the humanities and I am drafting a funding application for a project envisaging the development of a research database. The project will last no more than 2-3 years and as a postdoc I am not supposed to stay at the host institution for longer.
The question is how to preserve the results of this work for posterity.
Luckily these days there are institutional and independent repositories, which allow me to store my complete dataset as a set of CSV files and in RDF/XML format with a well-documented ontology. This sounds sustainable.
But I also would like to offer a web-interface to the researchers so that the database could be consulted online. (The structure of my data is quite unique, which does not allow me to simply submit all my data to the online database of any large project working in my field.) I see it as a standard MySQL/PHP application, which I am planning to develop.
The question is what is the most sustainable strategy for hosting it. I have seen a number online research databases in my field, some costing a great deal of money to the funding authorities, which went offline after some years and are no-longer available. This includes both commercially hosted database (the worst option in my view, for someone has to pay eternally for hosting and domain name) and university-hosted databases. I understand that after I leave the host university (and I am just a postdoc), no one can guarantee that they will host the project website forever.
Besides the technologies for web development are changing fast and the web interface designed with current tools will become obsolete after some years.
What are the best practices for securing a lasting time-span for a small online research database, which does not have a strong lasting project behind it?<issue_comment>username_1: I have the impression that quite a few university libraries are very interested in preserving and making available other things than just books. So talking to your university librarian would be my first stop. Even if your university library does not have expertice in this field, they may know of such a project somewhere else that you can apply for.
As to someone else maintaining the web-interface for you, I would not count on that happening. That will cost someone time and money, and unless you are rich enough (and willing) to set up a fund to preserve your project, you cannot count on someone else doing it for you. Instead I would keep the interface as minimal as possible. It may not look pretty, but it is more likely to keep working.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: If you set up a non-profit, you can apply for free webhosting for the nonprofit with some webhosting companies, for example dreamhost.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: Let me offer you several *strategies*. Firstly, you can consider, instead of or in addition to developing a LAMP-based Web application, to *publish* your research database as **open data** set with a clearly documented structure (schema, ontology, etc.). The benefits of that include much wider option of long-term preservation as well as opening various opportunities for other researchers to reproduce, enhance and build new knowledge on top of your results: `open data => reproducible research => scientific innovation`. For this option, you can consider using some solid free *open data repositories*, such as [figshare](https://figshare.com), [Zenodo](https://zenodo.org), CKAN-based [Datahub](https://datahub.io) and GitHub (see [examples](https://github.com/showcases/open-data)).
Secondly, you can consider a **hybrid approach**, which is to combine an open data set, published as mentioned above, with a relevant open source code of Web application that anyone could download, install and use to interface with your data set. Considering the open source hosting aspect, from above-mentioned options, the GitHub one is especially attractive, as you could seamlessly host both data and relevant Web application code. If you (or someone who can help you) are technical enough, you could make access to your data set, using this approach, even easier, by providing a containerized (such as Docker) version of your data and application (if the data set if not too large, you can even push relevant public Docker image to DockerHub or other services that host public images for free). Similarly, you can publish a free software appliance - virtual machine (VM) - perhaps, some of the above-mentioned repositories (and/or maybe others) offer hosting open VMs for free.
Thirdly, you can propose developing and hosting Web application that would provide open access to your data set to (in addition to some *universities*) relevant **non-profit organizations**, working in your particular domain. If successful, the costs of developing and maintaining the database would be covered (at least, for some time) by relevant scholarships, grants or similar financial vehicles. For example, for social sciences, including humanities, you can review funding opportunities at [Social Science Research Council](http://www.ssrc.org), [The Rockefeller Foundation](https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org), [Carnegie Corporation](https://www.carnegie.org), [Ford Foundation](http://www.fordfoundation.org), [Russel Sage Foundation](http://www.russellsage.org) and many other non-profits.
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer]
|
2016/09/09
| 679
| 3,090
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am attempting to transform the content of my MA thesis into a piece of academic writing which can be published. This is the first time I have done this, and I am concerned that some of my main arguments will become lost in the process.
How can I successfully condense my writing but still present my points, when I have 6–8,000 words to work with, rather than the original 20–30,000, on the basis that many of my arguments are theoretical and need careful explanation?<issue_comment>username_1: Rather than thinking in terms of condensing your writing, begin with an empty document in a suitable format for publication. For purpose of writing the paper, treat your thesis as though it were your notes from a period of research.
Remember the two documents have different objectives. The MA thesis was about convincing your department that you should get the degree. The paper you are now writing is about informing the world of some research results that you think are interesting and important.
First decide on the key points that will make the paper worth publishing. Write, in the new document, the background, lines of reasoning etc. that are essential to those specific points.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: "Be concise" is what they'll tell you, when you're writing an article for a scientific journal. Of course this helps you only partially (although the average master thesis I see could lose 50% of the words without losing any information).
Some more cutting has to be done in your case.
You're probably well prepared and you know how your research relates to literature. An article should refer to previous work more than a thesis would. If parts of your introduction / beginning of the argument were already known, cite this, don't explain it again. If something doesn't really have to be mentioned, but you just wanted to be complete in your thesis? Don't include it in the article, this is what reviews are for. The scope of other articles in your field is a good starting point.
Then you have the work itself. The usual master thesis contains way too much of the work the student has done, just to show they did a lot of work. It's highly likely you didn't need all experiments to reach your conclusions, you probably have too many examples to prove your case, or maybe you have a theory that's supported by strong evidence, and some other nice, but circumstantial evidence. Get rid of the experiments, examples and arguments that are not required.
Probably the discussion of the results / conclusion is too long. I usually encourage students to write a bit more about the things that could be done next, to see if they could continue the research on their own. But for an article, most of these things are trivial or wishful thinking, and not in the scope of the article.
If you were writing a decently structured thesis, you can probably cut the useless paragraphs while keeping the core, without starting from scratch. A new structure containing the key points will definitely help you decide which parts to keep.
Upvotes: 1
|
2016/09/09
| 1,451
| 6,009
|
<issue_start>username_0: An editor of a journal asked me to review a paper but did not provide his/her name or institution, signing the e-mail as, essentially, "Editor of ...". The e-mail seems to be based upon a template. The sender's e-mail address is of the form <EMAIL>
The journal is reputable but not a top one. I cannot determine the editor's name from public online sources or private contacts. My best guess is that the name of the author of the e-mail is very likely to belong to the list of the editors advertised on the web page of the journal. I know nobody from this list personally through I've read and cited some of their papers.
1. How should the editor's decision to stay anonymous be qualified? For example, was it
* (un)ethical,
* (un)professional,
* (contrary to the) commonly accepted practice?
2. What does this tell us about the editor or the journal?
3. I would like to know whom I am speaking to before taking any decision. What would be the most appropriate reaction from my side, if any?
---
In another circumstance, the editor of a different, top-notch journal to which I submitted is unknown to me. I corresponded only with the chief editor, and I know that the manuscript is under review, but that's it.
4. Is it
* (un)profesional
* (contrary to the) commonly accepted practicefor the chief editor not to reveal to an author which editor was assigned to the author's submission?
5. I would be happy to know who is the actual editor of my submission. Is it possible (and how) to ask for that such that the question is likely to be answered?<issue_comment>username_1: >
> How should the editor's decision to stay anonymous be qualified? For
> example, was it
>
>
> (un)ethical,
>
>
> (un)professional,
>
>
> (contrary to the) commonly accepted practice?
>
>
> What does this tell us about the editor or the journal?
>
>
>
Or Option D: Likely the result of using editorial management software, with no particular agenda behind it.
There are many reasons why the template can be generic. For example, a purely practical one is that one editor might be handling your submission, but then hand it off to another editor if they think they've got more appropriate expertise, if they need to take leave, etc.
One's interaction with an editor isn't particularly a personal one. They are acting in their capacity as the editorial office of X Journal. And when it comes down to it, it's the Editor-in-Chief's decision that is the final one, regardless of who you worked with, so it's entirely reasonable for the journal to speak with their "voice".
So no, it's not particularly unprofessional, and it's definitely not unethical. For that matter, it's not even a departure from common practice - likely a good half of the journals I publish (field: Biomedicine) in don't necessarily disclose what editor is assigned to your paper.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: (Due to some rearrangement of comments, etc., I'm rewriting a comment as an answer... :)
First, yes, as noted by others, on many occasions such emails are software-generated... stimulated by an on-line submission, without other human intervention. So it's not that anyone is trying to avoid revealing their identity.
At the same time, nevertheless, I myself do not find machine-generated "invitations" adequately motivating in most circumstances to get me to do volunteer work. My viewpoint is that if no human being is willing to take the trouble to invest at least their identity and a few moments for a small email, then I needn't feel an obligation to invest my (identity, even as "anonymous" reviewer, and) time.
A feature that helped me move down this path was crappy automated interfaces... (won't name names)... which tried to coerce my referee reports into a format that misrepresented my comments... and on other occasions didn't like the browser I use, etc. In particular, when dealing with the interface was a lot more trouble than carefully reading the paper? And there was no one to email about it?
But this did start me thinking about the whole arrangement. Docile free refereeing for for-profit large corporate entities upon the command of software is not the way I want to go.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Regarding 4 and 5 specifically: In my experience it is not common that one is informed about which editor is assigned. It may not even be the case that some editor is assigned (beyond the Editoe-in-Chief, the Managing Editior, the Editorial Office, etc).
If you want to know about this I think you could just ask, like: "Could you please let me know which editor will handle my paper, so that I know who to contact in case I need to communicate some information related to my submission."
I think it would be slightly unusual to do this for the reasons given above but I doubt it would be a problem either.
On the general subject, generally, I consider referring as a service to the community, as a service to the journal, as a service to the editor in this order.
I thus do not consider the identity of the particular editor as overly relevant as long as the authenticity and the seriousness of the request is guaranteed by other means (as appears to be the case).
Yes, if I get asked by somebody I know it will change the dynamic of the situation slightly. Yet, if anything I would consider giving much importance to this as potentially ethically problematic not the converse.
Finally, many mathematicians write reviews for the Mathematical Reviews/MathSciNet an entity run by a professional society the American Mathematical Society. In my experience as a reviewer, it is exceedingly rare to be in contact with any particular individual. This is not exactly like refereeing for a journal, but close enough. I thus wanted to bring it up as it feels relevant to the question if this is common and considered as professional (by scientists and mathematicians more specifically).
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/09
| 849
| 3,597
|
<issue_start>username_0: I have contacted so far 5 supervisors for my master program that I want to enroll in ( applications open late September and admission January 2017) .
I emailed various faculty in the most polite way possible. Introduced myself, showed that I am interested in pursuing a research career in their field, talked briefly about my achievements **but only one supervisor replied**. I am not sure why is this happening ? I have attached my transcript ( I am not a high GPA student but I received excellent grades for my thesis and seminar courses).
* I emailed them this week ( ***and one hardcore researcher last Friday***)
what could be the reason ?
note : I am intending to apply for the biomedical engineering program (one I really want to pursue) , most students have engineering undergrad however , I have a biotechnology degree. Could that be the reason? the department said my biotechnology degree is acceptable for that admission purposes.<issue_comment>username_1: Supervisors and researchers get flooded with emails during this time of the year due to prospective graduate students. That's why it's often recommended that you contact them 4-6 months in advance,
It's more often than not that your email gets lost in their inbox than them reading it and deciding that it's not worth replying to (especially if your experiences are related to the field in question). Some useful tips will be to wait it out for a week or so and if they still do not respond, then send them another email politely asking if they got your first message, and include the first message in that follow-up.
If they still do not respond, then they might be REALLY busy or it could potentially mean that they won't make the best supervisor...
Don't send them too many emails or it'll just irk them more should that be the case.
Be sure to also include "Prospective Graduate Student" or something similar in the subject line so that they know it's not some random email.
Hope this helps in some way or another!
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I don't know if this applies to you, but it might help: I receive quite a few e-mails from prospective graduate students. I am looking for new students, but **I delete most of the e-mails that I receive without reply. My reason is that most of the e-mails are obviously form letters that are sent to multiple professors with no indication that the student knows or cares about my own research interests.** If they didn't spend the time to assure that I might be a personal match with their interests, then why should I waste my time replying?
I don't know if this is your case, but I do recommend that you spend the time (up to 30 minutes per professor) to get to know their research interests based on their websites and their publications on Google Scholar. Only e-mail people whose topics seem similar to yours. (This might eliminate several professors.) When you do e-mail, one paragraph is all you need: you just need to explain directly to the point how the professor's research interest match your own.
Of course, I can't guarantee that anyone will reply you if you do this, but when students do, I always reply them and enter into a serious e-mail exchange. Actually, even if the student's interest doesn't actually match mine (or they pointed out an old research area that I no longer pursue), as long as I see that they made a sincere effort to know my research (again it takes up to 30 minutes per professor), I always at least give them the courtesy of a reply (though I can't guarantee that anyone else might).
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/10
| 314
| 1,493
|
<issue_start>username_0: I know the minimum number of reference letters required at many U.S. PhD programs in the STEM fields is three -- and that it is also not uncommon for someone to submit a fourth letter.
What about a fifth letter? Would a fifth letter of recommendation be perceived as "too many"?<issue_comment>username_1: This can depend on the specific university department. Some may welcome it as supplemental material to your application whereas some may discourage excess letters and tell you to choose the ones that will best showcase your abilities as a student. Don't add things to your application that the department doesn't welcome.
I've generally heard and been told that an additional good recommendation letter will boost your chances of admission,
but an additional generic recommendation letter that does not add anything unique to the other (assuming) 4 letters will only hurt it.
So for a general answer, make sure each recommendation letter is able to showcase different areas of skill rather than them overlapping with each other. Also, make sure to contact each department to make sure that they are okay with having more than 3 recommendation letters.
Hope this helps, good luck!
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Send exactly what was requested in the application instructions, and nothing else. Admissions committees suffer through reading all the application information, and do not appreciate getting extra things to read.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/10
| 401
| 1,588
|
<issue_start>username_0: I have authored some publications that are already present in Google Scholar and have citations listed for them, but I see no way to add them to my profile. I see how to add an article with all of the same information manually, but this creates what appears to be an independent (duplicate?) entry for the article, with no citations or links associated. I also see how to get a list of suggested additions, but the articles I'm looking for are not among them.
How do I add an article that is already in Google Scholar to my profile?<issue_comment>username_1: 1. `Sign In` to [Google Scholar](http://scholar.google.com/).
2. Click on `My Profile`.
3. Click on the `+` button above the article list
4. Click on `Add articles` in the context menu
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: 1. Sign in to Google Scholar.
2. Find the article in Google Scholar that you would like to add to your profile.
3. Select the *star* (Save) under the article.
4. Click on my library (Top right)
5. Select the article and click the Edit icon (pencil icon on top)
6. You will see the details of the article, copy it as is in Add articles manually. (instructions mentioned above!)
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: In direct answer to the OP's question...
Do what was mentioned earlier about getting to the Details of the article.
Then copy the *entire* author row (not just your name).
Go back to the Add Articles "+" button above your article list.
In the search bar where your name is, paste that author row you searched for. You should be able to find it now.
Upvotes: 1
|
2016/09/11
| 1,060
| 4,675
|
<issue_start>username_0: I'm applying for math PhD programs this year. I'm a junior at UCB, and I've taken standard grad math courses such as algebraic geometry in the last year. This year I'm taking grad seminars and topics courses, and the topics covered this semester include geometric rep theory, symplectic field theory, TQFT and microlocal sheaf theory. I have no time to do any meaningful research on them until the December, and I have no previous research experience. However, I'll have given ten expository talks related to them since the last year until the end of this semester. I made a slide for one of them, but I have nothing to submit other than that, as I used blackboard in most talks.
To complement my lack of research experience, should I write an expository paper on a topic of my interest? Or is there anything else more effective for admission? I can write an expository paper within this semester, but I personally prefer studying recent topics to be up-to-date than writing such papers, which is often time-consuming.<issue_comment>username_1: An expository paper is useful in the abstract, but how much it will actually help you depends on the circumstances.
The basic problem is that if you hand a random mathematician an expository paper on microlocal sheaf theory, they won't know what to make of it. Is it even correct? Is it plagiarized? Is it completely routine (closely following standard sources), or does it show creativity in the organization or explanations? Unless the reader has real expertise, they won't be able to judge it without a lot of time and effort, and there's a real chance that nobody on the admissions committee will have that expertise. If everything goes well, they'll forward your paper to an expert who will give them an informed judgment. But if that expert turns out to be busy or disorganized, your paper may fall through the cracks and end up not counting for much with the admissions committee.
You can get around this by making sure at least one of your letters of recommendation discusses the paper. If the recommender can vouch for the quality and originality of the paper, then that will mean a lot. Of course this means you have to convince someone to take a serious look at it, but your chances of doing this are at least as high as the admissions committee's.
If you are writing the paper under the supervision of a faculty member who is happy to read it and write a letter of recommendation, then that's great. I'm not sure I'd recommend just writing one on your own, however. It could work out well, but there's a risk of not getting much admissions benefit from it, so this would make sense only if you feel writing the paper would be a rewarding activity even aside from graduate admissions.
If you've already given talks that will be discussed in your letters, then that could be good enough. An expository paper comes across as more serious and convincing than just some talks, but not necessarily enough so to justify the extra work.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Writing a good expository paper for a journal is by no means simple, even if you are prepared by having given ten talks on the topic. A journal would want to see that you can give the big picture of the cutting edge research, and usually not an overview of what most people know already. So I would say that writing an expository journal paper at such an early career stage is as hard and time consuming as doing actual research.
As an alternative, you may consider to write them as *lecture notes*. As such they would follow more closely the lectures you gave and would have grad students as target readers instead of researchers. The downside is, that you could not regularly publish them in a journ, but could "only" host them on your homepage, your blog or a preprint server.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: I agree with points made in other answers, but want to point out: if you're at Berkeley (I assume that's the UCB you mean) taking loads of grad classes and doing well, then you should get good letters and get into a top program without much trouble. Doing research isn't necessary for US PhD programs, and as discussed elsewhere on this site probably won't help all that much under normal circumstances anyway.
Also, if you haven't written papers before, you probably don't realize how time consuming it really is (at least to do a good job of it, and avoid mistakes---if it's poorly written, it might hurt your chances) and may take away from your other studies.
In summary, since you want to spend your time learning other things, I think you're better of doing that.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/11
| 2,500
| 10,513
|
<issue_start>username_0: For the last few days, I have been trying to reproduce things in a published paper (in quite a reputed journal) from my field. My postdoc mentor is the last author of the paper and the main work was carried out by her collaborators from a different institute and a first author is finishing his Ph.D.
When I saw the paper, I immediately got skeptical because they had missed some obvious things, so I rewrote all the code from scratch and, after a week's extensive checking and cross-checking, confirmed that their results are completely wrong. I told two of my trusted colleagues and they asked me to tell my mentor this. However, I am quite uncomfortable and confused about this.
The student who is the first author has based a big part of his later work on these results. This means that the later work by the student might also be completely wrong. My question is how to proceed from here? Can I ask my mentor to retract their paper? Or should I ask her permission to write a comment about the paper? If I do either of these (or something else which reveals that those results are wrong), would I be considered guilty of destroying the thesis of the first author guy?
I really appreciate any type of help in this matter. Thanks in advance.
**Edit**: All the answers and comments here are very helpful and I thank you all for them. However, I think I was slightly vague while asking. I very well understand that I could be certainly wrong. But the question is what do I do if I am not? In that case, what should be done? (As things stand, they have surely got at least one plot wrong because it directly goes against a famous fundamental theorem. I got this confirmed from a few people in the field.)<issue_comment>username_1: As a matter of fact, I believe there is no such thing as **guilt** or **ruin**
for other people's work when it comes to the academic aspect of the knowledge.
Actually, if you do not share this with your mentor in order to be fixed, you
may ruin many other further research...
I suggest you do this respectfully and carefully. You can go to your mentor and talk about this problem. You can show her your code and your understanding from the paper, then confirm whether or not you are right. Let her decide what she can do about this. There is also a slight chance you have made a technical mistake while investigating their work, so keep this in mind when you discuss the issue.
Upvotes: 8 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I suggest you treat this as a learning process. After all, you have spent on this only a week, while the authors have spent significantly more, so there is a chance you are wrong.
So, with this working theory in mind, present your results to your mentor and discuss with her what you think is wrong with their work and why and ask her to explain what you could be missing.
After the discussion you should, ideally, either realise why you were wrong; convince them of what they did wrong; or all of you agree to disagree on the correctness of the results. In the second and third scenario, your mentor should be able to suggest some path.
I do not think you should be asking them to retract the paper unless they have shown gross negligence in the research process or outright cheated; it should be up to them.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_3: I think there is a simple answer. From what you wrote it sounds like you rather "could not reproduce the results" than "proved that the results are wrong". While the first is often an indication for the second, this need not be the case (especially since you "rewrote the entire code").
Now focus on a solution instead of the problem. What you should do is: Approach your mentor with "I tried to reproduce the findings of the paper in this and that way and ended up with different conclusions." From there on the story may evolve differently: It may be that there is a misunderstanding about the "missed obvious things", it may still be bugs in your code, it may that the paper was ambiguous about some things, also it may be that there is something wrong...
In this discussion be sure to be open minded and free of prejudice. As an example: When somebody tells me something in a scientific discussion that I think is wrong or bogus, I get a much better and helpful response when I say "Sorry, I did not understand that, can you say it differently?" than "That's nonsense."
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_4: I would recommend that instead of talking directly about the flaws of their work, you take an approach of explaining what you did.
Here's an example:
>
> Hello Ms Mentoress, I have a question about that paper you published with co-authors A, B, and C a while ago. So I was trying to reproduce the results with code I've written on my own and I couldn't get it to work. Can you have a look and help me with this?
>
>
>
There are several reasons for using this approach:
1. You are not blaming anyone for anything, and you are not being aggressive. Retractions and the likes are not under discussion now, and they shouldn't be until the mistake is understood, by all parties involved.
2. There is a small possibility that you are wrong and not them. This will save you the embarrassment of blaming someone for being wrong while in fact they were right all along.
3. In the case that you are correct, your mentor will realise on her own that she was in fact wrong. She will hold you in high esteem for this, because in her mind you are now a scientist who can rigorously test other people's work, which in this case happened to be hers. This will build bridges instead of burning them
4. In the case this results in a comment or discussion paper, there's a good chance you will be co-author with that group of people who will most likely try to correct themselves. As these are probably people with some reputation who have published in high ranking journals, this will put you together with people you want to be in good relations with, not against them.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_5: From personal experience, I know that it may be very difficult to replicate results. I would recommend first asking yourself the following questions: Can I explain in a sentence or two what drives your mentor's results? Can I do the correction that gets results I believe to be correct? Are these results central to the paper?
Allow me to elaborate: You need to be able to say "You get result Y only because you did X. But X is incorrect methodology because Z. When I try to replicate your result, instead of X, I do X', and then your result Y goes away. This is important because your result Y is central to the paper."
If you can fill in the variables in these sentences, then it may be time to talk to the mentor. It is then a matter of being diplomatic. Make sure that they understand that your intention to discuss these with your mentor only, and absolutely no third party. (Don't say this directly, but let this be your approach and let that show.) I would also recommend de-personalizing the issue in grammar: Say "these results" rather than "your results".
Finally, should you even talk about this? The decision is up to you and there is no clear answer; but it is a function of the answers to the following questions: How many years have you known your mentor? How good are you at being a diplomat? How insecure is your mentor as a person? What do you have to gain or lose in case of go / no go?
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_6: Right now, you don't know that your mentor's paper is "wrong." What you *do* know is that your results differ from hers.
Because she is your mentor, I would approach her in this spirit, and say, "I was trying to replicate your paper, and came up with entirely different results. One of us is doing something wrong, and it's probably me. Could you explain why your results are so different from mine?
It's possible that she'll point out some error in your logic or code, and you'll be saved the embarrassment of making a false accusation. It's also possible that you are correct, and by treading softly, you will keep her on your side. If you are right, you will give her the chance be a "hero" by contacting the others involved with the paper and suggesting that it needs to be corrected. Inwardly, she will be grateful to you for saving her from embarrassment.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_7: >
> Can I ask my mentor to retract their paper?
>
>
>
You can ask her anything. But you shouldn't. Don't tell her what to do; rather, tell her what you have found. If the paper is wrong, you should assume that the authors will behave with integrity and take the appropriate action: they almost always will.
A retraction is absolutely the last step, which will only happen if the paper really is wrong and it can't be corrected. It's not something you discuss the first time you mention that there seems to be something wrong: that would be a bit like beginning a conversation with, "I can't find my phone. Have you seen it? The maximum penalty for theft is ten years in jail."
>
> Or should I ask her permission to write a comment about the paper?
>
>
>
No. On a technical level, you don't need anybody's permission to write and publish about their work. However, if you do end up publishing something saying "X is wrong", it's polite to let the authors of that work know in advance. It can also save a lot of time, because it means that there are more people working on the fix (you and them) and some of them are the world's greatest experts on that particular thing (them: even if they're the world's greatest experts on a wrong thing, they know much more about what they did than you do).
But you're not ready to write anything, yet. Talk to your mentor about what you've found and try to come up with a solution together. The only reason to continue without her is if she refuses to cooperate. In that case, because you're at an early stage of your career, I'd strongly recommend that you find somebody more senior to work with, since writing "X is wrong" papers is rather delicate.
>
> If I do either of these (or something else which reveals that those results are wrong), would I be considered guilty of destroying the thesis of the first author guy?
>
>
>
No, not at all. Just as you're not guilty of destroying somebody's freedom if you call the police when you see them committing a crime. If people produce work that is incorrect, that is their fault alone.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/11
| 1,410
| 5,829
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am in the first year of my PhD studies. Was involved with the same group since a while as a student, and then I was offered a PhD there.
**Project work**
The topic of my PhD is completely different from what I had done before, so the first 3-4 months passed while I was trying to get into the new topic. In the meanwhile a project arrived. It was loosely related to my previous experience, but still completely unrelated to the PhD topic.
I was assigned to this project. Soon it started hogging all my time. Project meetings, proposal, presentations, reports and all that. Months were passing by without doing anything on the PhD topic. Also it was hard switching between the topics as the context switch was immense.
I tried different strategies. Switching topics within the day. Switching topics week in week out. And in the end what worked for me was switching between the topics as the deadlines for the project were met.
**Lack of supervision**
On top of all this the supervisor is busy constantly. All in all I might have had less than 3-4 hours of one-to-one discussion with my supervisor within these 12 months, whereas I hear other professors have monthly meetings with their students. Also, no one from the seniors in the group has expertise related to my PhD topic. Neither there is a fellow student working on the same topic with whom I could discuss.
Assuming that my work-flow and the tools I use were faulty, I constantly looked around for approaches to become more and more efficient. To make sure there is nothing extra to be done from my side I started working actively on the weekends and did not take any holidays.
Yet, looking at my PhD topic I still think there is so much to learn there regarding the basics let alone advanced concepts. Much more than one usual candidate who is researching within a topic which s/he might have encountered previously during studies.
**What next?**
As the time for the contract extension is approaching I am trying to figure out what is the best to do next. Below I will list pros and cons from my POV.
*Pros:*
* I like the PhD topic
* I like the group
* I like teaching duties
(although it requires significant time investment)
*Cons:*
* I hate the project work
* Lack of input from the supervisor
* There is no one in the group to discuss with
---
**Bottom line:** How should I deal with this situation? Is it a common situation for PhD students?
*Options:*
* Request a helping hand for the project (an extra student that will help me). I am even contemplating of paying from my own sallary.
* Start contacting other groups worldwide and switch for a PhD there.
* Visit another research group (e.g., my co-supervisor etc.) for half-a-year (or longer), whose main research aligns with my PhD topic
* other...?
---
**Update (6 years and 7 months later):** Guys, I defended my PhD and graduated with honors. Just in case that anyone stumbles upon this question here, let me tell you that your supervisor and the people that you work with day in day out will have the greatest impact on your PhD.
That time-consuming project that I have mentioned above ended at some point, so that's okay... But the part regarding supervision didn't change.
1. At some later point in my PhD I learned that in some institutions the PhD supervisor and the student can sign a "PhD supervision agreement", but I never did that. Some Professors might not like it, because it is also legally binding.
2. Be more proactive in asking for supervision. Professors that have a hands-off style of supervision (like to) assume that everything is okay, unless you deliberately raise an issue.
3. "Remote supervising" is not good for the newbies in the group, they need close supervision in the beginning.
4. "Remote supervisors" have an inaccurate picture of the group. There is a mismatch between what they think is happening, and what is really happening. This also reflects in supervisor-student relationship because the demands and what is really possible do not fit.
5. From my observation, when the head of the group is not around also the group tends to slack.
6. One good thing with a supervisor who is absent is that they probably network a lot. They are absent because they are visiting some conference, giving a keynote here and there, attending project meetings etc, as such they are well-connected and you can benefit from their network.<issue_comment>username_1: The first and the most important element of the PhD thesis is the topic and field of research that provide you the next years afterwards.
The thesis work needs some elements from your background and also your PhD courses.
The first thing is to think on your PhD topic that is suitable based on your background and available tools.
About your busy supervisor, if you think that you need someone to lead you on the hard path of the PhD life, my suggestion is to rapidly change your supervisor in that school or other ones.
Also, you can collaborate with well-known researchers around the worldwide on your topic, give advice how to begin, and maybe work with them as your advisor on your PhD committee members.
Based my experience, sometimes we need to dive into a topic rather than to start step by step from the beginning to the advanced level.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: It's not clear to me whether you did Step 1 (or Step 2) yet. Forgive me if you already did them.
Step 1. Talk to your advisor and let her know how much time per week (or a percentage or proportion of your time) is being spent on the project, and ask for help and/or advice about how to balance your time more effectively.
Step 2. Work in the library, work at home, but limit the amount of time you spend in your office where other project members can grab you or distract you.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/11
| 946
| 4,002
|
<issue_start>username_0: My understanding is that a hypothesis is not scientific unless there is a way to sufficiently test it.
Is it ever acceptable to present a hypothesis that cannot be sufficiently tested?
I can imagine a situation where one has a hypothesis (A) that can be sufficiently tested via available research methods (e.g. a questionnaire) and another (B) that can only be sufficiently tested via other research methods that you do not have the resources to conduct (e.g. face-to-face interviews).
Would it be acceptable to partially test for hypothesis B and collect some preliminary data for it in this fictitious questionnaire, despite knowing that this would be an imperfect test? But then, if the testing method is imperfect, would this truly be considered a hypothesis or something else?<issue_comment>username_1: In statistical terms, you cannot partially test a hypothesis, you either test it or not. Also, there is no such thing as a "perfect" test.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: I believe the standard term for what you are talking about would be "preliminary results," and there is indeed a good place for work of this sort in the scientific literature.
The test for whether something is publishable is *not* whether it conforms to [the idealized scientific method](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_method). The test is instead whether it makes a meaningful contribution to the pursuit of knowledge. For work that can be (usually retrospectively) fit onto the idealized scientific method, this test is fairly easy to pass.
There is also, however, a place for many various types of preliminary work, such as:
* clearly formulating a problem and explaining why it is interesting or important to solve
* developing a method for attacking an unsolved problem of interest
* reporting a study that shows suggestive results, even though these are not definitive, this helping to motivate a more conclusive study.
All of these can be valuable in a number of ways, and all of them demonstrate incremental progress towards one's goal. The question of whether a particular such piece of work is publishable then boils down to whether the partial result is significant enough to attract interest in the venue in which one proposes to present it.
For this reason, "preliminary" work is less likely to get published in a field's top venues (though it most certainly can be, if enough people care about the problem)---the bigger the problem, the more that people will likely be interested in chipping away it little fragments of it (for example, think about all the preliminary work published on hunting the [Higgs boson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Higgs_boson) or chasing [P=NP](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P_versus_NP_problem)).
There are generally also more informal venus like workshops, symposia, etc., which are quite well suited for discussion of preliminary work.
In short: if you think the partial results are interesting, then it's entirely reasonable to try to present them in the appropriate context.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: Bose-Einstein condensation was predicted in 1924 and only actually seen in 1995.
Gravitational waves were predicted by Einstein in 1916. It was proved that they followed from general relativity in 1958. They were observed indirectly in 1974, and observed directly in 2015.
If "science" had been restricted to hypotheses which could be tested in the near future with available methods, then these predictions would not have been considered science, and it would have set physics back by decades.
I would agree that hypotheses which cannot be tested in principle are unscientific.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: This question seems to be related to Popper's falsifiability criterion. Note, however, that the question there is (certainly for Popper, anyway) whether a hypothesis can be tested *in principle*. Whether or not you have in fact the means to perform such a test is immaterial.
Upvotes: 1
|
2016/09/11
| 3,141
| 12,272
|
<issue_start>username_0: I recently discovered the following two papers:
>
> <NAME>. A proof of the Collatz conjecture. *Internat. J. Math. Ed. Sci. Tech.* **39** (2008), no. 3, 403–407, [DOI: 10.1080/00207390701691574](http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00207390701691574).
>
>
> <NAME>. A proof of the strong Goldbach conjecture. *Internat. J. Math. Ed. Sci. Tech.* **39** (2008), no. 8, 1102–1109, [DOI: 10.1080/00207390802136560](http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00207390802136560).
>
>
>
Mathematicians probably do not need to read any further to see where I am going with this.
For non-mathematicians, the [Collatz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collatz_conjecture) and [Goldbach](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldbach%27s_conjecture) conjectures are two of the most famous unsolved problems in mathematics. In addition to being the focus of active research, they are also popular targets for non-experts, who have proposed countless numbers of erroneous proofs over the years.
The MathSciNet reviews for the two articles ([Collatz](http://www.ams.org/mathscinet-getitem?mr=2401073), [Goldbach](http://www.ams.org/mathscinet-getitem?mr=2472397)), which are written after publication by independent reviewers, identify a critical error in each, which invalidates their results.
The [journal in question](http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tmes20/current) is apparently reputable (otherwise I would not bother) and is published by a major commercial academic publisher, though its main focus is on topics in mathematics education rather than pure mathematics. It appears that the chief editor has been in charge since before 2008. I did not find any errata or editor's notes regarding these papers. (A corrigendum of the Collatz paper was published, but it fixes minor typos only, and the MathSciNet reviewer apparently took these corrections into account.)
It seems to me that the papers cannot have ever undergone proper peer review - the titles alone should have subjected them to extremely close scrutiny - and that they ought to have been retracted long ago. But in light of their age, I wonder if it is it still appropriate to raise the issue with the journal's editor, or if people will just see it as "water under the bridge".
I am also not quite sure how to explain the issue tactfully. I think with most professional mathematicians, I could just show them the citations with no further explanation, and they'd immediately understand why this is bad. Obviously that didn't happen in the first place, but I'm not really sure how much more background I can give the editor without potentially appearing condescending or insulting.
I saw the question [I found a published paper that looks dodgy. What to do?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/62255/i-found-a-published-paper-that-looks-dodgy-what-to-do) But I think this case is more egregious than that one, in that the papers are not merely "dodgy" but in fact flatly wrong, and frankly, an embarrassment to the journal. The two answers there suggest "comment on PubPeer" and "do nothing", neither of which seem adequate.<issue_comment>username_1: I've dealt with this sort of thing in the past. I would begin by contacting the authors, explaining the problem and asking them to issue a retraction (while avoiding the temptation to ask why, if they really believed they had proven the Goldbach conjecture, they published the proof in an education journal!!).
If that fails, I would move on to the editorial board of the journal in question with the same request.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I would not recommend contacting the author, as
1. The people who put together the disproofs probably already have done so, and
2. You're likely to end up wasting time in futile argument.
I know a researcher who claimed to have solved P=NP. This researcher has done some nice work in other places, but this particular piece of work is based on hubris and naivete. Like many who have a personal area of blindness (as often happens with such famous problems), this researcher is pretty much impossible to talk to rationally about their pet subject. Thus, people basically just ignore it (which is easy since it's only ever been informally published as a preprint).
With something that has been published, you can contact the editors and see if they'll act, but if they don't I would recommend the policy of simply ignoring the article rather than making it a crusade.
I recognize that this suggestion may be controversial: it just feels *wrong*, given scientific ideals, to let an incorrect result stand. The edges of science always have been and always will be cluttered with junk work that is wrong but not worth anybody's time to get retracted or corrected.
I find that this is best understood by the fact that significant results generally imply more than just the result itself. If a result both correct and meaningful, then there should be a great deal of intellectual productivity that can expand out from either the result or the machinery used to obtain it. If not, then an incorrect result is much like all the other numerous dead-ends of scientific inquiry that have resulted in true but apparently useless results. That changes, of course, if an incorrect paper is likely to mislead experts or to cause public harm, in which case it's worth fighting, but that doesn't seem to be the case to me here.
If possible, it's nice to be able to lay a retraction marker down so that nobody ends up wasting their time on it. That's really all that getting the retraction would mean, however: just decreasing the likelihood of people stumbling across it and wasting their time. The ultimate fate of these papers will change little, whether retracted or not.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: It is a strange case. You say that the author of the two papers is deceased. Given that and the other facts you have presented -- in particular both papers were published almost ten years ago, their flaws would be immediately suspected by any mathematician and are documented in the MathSciNet reviews -- it seems to me that the principal culprit and the principal victim are both the *International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology* (**IJMEST**).
>
> The journal in question is apparently reputable (otherwise I would not bother)
>
>
>
Is it reputable, though? I hadn't heard of it before. Taking a look now, it is hard for me to tell.
>
> and is published by a major commercial academic publisher,
>
>
>
Come now: we all know that being published by a major commercial academic publisher is no certificate of quality. Elsevier was caught publishing a several journals that were essentially reprinted advertisements for medical and pharmaceutical companies. That's memorably egregious, but other big companies have skullduggeries of their own. Conversely, big companies which do some really shady things also put out some really good journals, Elsevier being a good example. Taylor and Francis is a less good example: of the 46 journals they publish in mathematics and statistics, I only myself recognize three as being good...but three is enough. So major publishing companies publish good journals and bad journals: I don't think one can deduce much from this.
Back to the journal. I looked into IJMEST, and I find it a bit strange. The journal's [aims and scope](http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=aimsScope&journalCode=tmes20) center it on (a kind of) mathematics and science *education*:
>
> Contributions will be welcomed from lecturers, teachers and users of mathematics at all levels on the contents of syllabuses and methods of presentation. Increasing use of technology is being made in the teaching, learning, assessment and presentation of mathematics today; original and interesting contributions in this rapidly developing area will be especially welcome. Mathematical models arising from real situations, the use of computers, new teaching aids and techniques also form an important feature. Discussion will be encouraged on methods of widening applications throughout science and technology. The need for communication between teacher and user will be emphasized and reports of relevant conferences and meetings will be included.
>
>
>
I wanted to remark that I have a colleague who is (to say the least) active in the mathematics education field, so I know that the above description is not really that of a modern *research* journal in mathematics / science education. It is more along the lines of creating a shared community for mathematical teachers (which is also a worthy goal, and one that my colleague is interested in).
But the above description does not seem to be a good match for the papers in which IJMEST has published in recent years. These papers seem to be almost entirely in the field of *mathematics* itself: most papers state theorems and give proofs. Sometimes they knowingly give proofs of old theorems and their angle is to give new proofs, often accompanied by the claim that they will be easier for the student to understand (although in my experience as a mathematician it is common for new proofs to be accompanied by such claims). But many, perhaps a majority, of the articles, seem to be entirely devoted to mathematics, usually of the kind that is broadly understandable: e.g. lots of Fibonacci numbers. So the published work of the journal looks to be a lot closer to what is published by the Mathematical Association of America (**MAA**)...but without nearly as much attention to the quality of the exposition as given by articles published in MAA journals.
So something has gone terribly wrong for this journal to publish proofs of major open problems like Collatz or Goldbach: such papers should be out of scope of the journal. As @username_1 points out, submitting a paper claiming a proof of something like Goldbach to a journal like this just doesn't make any sense: such a paper should be published not only in a math journal but in one of the very top math journals, first because a correct proof of Goldbach *merits* publication there (such a proof would rank among the great mathematical achievements of all time!) and second because a top journal can get the top experts in the field to the vet the paper, which is needed in order for the community to accept the result.
When the editorial board of a journal like IJMEST receives a paper claiming a proof of a major conjecture, they should (I think) do one of the following things:
(i) Bounce the paper back immediately as being out of scope for the journal, or
(ii) Engage in a preliminary refereeing job to see if the paper looks serious. If so, they should reach out to the editorial board at an appropriate journal -- i.e., a top mathematics journal -- and try to do a handover of some kind.
I've thought it over for a while now (slow internet connection...), and although in general I believe strongly that any interested party can contact editors and try to get published results corrected, in this case I just don't see why that would be a helpful thing to do. I realize that I now believe that publishing short, fallacious proofs of two major conjectures in the same year is enough to irreparably damage the reputability of a mathematics education journal in my eyes. Either they are so far outside of the mathematical community that they don't understand the significance of problems like Goldbach to the mathematical community and how they have to be handled or they know and don't care: in particular, they don't really care whether the mathematics they publish is correct. I don't see how to fix either of those problems.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_4: Out of curiosity, I clicked through to the original articles, and noticed that both were retracted by the journal's editor-in-chief.
* Retraction notice for the Collatz paper: <https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0020739X.2019.1703070>
* Retraction for the Goldbach paper: <https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0020739X.2019.1703071>
Both notices refer to negative reviews and (unsuccessful) corrections elsewhere; neither mentions what initially brought this to the editor's attention.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/11
| 3,498
| 13,084
|
<issue_start>username_0: I should soon complete my masters degree in engineering and have decided to apply for a PhD after I finish.
An issue I face is that I cannot afford to not receive a wage that I could for example get by going into industry. So far I have been very fortunate to study for free in Scotland and Switzerland - and during my time in Switzerland it became apparent that the PhD students not only didn't have to pay fees but in fact were employed as staff of the University and received a good wage. As a comparison in Scotland you would normally have your doctorate fees covered by the project funding but would only receive a modest stipend on which it would be a real struggle to get by upon fully depending on circumstance. Further, in other countries, I know it is normal to pay your fees for doing the PhD and receive no stipend whatsoever.
My question is: are there many other countries in which, as you do in Switzerland, you receive a staff wage comparable to a wage you would receive from going straight into a job in industry? The only other countries I'm aware of in which this is the culture are Denmark and Sweden.<issue_comment>username_1: I can attest to the Netherlands and Belgium being on this list. PhD students are (normally!) considered employees of the university and are paid salary. As far as I know this is the case when the project has secured funding.
The questions surrounding the project funding are generally more difficult - i.e. in some cases the student needs to find an own source of funding - either another institution providing funding (scholarships etc) or a company.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: In Germany PhD students are also usually employees. Most professors have one or a few PhD positions to fill and also third party funding often comes for PhD positions (e.g. from the DFG or from the BMBF). This means they have a regular job and all social security. The pay is good **but** first it is far from what one could get in the industry (of course, depending on the field...), second you are often employed half time, three quarters or something different, and third you'll have teaching duties to fulfill. Either way you can make a living as a PhD student (even part time) but you can probably not afford a fancy lifestyle with a big house or a new car.
Also note, that you can also do your PhD on some kind of scholarship which come without social security (e.g. from some foundations but also some departments have a system for PhD scholarships).
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: Presumably, there are many places where PhD fees are waved and where many students receive some form of scholarship/stipend/wage. Thus, it seems that there are several issues:
* Are fees waved, deferred, or paid?
* Do you get given money to do the PhD and if so how much?
* Are you considered an employee and therefore get additional benefits?
* How much additional work (e.g., teaching, research assistant, etc.) is allowed or advised while doing PhD and how much money does that generate?
* What are you defining as the income you could earn in industry and how close do you have to get to that income for the PhD to be considered equivalent?
I'll use the case of a PhD in Australia as an example:
* Most local students will have their fees waved
* Perhaps half of all PhD students are on a scholarship
* The median wage of a full-time worker is about AUD$60,000, which at a guess is roughly $48,000 after tax.
* A PhD scholarship would be about AUD$26,000 tax free.
* If you did some tutoring work up to the generally allowed level (perhaps 6-8 hours per week averaged throughout the year) you might earn another AUD$10,000 which wouldn't be taxed because you're below the tax free threshold.
So, in summary, you are earning $36,000 after tax compared to median wage of about $48,000 after tax. You're not getting retirement benefits and many of the other employment benefits you would get with a full-time wage.
Alternatively, you might be able to work part-time and do the PhD part-time. Many scholarships require full-time completion. But if you are able to get scholarship and work part-time. Then you might be able to put together something approaching median wage. That said, the whole process would take longer, and you wont necessarily be in a better financial position at the end, had you gone full-time, and started your post-PhD career sooner.
So in summary, I guess it depends on exactly where you set the frame of reference and how you combine scholarship, other income, and the potential post-PhD income.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: In Hungary, when applying for PhD, you can decide whether to apply for a stipend (paid by the government) or pay yourself. Some universities have limitations, like they don't allow you to have a stipend when working full-time, but this is not universal. If you apply for it and your results are good enough, you will get paid for 2+2 years in the current system (I think if you don't finish your dissertation by the end of that, you have to pay back some of it).
As of today, this means 140 000 HUF for the first 2 years and 180 000 after. The minimum wage is about 74 000 HUF after taxes. Also, engineering students frequently participate in projects at the university or industrial partners, which can add a lot.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: In Italy, PhD students are paid a net amount of at least 1000 Euros per month (the sum is dictated by government), in case their admission would be with a scholorship. In some cases, research groups might add some additional money to the 1000 Euros to further support their PhD student. It can get up to 1500. In industry, a newly graduated engineer makes roughly about 1500 euros per month after taxation during first 3 years of employment.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_6: In Norway, the standard PhD salary is around NOK 420.000 which is about USD 52.500 per year. This will give you around NOK 24.500 or USD 3.000 per month after tax. In addition you will get about NOK 70.000 to cover travel expences etc.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_7: I'm not sure how much Scotland is different from the rest of the UK, but from my experience of UK PhD funding, I'm not sure why you're worried.
A standard PhD stipend is a little over £14,000 per year, paid quarterly. Fees are covered, and additional money can often be earned by taking on teaching or marking duties, up to about £1500 per year. Taking into account that students do not pay tax this is approximately equivalent to a salary of £17 or £18 thousand per year.
While I appreciate that circumstances may vary for different people, I wouldn't really call that
>
> a real struggle to get by upon
>
>
>
Outside of London, that is enough to rent a decent sized one bedroom flat or share a nice house, pay your bills, take a nice holiday and still have the weekly cash to go out for dinner or drinks. In London, the stipend is increased but I don't have personal experience of the living expenses there, so it may be different.
As I said, circumstances may be difficult for some people, but most universities will have support for childcare or special needs, so unless you are trying to support a family as the sole earner, I don't think it's really a worry.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_8: In Switzerland, PhD students in areas where there is a high demand and relatively easy to find a job (physics, computer science) are paid a salary less but still comparable to that a company can offer for the new master without any previous employment. Master degree is required for PhD.
For areas where it is more difficult to find a job, it is formally half time employment (so 50 %) but realistically a PhD student still stays a complete working day in laboratory. It may change over time and be laboratory dependent on which of these two rules applies.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_9: In France PhD has salary of about 1300 or 1500 euro net per month, but then student has to pay annual tax:
* If he/she earns 1300 euro/month, tax is about 200 euro
* If the net salary is > 1500 euro/month, tax is > 1200 euro
Also every PhD student pays fees to university, which is about 400 euro/year.
France is a very socialistic country, as you see from taxes above, but PhD students are not eligible for any social help.
And consider, please, that apartment rent in Paris region (Ile-de-France) is expensive, a decent studio not very far from university costs more than 500 euro/month.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_10: In Belgium, you get a decent salary during your Ph.D., but you will not pay taxes on it, so you will not be able to profit from tax advantages. (e.g. if you have a loan, you will not receive tax refunds).
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_11: It depends even on the field of study and the deaprtment heads.
In Czech republic, PhD students are paid a stipend and can be paid from the project they are part of.
In one department the students are paid the "state" stipend only, and it is not comparable even with minimum wage. In another department, with strong research background, the students are paid comparable to average wage. Both are part of same university.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_12: It is about 1700-1800 Euro per month in Austria after taxes for
Computer Science or Electrical Engineering. (14x a year)
This is about the median income in Austria, but still a little less, than industry pays.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_13: I would add Mexico to the list.
In STEM, a PhD grant from the national council for sciences and technology (conacyt) is [6 times the minimum salary](http://conacyt.gob.mx/index.php/becas-y-posgrados/becas-nacionales), which is equivalent to the starting salary of a freshly graduated engineer. Today, this amount is equivalent to around USD $700 a month, tax free, and enough to live correctly in Mexico City.
Some universities could give other grants. For instance, the UNAM has a grant program for students not in areas covered by conacyt. The amount of the grant is equivalent ([See the UNAM website](http://www.posgrado.unam.mx/es/main-menu/alumnos-de-maestria-y-doctorado-de-la-unam)).
I would add that in public universities tuition is basically free.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_14: In Argentina you can apply for a full scholarship from mainly two government agencies: [CONICET](http://www.agencia.mincyt.gob.ar/) and [AGENCIA](http://www.agencia.mincyt.gob.ar/). Beware that everyone can apply but not everyone gets it, although the number of scholarships given is rather generous.
I think there is an age limit also (<30 years? Something like that).
The current scholarship is a little less than U$S1000 monthly, which is semi-decent given the cost of living in this country.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_15: I am limiting my answer to the scope of engineering PhD programs. In the USA, the stipend number varies greatly by geographical area, university prestige, private or government funding, and program of studies. I know of universities that pay annual PhD stipends from USD $10k up to USD $55k. These are normally dictated by the amount the university determines as "cost of attendance."
This amount generally caps the available financial aid (in the form of scholarships, fellowships, grants, etc.) that the university can provide to a student. Of course, there are external sources but that wasn't part of the OP question.
In my impression, the (roughly) top 50 engineering programs will pay a decent enough stipend for a single person to live comfortably (rent a private studio/apartment, eat out regularly, make car payment, etc.) without splurging.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_16: In USA, if you are lucky (good) enough to get full funding, it'll cover your living costs if you are single and you probably earn more than the national median. But that's an order of magnitude off from what you can potentially earn. As someone who is thinking of going for a PhD you probably qualify for high earning jobs. This totally depends on your degree.
Say in Computer Science, where I come from, doing a PhD makes no financial sense in 99.999999% of the cases. Take this from someone who went through a long PhD program.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_17: In Sweden, most PhD students are employees with standard benefits: five weeks vacation, paid family leave, sick leave, social security, etc. There are considerable variations in salary depending on your field, university, and how long you've been employed. The salary range is roughly around 20k SEK/mo (~2100€, just starting out in the humanities) to around 34k SEK/mo (~3550€, close to dissertation at top paying STEM universities) before taxes. Incomes in this bracket are taxed at roughly 25%.
For comparison, the median salary in Sweden is somewhere around 28 000 SEK/mo.
There are no additional fees for being a PhD student, but you will usually be expected to spend part of your time teaching or doing other departmental duties.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/12
| 3,361
| 12,493
|
<issue_start>username_0: I have a power point presentation in front of our Head regarding my research and achievements. Time limit is 4 minutes presentation and 1 minute discussion. I am wondering what to keep in the PPT?
I have now prepared with 5 slides:- an Title slide, Introduction, Ongoing Research, Achievements.
Should I keep a Title slide? If I keep it, then how much seconds should I take and what to say in the Title slide.
What to say and how to finish up the ongoing research in 1-2 slides in a couple of minutes?
Can you please suggest?<issue_comment>username_1: I can attest to the Netherlands and Belgium being on this list. PhD students are (normally!) considered employees of the university and are paid salary. As far as I know this is the case when the project has secured funding.
The questions surrounding the project funding are generally more difficult - i.e. in some cases the student needs to find an own source of funding - either another institution providing funding (scholarships etc) or a company.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: In Germany PhD students are also usually employees. Most professors have one or a few PhD positions to fill and also third party funding often comes for PhD positions (e.g. from the DFG or from the BMBF). This means they have a regular job and all social security. The pay is good **but** first it is far from what one could get in the industry (of course, depending on the field...), second you are often employed half time, three quarters or something different, and third you'll have teaching duties to fulfill. Either way you can make a living as a PhD student (even part time) but you can probably not afford a fancy lifestyle with a big house or a new car.
Also note, that you can also do your PhD on some kind of scholarship which come without social security (e.g. from some foundations but also some departments have a system for PhD scholarships).
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: Presumably, there are many places where PhD fees are waved and where many students receive some form of scholarship/stipend/wage. Thus, it seems that there are several issues:
* Are fees waved, deferred, or paid?
* Do you get given money to do the PhD and if so how much?
* Are you considered an employee and therefore get additional benefits?
* How much additional work (e.g., teaching, research assistant, etc.) is allowed or advised while doing PhD and how much money does that generate?
* What are you defining as the income you could earn in industry and how close do you have to get to that income for the PhD to be considered equivalent?
I'll use the case of a PhD in Australia as an example:
* Most local students will have their fees waved
* Perhaps half of all PhD students are on a scholarship
* The median wage of a full-time worker is about AUD$60,000, which at a guess is roughly $48,000 after tax.
* A PhD scholarship would be about AUD$26,000 tax free.
* If you did some tutoring work up to the generally allowed level (perhaps 6-8 hours per week averaged throughout the year) you might earn another AUD$10,000 which wouldn't be taxed because you're below the tax free threshold.
So, in summary, you are earning $36,000 after tax compared to median wage of about $48,000 after tax. You're not getting retirement benefits and many of the other employment benefits you would get with a full-time wage.
Alternatively, you might be able to work part-time and do the PhD part-time. Many scholarships require full-time completion. But if you are able to get scholarship and work part-time. Then you might be able to put together something approaching median wage. That said, the whole process would take longer, and you wont necessarily be in a better financial position at the end, had you gone full-time, and started your post-PhD career sooner.
So in summary, I guess it depends on exactly where you set the frame of reference and how you combine scholarship, other income, and the potential post-PhD income.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: In Hungary, when applying for PhD, you can decide whether to apply for a stipend (paid by the government) or pay yourself. Some universities have limitations, like they don't allow you to have a stipend when working full-time, but this is not universal. If you apply for it and your results are good enough, you will get paid for 2+2 years in the current system (I think if you don't finish your dissertation by the end of that, you have to pay back some of it).
As of today, this means 140 000 HUF for the first 2 years and 180 000 after. The minimum wage is about 74 000 HUF after taxes. Also, engineering students frequently participate in projects at the university or industrial partners, which can add a lot.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: In Italy, PhD students are paid a net amount of at least 1000 Euros per month (the sum is dictated by government), in case their admission would be with a scholorship. In some cases, research groups might add some additional money to the 1000 Euros to further support their PhD student. It can get up to 1500. In industry, a newly graduated engineer makes roughly about 1500 euros per month after taxation during first 3 years of employment.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_6: In Norway, the standard PhD salary is around NOK 420.000 which is about USD 52.500 per year. This will give you around NOK 24.500 or USD 3.000 per month after tax. In addition you will get about NOK 70.000 to cover travel expences etc.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_7: I'm not sure how much Scotland is different from the rest of the UK, but from my experience of UK PhD funding, I'm not sure why you're worried.
A standard PhD stipend is a little over £14,000 per year, paid quarterly. Fees are covered, and additional money can often be earned by taking on teaching or marking duties, up to about £1500 per year. Taking into account that students do not pay tax this is approximately equivalent to a salary of £17 or £18 thousand per year.
While I appreciate that circumstances may vary for different people, I wouldn't really call that
>
> a real struggle to get by upon
>
>
>
Outside of London, that is enough to rent a decent sized one bedroom flat or share a nice house, pay your bills, take a nice holiday and still have the weekly cash to go out for dinner or drinks. In London, the stipend is increased but I don't have personal experience of the living expenses there, so it may be different.
As I said, circumstances may be difficult for some people, but most universities will have support for childcare or special needs, so unless you are trying to support a family as the sole earner, I don't think it's really a worry.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_8: In Switzerland, PhD students in areas where there is a high demand and relatively easy to find a job (physics, computer science) are paid a salary less but still comparable to that a company can offer for the new master without any previous employment. Master degree is required for PhD.
For areas where it is more difficult to find a job, it is formally half time employment (so 50 %) but realistically a PhD student still stays a complete working day in laboratory. It may change over time and be laboratory dependent on which of these two rules applies.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_9: In France PhD has salary of about 1300 or 1500 euro net per month, but then student has to pay annual tax:
* If he/she earns 1300 euro/month, tax is about 200 euro
* If the net salary is > 1500 euro/month, tax is > 1200 euro
Also every PhD student pays fees to university, which is about 400 euro/year.
France is a very socialistic country, as you see from taxes above, but PhD students are not eligible for any social help.
And consider, please, that apartment rent in Paris region (Ile-de-France) is expensive, a decent studio not very far from university costs more than 500 euro/month.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_10: In Belgium, you get a decent salary during your Ph.D., but you will not pay taxes on it, so you will not be able to profit from tax advantages. (e.g. if you have a loan, you will not receive tax refunds).
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_11: It depends even on the field of study and the deaprtment heads.
In Czech republic, PhD students are paid a stipend and can be paid from the project they are part of.
In one department the students are paid the "state" stipend only, and it is not comparable even with minimum wage. In another department, with strong research background, the students are paid comparable to average wage. Both are part of same university.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_12: It is about 1700-1800 Euro per month in Austria after taxes for
Computer Science or Electrical Engineering. (14x a year)
This is about the median income in Austria, but still a little less, than industry pays.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_13: I would add Mexico to the list.
In STEM, a PhD grant from the national council for sciences and technology (conacyt) is [6 times the minimum salary](http://conacyt.gob.mx/index.php/becas-y-posgrados/becas-nacionales), which is equivalent to the starting salary of a freshly graduated engineer. Today, this amount is equivalent to around USD $700 a month, tax free, and enough to live correctly in Mexico City.
Some universities could give other grants. For instance, the UNAM has a grant program for students not in areas covered by conacyt. The amount of the grant is equivalent ([See the UNAM website](http://www.posgrado.unam.mx/es/main-menu/alumnos-de-maestria-y-doctorado-de-la-unam)).
I would add that in public universities tuition is basically free.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_14: In Argentina you can apply for a full scholarship from mainly two government agencies: [CONICET](http://www.agencia.mincyt.gob.ar/) and [AGENCIA](http://www.agencia.mincyt.gob.ar/). Beware that everyone can apply but not everyone gets it, although the number of scholarships given is rather generous.
I think there is an age limit also (<30 years? Something like that).
The current scholarship is a little less than U$S1000 monthly, which is semi-decent given the cost of living in this country.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_15: I am limiting my answer to the scope of engineering PhD programs. In the USA, the stipend number varies greatly by geographical area, university prestige, private or government funding, and program of studies. I know of universities that pay annual PhD stipends from USD $10k up to USD $55k. These are normally dictated by the amount the university determines as "cost of attendance."
This amount generally caps the available financial aid (in the form of scholarships, fellowships, grants, etc.) that the university can provide to a student. Of course, there are external sources but that wasn't part of the OP question.
In my impression, the (roughly) top 50 engineering programs will pay a decent enough stipend for a single person to live comfortably (rent a private studio/apartment, eat out regularly, make car payment, etc.) without splurging.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_16: In USA, if you are lucky (good) enough to get full funding, it'll cover your living costs if you are single and you probably earn more than the national median. But that's an order of magnitude off from what you can potentially earn. As someone who is thinking of going for a PhD you probably qualify for high earning jobs. This totally depends on your degree.
Say in Computer Science, where I come from, doing a PhD makes no financial sense in 99.999999% of the cases. Take this from someone who went through a long PhD program.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_17: In Sweden, most PhD students are employees with standard benefits: five weeks vacation, paid family leave, sick leave, social security, etc. There are considerable variations in salary depending on your field, university, and how long you've been employed. The salary range is roughly around 20k SEK/mo (~2100€, just starting out in the humanities) to around 34k SEK/mo (~3550€, close to dissertation at top paying STEM universities) before taxes. Incomes in this bracket are taxed at roughly 25%.
For comparison, the median salary in Sweden is somewhere around 28 000 SEK/mo.
There are no additional fees for being a PhD student, but you will usually be expected to spend part of your time teaching or doing other departmental duties.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/12
| 1,680
| 7,372
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am currently starting my PhD in physics. I like the work and the working environment, thus I chose the project. The onliest thing I am a bit worried about is that my supervisor is known for changing tasks during the project, regardless of deadlines. I already saw that during my master thesis in the same group, where he told me to start and finish another (rather large) lab task two weeks before my final dead line. I managed to do it, but I would prefer not to have such events again.
Thus I proposed the usage of milestones or project tasks for the project. He responded that he would prefer not to use them, due to possible (yet unknown) new discoveries during the research phase, which then could change the topic completely. That argument makes sense for me, too. But is there still a way to set up at least some borders in order to prevent surprises?
Edit:
The lab task was basically designing, building, testing and running measurements with a new measurement setup for optical properties. It was discussed when I began, but never mentioned later, thus I may have forgot it (I am not without fault here, I have to admit). That lead to achieving the first real measurements ~30 minutes before submission deadline.
Some professors I knew and have seen the thesis afterwards made the remarks that that definitely increased the total scope of the thesis way out of the range of a common thesis.
Furthermore, I discussed the topic with him, and he agreed to make at least a rough draft of expectations, after he understood (as far as I could see) my concerns. So, I'll see...<issue_comment>username_1: You can set multiple plans for milestones, such as the main plan A, second alternative B, and the third one C.
If you fail in A, just move quickly to alternative B.
This is an standard way for doing PhD work, because it is an unknown world for us before doing exactly what should we do to reach the results.
My proposition is to have a overall milestone including details for each step of your project and also have multiple plans(aims) for doing the same project.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: I can understand that your professor expects unexpected things to come up, but that doesn't mean you can't make plans or targets. I would recommend being firm with your supervisor (their way of working is possibly less important than your ways of working, given that as a PhD student you will be conducting much more independent research) and getting them to help you make reasonable targets.
However, you do have to be open to scrapping those plans, and it might make your supervisor more comfortable if you stress this point. You can plan for what you will do if everything goes well, but know how to change your plan if you discover something else interesting and want to change your focus. It's worth noting that many people don't know what their thesis will actually be about for their first year or so.
At my university, we have certain monitored deadlines, so you have to have decided on a vague research topic within 9 months of starting, and have a sensible plan for what will be included in your thesis about 9 months before your end of funding. (I'm in the UK, so funded for 3 or 3.5 years.)
If your professor is resistant to the idea, you could talk to other students and academics about how they plan or make targets for PhD projects. If your supervisor throws you a curve ball that you don't want to take on, you don't have to do what they say if you can demonstrate that it is not useful work for you, if it is off-topic or you have enough material for your thesis without it and don't have the time.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Learn to say no. Part of your PhD is to learn how to become an independent researcher, and that includes learning to prioritise tasks.
If he proposes you a new task that you don't think fits into your schedule, either tell him that you are busy with something else and cannot do it, or that you are working on something, but you can look into that once you are finished (include an estimated date).
You may find helpful to make a short term schedule with future tasks. If your supervisor insists on you doing something, present him with the schedule and ask what should you remove or postpone to fit this task. My girlfriend (way more organised than I am) usually has one detailed plan for the next 1-2 months to avoid this exact problem. This still gives enough wiggle room to accommodate new findings, while keeping the project moving forward, without getting too sidetracked by small findings. And of course, it is not set in stone if something big pops out.
Another think that you should consider is that often, your supervisor has no idea how long the tasks he is proposing will take. This is very common in computational fields, where adding a new feature may be immediate, if you already have computed everything you need for it, or it may take weeks if you have to do it from scratch. So, if you are presented with a task that you think is too big, give your supervisor a time estimate and ask him if he still thinks it is worth it, and if he is still up for it, what to remove from the schedule.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: The real issue is that your supervisor is known for changing tasks during the project, regardless of the effect it might have on your deadlines. did you explain to your supervisor why you proposed the schedule? If not, I think you need to explain your concerns *clearly* to him.
You proposed having a schedule with milestones, which is a very sensible approach. Frankly I think it would be insane not to have some sort of schedule planned out with milestones, even if it is very high-level and subject to change. *Make sure your supervisor understands that this schedule is a communication tool as well as a planning tool; it would help you both see how task will affect your schedule.*
If your supervisor still doesn't want to deal with schedules, ask *him* what alternative approach he proposes to ensure that you finish your PhD within a reasonable amount of time. Whatever he suggests, make sure that you are satisfied with it before agreeing. It's important to sort these things out early in your PhD.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_5: >
> during my masters thesis in the same group, he told me to start and finish another (rather large) lab task two weeks before my final dead line. I managed to do it, but I would prefer not to have such events again.
>
>
>
That's the starting point for this difficult conversation. You'll have to present it as an "I-message". An "I-message" is where you explain how what happened affected *you*, and how the prospect that something similar might happen in the future affects *you*.
Once you get across how the incident affected you, and continues to affect you, *then* you may be able to start talking about possible solutions.
When you get to that stage (and I don't know how long it will take for your advisor to be ready to enter that stage), try to take a brainstorming approach, where you allow your advisor to contribute ideas as well.
If your advisor has trouble taking your "I-message" on board, be patient. Try again a little later on. Give lots of positive feedback whenever your advisor treats you with the respect you want (and deserve).
Upvotes: 1
|
2016/09/12
| 5,663
| 23,843
|
<issue_start>username_0: I'm taking a course named **Numerical and Computational Methods Based on Mathematica** (Or in Chinese: "基于Mathematica的数值计算方法"), but [Wolfram Mathematica](https://www.wolfram.com/mathematica/) is a bit expensive for me to afford. On the first lesson of this course, the teacher told us how to crack this software, and asked us to have Mathematica 11.0 installed on our computers by this Wednesday. However, I just don't want to use cracked softwares.
While it is true that software cracking is inappropriate and even illegal, almost everyone around me uses cracked softwares(such as PS, AE...). As far as I know, nobody in the rest of our class refuse to crack and install the software.
So what should I do? Having a talk with my teacher or simply quitting this course?
---
**Follow-up:**
Finally, I've decided to quit this course, because I think I can gain the same knowledge by learning [Mathics](http://www.mathics.org), a free software recommended by some answers below.
Thank you for all the awesome answers!
---
**Follow-up II:**
I feel obliged to mention that now everyone can download the [Free Wolfram Engine for Developers](https://blog.stephenwolfram.com/2019/05/launching-today-free-wolfram-engine-for-developers/). From my understanding, the Wolfram Engine implements the Wolfram Language and is the very kernel of Mathematica, so this is basically a free full version of Mathematica, just without the notebook interface.<issue_comment>username_1: In the general case that you disagree with an approach that your teacher is using I would just suggest that you speak to the teacher and raise your concerns.
However, as there's a legal issue involved here, I think it would be appropriate to raise this with someone who is senior to your teacher. As this could potentially get the institution into trouble, your teacher likely has superiors who would want to know about this and have it put to an end.
You should also remember that there may be others in your class who find this objectionable, but aren't prepared to stand out from the crowd by saying so.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: Consider the question linked below, and always google for "open source (software name)" which can recommend alternative software for you. It won't be an exact replica but will do work for you. Sage is a nice alternative. I personally left pirated software use decade ago as it is exactly stealing. [Best open-source Mathematica equivalent](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/33550/best-open-source-mathematica-equivalent)
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: I would not recommend using cracked Mathematica versions at the university. Cracking/ pirating software is illegal and that should be reason enough not to do that. Your professor should not encourage that.
Apart from that general aspect I know that Wolfram has means to detect pirated software. If you do not take further measures Mathematica searches for updates and for full operational capability Mathematica needs access to the Wolfram/WolframAlpha servers/database.
Extensive use of cracked Mathematica versions is pretty common among students and even in some work groups and I know of a case at a university that Wolfram reached out to a department demanding that they stop using cracked Mathematica versions. This is the best case scenario when getting caught but if the guys at Wolfram are not in a so generous mood things like that can get very expensive.
An annual license for the student edition of Mathematica costs not that much (about 50€) and is worth the money. If your university does not have licenses on pool computers, I would buy such an annual license to be save. Because once your university gets caught all involved parties will most likely be in trouble (I say that without being an expert on the law).
EDIT:
To clarify this answer a bit regarding the comments on it: @Ian\_Fin gave a suggestion on how to improve the situation that can be one way to approach it. But even if one brings it to the attention of the department it might not improve at all or not very soon. I personally think it is unlikely that the department does not know about this issue and if they have not done something about it once they introduced that course I personally do not think they will do something now. The last sentence is my intuition to that case and might be completely wrong. I am just saying: Wolfram has means to detect this and if a big group uses a crack from one location (maybe even the same serial/registration) it becomes easier for them to detect and it is a bigger issue to them than one single instance.
Even if your university/department gets licenses they will be in form of a license server or on pool computers. I would say it is not likely that they give out licenses to students to use on personal computers. Mathematica can become a very helpful tool for your studies and I can say from experience it is worth the money. Sure it is not cheap and there are alternatives like python, sage and more but if you have to use Mathematica for the course there is an option to get it for a reasonable price and it will belong to you and you can use it wherever and whenever you want.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: One thing you should absolutely avoid doing is cracking the software yourself. That opens **you personally** to a whole lot of legal issues (IANAL, but this is kind of obvious). If *your computer* is really yours, it should be possible to complete the course without one. Not as convenient, of course (e.g. you may have to stay after classes to use the classroom PCs), but still.
If *your computer* is a machine you were given by the institution to be used during the course, it should be provided with the software you need. Go to the IT department, tell them you are required to have Mathematica 11 for your course and ask them to install it. When confronted with the need of cracking the software themselves, IT guys may end up finding a license for you. At the very least, if they crack the software for you, you can still consider yourself a bona fide user in case your institution gets busted.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_5: I would report it to Wolfram using their [contact form](http://www.wolfram.com/support/contact/email/). If concerned about privacy, I would do so anonymously using a newly created email account (gmail etc).
If it is possible, I would also report it to the legal department of your academic institution.
If you are comfortable with the possible consequences, you might first open a dialogue with your teacher asking whether the course can be taken using a free equivalent such as [Sage](http://www.sagemath.org/), [Maxima](http://maxima.sourceforge.net/) or some other product that does not require students to infringe copyrights and give rise to worries about legality.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_6: My advice is to just use the pirated software and not rock the boat, just like Drunken Code Monkey, for example, mentioned.
This issue isn't something that you're likely to solve yourself. Instead, you're most likely going to spend large amount of time and energy on nothing and produce no results. The fact that your teacher just expects you to get cracked Mathematica is a proof enough that it's something completely normal and accepted by your society. Now, I'm not going to preach to you about your own personal ethics or if you should feel bad about the situation or not. Others have given more than enough options.
Instead, I'm going to talk a bit about how things like this are resolved in other places. I myself am from Serbia, a country that has been recently opening itself to the idea of actually giving money for software, so I've seen a bit of how negotiations between foreign software companies and locals work.
Basically, on one hand, the "manufacturer" of the software is suffering what some might consider a loss, since you, your fellow students and the institution aren't paying for licenses.
On the other hand, keep in mind that they also have a direct benefit from you: You're increasing the user-base of their software.
Mathematica isn't new and it's not going to disappear because you aren't paying for it. Instead, it has a chance to thrive: You're using Mathematica and not competitors. That means that you'll be most likely comfortable using Mathematica and not some other tool that take getting used to. At your future employer's place, you'll probably feel more comfortable again using Mathematica than alternatives.
This means that your area is a very interesting potential market for Wolfram. Sure, you're not paying now, but directly, that fact doesn't cost Wolfram anything. Keep in mind that software prices are not calculated by how much a license costs (because it costs pretty much nothing and the trend is to reduce physical costs as much as possible), instead they're calculated by how much potential customers want to pay for it. In some cases, the "normal" prices might be very far away from what you can normally afford.
The bottom line for software companies is that they want money, specifically, more money than they invested into the creation of software. Their user-base is a potential source of money. If the users are paying, that's great, if they're the non-paying type of users, you want to convert them eventually into paying type of users using various methods (student licenses come to mind, for example). If you spend resources to convert the non-paying users into non-users, you just wasted your own money for no profit at all.
The result is that, if Wolfram has a sufficiently large user base in China, and at the same time, the political situation in China changes to a point where Wolfram can start negotiations on licensing, the educational institutions could end up getting real licenses for their computers.
These licenses could be either payed individually, or through an agreement with your government for a form of collective licensing. They might even be "donated" as a show of "good will". There might be an agreement for a combination of donated and purchased licenses or a certain ratio of tolerated "non-purchased" and purchased licenses, eg. you'll buy 5 and we'll let you use up to 15 licenses or similar. There might be an agreement that a company could be allowed (or maybe even given government backing) to persecute or at least aggressively negotiate with commercial pirates in return for giving licenses to government and educational institutions. Sometimes, it's much easier to put pressure on a large for-profit company that has money to pay licenses than to put pressure on a smaller institution that in the end won't even be able to pay anything.
Possibilities are great, depending on what the company and relevant institutions manage to officially or unofficially negotiate. Do note that, if the political climate is ripe-enough, such negotiations can be very profitable for the company. After all, some money is much better than no money, as long as it doesn't take too much effort to obtain it.
Upvotes: 7 <issue_comment>username_7: Let's see through this step for step:
* Is this actually illegal? To give an extreme example: Homosexuality is in Scandinavia not only legal, but accepted in the culture including marriages while it is outlawed in many Islamic countries and punishable by death. So no, an argumentation that it is illegal because you personally think so does not hold water.
While most countries have now accepted universal human rights, *cracked software is by no means an accepted universal law violation*. And while I cannot claim innocent when visiting another country by pointing out that it is not illegal in my home country, just as little firms from abroad can claim a violation if the country in question does not accept copyright violation.
So check if there is a law that prohibits copyright violation.
* While the practice may be "illegal" by law, it also depends how a culture stands to a specific law. Every country has laws which are completely ignored by their population for different reasons. They are hopelessly outdated, imposed by former colonialists, largely forgotten or seen as a petty offense.
* How is the stance on authority? Believe it or not, in some cultures it is *not* allowed to openly criticize superiors even if you think they are doing wrong. Criticizing them may be perceived as a more severe violation than their law breaking.
If your country sees it as illegal, and it is a law which is actually enforced and it is allowed to speak openly, then the correct course of action would be to inform the superiors of the teacher. If the authority issue does not allow the direct course of action, you can try to speak with the teacher under four eyes and find a solution (below) or inform other independent authorities apart from university (can still backfire, inform yourself about precedents and how that worked out).
If this a non-issue (the law exists, but is not taken seriously) then you are on your own and you must decide how you will react (do not ever try to force the law or your opinion on it on others in this case except you like to have a bloody nose).
If you make the decision that it is immoral for you, your options are:
1. Buy a license. It does not have to be the actual license for the computer you are working on to be the ethical choice. The problem is if you are actually capable of buying the license (reminder: There are regions in Africa where people die because they have no money for vital medicine. "It's so cheap" may be right for your environment, but if you do not know how much money it comparably costs in other regions do not condemn).
2. Try to use free software. It depends really if your instructor allows you to use it as replacement (see above), if you have enough time to learn it and if the software as powerful enough to work as a replacement.
3. Do something to lessen the impact. You could do the choice to let someone install it so you don't need to do it yourself. You can make a vow that you will pay the software back (e.g. a lifetime license) once you have enough money. Or do something good in return (humanitarian deeds) to compensate your wrongdoing.
4. Drop the course if your pricks of conscience are too hurtful. The question is if someone depends on you and hopes for your education and leaving the course will cause trouble. Then you are ethically obliged to choose the lesser evil and if you have a family on one side which may need your help and on the other side a big software firm which could handle themselves...
Life is hard. Your decision.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_8: Apparently installing a cracked version of Mathematica 11.0 is part of the assignment here, so if you object to that on ethical grounds, you would need to quit your study at your present University and try to enroll in another University where they don't do this sort of a thing. While you could try to stay at your university over your ethical objections by sidestepping this particular issue by buying the license, you would likely face another such problem in the future. E.g. the next assignment may well be to crack the Maple license and a few weeks after that you may be asked to install Matlab.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_9: >
> While it is true that software cracking is inappropriate and even illegal, almost everyone around me uses cracked software
>
>
>
That is really bad and I know it happens also in my country (Italy). However, I think there is a false dilemma in your question:
>
> So what should I do? Having a talk with my teacher or simply quitting this course?
>
>
>
There are **not the only options** you have. There is a third one, which is using *Mathematica* (or the Wolfram Language) legally for free. Although I am a very happy [SageMath](http://www.sagemath.org/) user, I've been curious to find out what the options for Mathematica are. In the past it was impossible: you either paid for Mathematica or illegally cracked it, but nowadays there are more ways.
I will describe three of them, but bear in mind that some might be slow or have some limitations. Nevertheless, given that your class is called *Numerical and Computational Methods Based on Mathematica* I think these defects won't impact your learning.
Use the Wolfram Programming Cloud (online only)
===============================================
*Mathematica* is basically a nice GUI for the [Wolfram Language](https://www.wolfram.com/language/). Since January 2016, [the Wolfram Cloud has been launched](http://blog.wolfram.com/2016/01/28/launching-the-wolfram-open-cloud-open-access-to-the-wolfram-language/) with two free options:
* Wolfram Development Platform
* Wolfram Programming Lab
You can launch the website at [wolframcloud.com](http://wolframcloud.com) and you will need a free account which will give you limited deployment capabilities. But these capabilities are only needed if you want to deploy some code as a cloud API, not to perform computations.
Here I am using the Wolfram Cloud to plot a function:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/tbAiK.png)
Use *Mathematica* on the Raspberry Pi (slow)
============================================
If you happen to own a Raspberry Pi, you actually have the software [as part of the Raspbian operating system](https://www.wolfram.com/raspberry-pi/). On my Linux computer, I can connect to the Raspberry Pi via SSH using the `-X` switch for GUI applications:
```
ssh -X <EMAIL>.local
```
Then, I can run *Mathematica*:
```
mathematica
```
Keep in mind that this will be slow, because while you are using the GUI via your computer, the computations are performed on the Raspberry Pi.
Here's a screenshot of a simple command and a Wolfram Alpha query, using the free Raspberry Pi version:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Ia8PM.png)
Emulate a Raspberry Pi (super slow!)
====================================
If you need to satisfy these two constraints:
* no Raspberry Pi available
* offline access needed
Then you can emulate an ARM architecture and install Raspbian on it. **It is going to be very slow** but it can be done. [UnixMen.com has a nice tutorial](https://www.unixmen.com/emulating-raspbian-using-qemu/) about a recent version of Raspbian (from 2015) that should be enough to get you started.
Talk to your teacher
====================
Finally, I think it's good to underline again the fact that you should really raise your concerns to your teacher and (at the very least) mention that you have to use one of these workarounds because they are not providing you with the needed tools.
Something similar happened to me in a few instances:
* In high school a teacher wanted to give me a pirated copy of LabView. I refused, telling him "I do not use pirated software. Besides, this is a Windows program so I cannot run it".
Of course this was pretty easy because it was high school, so there were no classes to choose or to drop and I had to attend the lectures. Moreover it was just a suggestion to "study better" and it was not really required that students used the software at home.
* During my MSc, we were required to use Matlab for assignments but the university won't provide licenses for personal machines, only for lab machines. I was living a bit far from the university, thus I discussed about this with the teacher and got to use Octave instead.
I made sure my code was Matlab compatible except for once when I used a shorthand operator not available in Matlab (it was `a += b`). Since I spoke with my professor beforehand, he was keen enough to correct the typo for me and grade the assignment. Basically, **talking can help you solve a lot of things.**
Upvotes: 8 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_10: The teacher did not tell you to get the cracked version of the software
=======================================================================
If I may interpret your description literally, this is what happened:
1. The teacher showed you how to do a crack
2. The teacher told you to have the software available
Surely step 1 is unethical, and probably immoral, but it is still **your choice** whether you want to use the crack, or whether you decide to get the student license (which is in fact not unreasonably priced from my perspective).
---
In response to some comments: In my university it was not the responsibility of the university to provide resources, but students were expected to buy their own books and software.
Teachers sometimes showed us how to use the copy machine, or how to perform a crack, but it was always our choice whether to follow their example.
As a courtesy most (not all) software was made available on a few computers, but that is besides the point.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_11: I feel important to remind that this situation is likely to be illegal, and should not be promoted. However, let us understand the complicated situation a student, and let us be **proactive**; depending on the degrees of freedom, you can try **proposition**, or **protection**.
*If you have degrees of freedom*, you can **propose** to your teacher a workaround with a free or open-source solutions. For instance, you can, with his help, attend the lecture with another software. This could provide a solution for the next-year lecture. Interpreted languages are not so different, transposition from Mathematica seems possible. And learning novel languages is always beneficial. This could even be used as a project for which you could get the grade. Other answers have already proposed alternatives: [**Mathics**](http://mathics.github.io/) (A free, lightweight alternative to Mathematica), SAGE, Python, Maxima...
You can find others at [Best open-source Mathematica equivalent](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/33550/best-open-source-mathematica-equivalent).
*If you have no degree of freedom*, it is important to **protect yourself** from potential consequences. Since software installation leaves traces on computers, there are options:
* use a "shelled" environment for the installation: it may work like a bubble emulating or virtualizing an operating system inside the main OS on your computer, in with you can install softwares in a protected manner. You can quite safely shoot the bubble when needed, without arming the main OS, at least more easily than clean uninstalling a software. Similar concepts are "sandboxes" or ["jails" in FreeBSD](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FreeBSD_jail).
* use it portable: I seen a packaged version of Matlab or of Office that works on a portable USB drive. Very handy. This might exist for other software.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_12: Get some [Free](https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.en.html) alternative for Mathematica like [SageMath](http://www.sagemath.org/) or [Maxima](http://maxima.sourceforge.net/), for instance, and try to do the assigned tasks with it. Even if you fail because of some subtle requirements only Mathematica could match (questionable), your attempts may become known and attract much more attention than some (most likely) lazy student just dropping the course.
The course may be more difficult for you, but you will be ready to use the obtained skills anywhere, regardless if your employer has funds and intention to buy an expensive software or not. There are a couple of mathematical systems I know really well because I have learned in the university. I cannot use them, because the commercial licenses are so horribly expensive that my employers cannot afford them.
There are reasons why universities traditionally prefer Free software.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/12
| 1,363
| 5,700
|
<issue_start>username_0: Suppose you learn of a confirmed fundamental error in a CS conference paper (for a reputable conference) that smells of gross negligence. Is there any way to get it retracted? Whenever I've asked, people told me that CS conferences don't do that—and I've surely never seen it for PL conferences (though this paper is on algorithms).
While we can't talk specifics, please assume I've already done all the due diligence to confirm the error, down to getting the authors to confirm it.
I understand such errors won't kill people directly as errors in life sciences could, but I'm still concerned. Maybe a more serious version of <https://xkcd.com/386/>, but still.
### The specific case
Years ago (around 2009) I've confirmed the flaw with other experts of the field (let's call them A), who confirmed it with the authors of the paper (let's call them B). I was just an undergrad and not working in the field, so I didn't participate in the conversation. This paper is still cited years later by the authors (as a "preliminary version") without mentioning the error—though a later paper citing it changes a key equation and (maybe) fixes the problem.
\*Those experts avoided publicizing the flaw out of professional courtesy—making enemies of the author would allegedly have risked hurting their publication chances. However, they (had to) go as far as citing the paper without mentioning issues in follow-up work. Out of respect, I hence won't mention even the subfield of algorithms or the conference.
I'm also outside of the field—I got involved simply because I was friends with one undergrad doing research with experts A and he just asked me help when he couldn't make sense of the paper by B.
**EDIT**: I forgot to specify why I say "gross negligence", and I agree that was bad on my part. Here are the neutral facts as best as I can recall them/verify them:
* the included pseudocode has a type error in a crucial routine—if you index a matrix you need two indexes, not one. We started investigating because we couldn't make sense of the pseudocode. This was on a second paper specifically about the implementation. EDIT: All 8 accesses to the array in 21 lines have this type error, so it's no typo.
* the algorithm fails on the running example. EDIT: by running example here meant the example used throughout the paper. But I rechecked and the offending example is just the 2nd they use.
* the paper implements and benchmarks the algorithm it describes against a naive implementation, yet it didn't detect that the algorithm results are (EDIT) incorrect. After you've done 90% of the work, comparing results is pretty easy.
I wouldn't talk about negligence for an error in a correctness proof (which the paper seems to implicitly claim). And maybe the above is not *gross negligence* in this setting, but it does feel rather sloppy. I'm happy to be corrected though.
**EDIT2**:
* The question starts with "Suppose you learn [of a case that...] **smells** of gross negligence", then focuses on retraction (not misconduct). You can question that assumption only if no such case exists. I do sketch one example but that's just supporting evidence; the focus of the question cannot be trying the specific case. I'm fine with also discussing this case, but I'm just trying to argue plausibility.
* I still think in such a context one should compare expected and actual results, at least once you have implemented both. [The guidelines of the German Science Foundation](https://www.mpimet.mpg.de/fileadmin/publikationen/Volltexte_diverse/DFG-Safeguarding_Good_Scientific_Practice_DFG.pdf) say "good scientific practice includes the following fundamental principles:... consistently and critically questioning all results". Which sounds common sense to me.
* I'm sure aware of honest errors (which should also be corrected somehow). Nobody expects all proofs to be error-free and formalized.
* Google suggests "negligence" can only be "gross" if it endangers people's life. I'm surely not suggesting that. If that's how it's understood, I apologize for that and amend to negligence.<issue_comment>username_1: Publishing an erratum to a conference paper will be impossible, I expect, because the publisher won't care, if he still exists.
The correct way would have been to mention the error in the later paper and fix it there. And it would have been good style to cease citing the old one afterwards. But I wouldn't regard this as gross scientific misconduct. They are simply pushing their H-index a bit.
Whoever is interested will not trust the original conference paper anyway (which is rarely well-written and complete), especially if there is a later, proper article by the same guys on the same subject. I would read it *only* to find the differences and errors, which can be very enlightening.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_2: Correcting errors in conference papers is certainly possible---I have done so myself.
Most reputable peer-reviewed conferences are associated with some sort of society or organization that maintains their archives, e.g., IEEE, ACM, AAAI, and that society will generally have a process for correcting or retracting their conference publications that looks much like their process for correcting or retracting the articles of the journals they maintain.
In many cases, however, a conference paper is superseded by a following journal paper, which effectively becomes the final and archival version. In this case, while the authors have been less than honest about the flaw in their original paper, the later correction means that adjusting this particular paper in the archive is likely not a critical issue.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/12
| 540
| 2,406
|
<issue_start>username_0: I have finished my BSc and I am considering applying for a Msc. I have no idea about the etiquite of applying for grad school. Do I apply using the online form or should one send an email to the proffesors and doctors?
If they are important, what does one say!?
Thanks, and any advice you have is welcome!<issue_comment>username_1: Although referring the concerned institution guidelines for application should be self-sufficient, it wouldn't be wrong to ask a professor of the related department for any clarifications. But just make sure you go refer the guidelines first before you send a request-for-clarifications email.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: If you have a genuine question that is not answered by any of the course literature or website then by all means contact the course in question.
If there is a generic email address or online form for questions then use that, it will most likely be answered by a member of support staff who will hopefully be able to help you.
In my experience (UK, master's courses), contacting academic staff is discouraged simply because there isn't really anything that an academic would tell you that an member of support staff could not - and if there is, then they would forward it on form you (thus keep busy academic inboxes clear!).
Of course, this doesn't necessarily mean you would be penalized (unless it explicitly says not to on the website etc.) for searching out the course director's email address and contacting them directly. But be prepared for a longer wait on your reply and the possibility of an answer from someone else.
On the topic of whether personal contact with an academic would increase your chances I have this to say: an enquiry email for unlikely be of much help in enhancing your application, being a former student, friend, associate etc. could possibly help your application (rightly or wrongly) and would give you more reason to email them directly. Unless you are acquainted, emailing a course director is unlikely to enhance your application (assuming that all the lovely things you want to say about yourself aren't in the app already!).
Again, this is from a UK, taught postgraduate perspective. Conversely, many research degrees recommend contacting an academic directly first. I am not familiar with etiquette in other countries, but assume it will vary.
Upvotes: 0
|
2016/09/12
| 2,533
| 10,711
|
<issue_start>username_0: A while ago I got a job as a theoretical interdisciplinary modeler in a purely experimental lab of a different field from my own. It was an experiment for the lab and a big change for myself. It was risky for both, but also potentially a great opportunity.
Unfortunately I ended up feeling professionally isolated. Most people here know little math, some very little. There isn't anyone I can discuss the details of my work with, only the "big picture" and results. It turns out that I am the kind of person for whom discussions and interaction is essential. Without them my thought seem to gradually slow down and stop. When trying to solve a mathematical problem, I find myself unable to see obvious things and can barely make any progress. Yet when I get the opportunity to discuss it with others, suddenly everything becomes obvious. It's often not even necessary to get feedback from someone, it's sufficient to explain what I am doing, to put it into clear terms, and the solution just pops out.
**The big question:** How can I work efficiently and maintain my creativity and productivity when working in isolation?
I have tried several things. I tried to maintain contact with former colleagues through VOIP, though this is not too practical. Then I noticed that sometimes it is sufficient to just think about how to explain a question to someone, and the solution comes to me before even calling them. Purely imaginary discussions help too. I think this is where the solution to my difficulties should lie, but after realizing this, I am still struggling. I also tried writing down the problem to force myself to articulate it better, but this turned out to be ineffective and extremely time consuming.
Has anyone else encountered similar difficulties? Is it a common problem? There are famous scientists like Ramanujan who are said to have worked as hermits and still made great leaps. I imagine that what works best differs from individual to individual. I suspect that I am particularly susceptible to grinding to a halt once I find myself in isolation, despite being an introvert. But I do believe that there should be a way to improve the situation.
I have already decided that in the future I must avoid such situations. But until then I must find a way to be more productive while working alone.<issue_comment>username_1: Maybe you can find one of your new coworkers is interested in your work. Even if they don't know the high-level math, they might understand or at least be interested in the process, the outcomes, or just be looking for conversation.
Maybe some or one of the people who don't know the math just don't remember or are into that level or type. E.g. an Engineer (or any STEM person) may have done 40 hours of Calc and higher, 20 years ago, and wouldn't know how to do some, but would be happy to talk about it in words.
You can also post questions to stackexchange. Just formulating the question might help as you stated.
What about your supervisor? Maybe talk to them.
Maybe hire another person in the lab.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: Similar problems have been discussed before in the following Stack Exchange sites.
* Academia.SE: [My advisor does not provide any solutions and wants me to work alone](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/68570/my-advisor-does-not-provide-any-solutions-and-wants-me-to-work-alone)
* Workplace.SE: [How to be more effective when working “alone” and with no prompt feedback](https://workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/54558/how-to-be-more-effective-when-working-alone-and-with-no-prompt-feedback)
* Productivity.SE: [What methods exist to keep yourself motivated when working alone?](https://productivity.stackexchange.com/questions/3628/what-methods-exist-to-keep-yourself-motivated-when-working-alone)
These posts ought to be able to provide you with suggestions that would assist you to help yourself through this situation. But none of which could be a black and white solution for the problem. It *depends* on the individual.
From your description, you share qualities of both an introvert and that of an extrovert. It seems like you could be more of an [ambivert](http://lonerwolf.com/ambivert/) (as I am). I was in a similar condition before during my first semester of research -- research in total isolation, being the only human in the room, but never complained. In such situations, you ought to understand to what extent you could control your environment and make it suitable for your purpose. Whenever a little extroversion was needed, I just meet my peers and then get back to work. It did take a little practice. My supervisor was also of great support as I frequently report my progress too. I'm in a more of an *extrovert's* environment now and still making progress at the same comfortable rate.
Sometimes the constraints that you are put through could [make you better](http://jamesclear.com/futsal). Take the change of environment positively and make do with what you have.
Hope this helps, all the best.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: I was in a pretty similar situation, so I can sympathize. Although, personally I found it less critical for me to have these interactions. Don't get me wrong - it was not easy to work this way, but I saw it as an opportunity/challenge to develop my independence as a researcher.
However, I was able to get some ideas and interactions in the following ways:
1. Presenting my work at various forums - any size, from group/lab meetings to seminars and conferences.
2. By establishing a collaboration/semi-collaboration with relevant people at a different institution.
3. In terms of ideas - sometimes just reading a lot of literature helped (but this can be field-dependent).
4. By interacting with the "mathematically unskilled" people at my lab - might sound surprising, but sometimes you just need someone to interact with and ask basic questions even if they are not knowledgeable.
Personally I also found that I don't need these interactions to be very frequent, sometimes it is enough to interact, get a seed of an idea, and then go work on it for a month on my own.
Good luck, for me it worked out very well in the end and I can say I developed significantly as a scientist, and both sides benefited.
One more piece of advice - while you are dealing with the math, don't forget to keep in close contact with the experimentalists so you don't drift away trying to solve some problem which is not relevant.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: I'm not quite in the same situation myself, but I sympathize - I travel enough that I often find myself similarly isolated. You said that sometimes just explaining your ideas clearly does the trick, without needing actual feedback - I'm exactly the same way. What I've found works surprisingly well is talking to a friend who's completely outside the field. Since she's a layperson as far as the material I work on is concerned, neither of us expect her to actually understand what I'm talking about - but an interested expression and a couple of nods go a long way. It's immensely helpful to just get the opportunity to organize my thoughts verbally like that. Also, occasionally she'll ask a question - nothing deep, but almost always something I never would have thought to ask myself. Things like "Is that related to this other thing you were talking about earlier?" Questions like that are really good for pushing me out of whatever rut I'm stuck in lately.
Also, going to conferences and talks is helpful. I'm in mathematics, not physics, so I'm not sure how this works in your field; but math conferences happen all the time, all over the place, so it's easy to find one to go to. Even if you're not presenting, the environment does wonders.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_5: I'm in a very similar situation myself. I work as a software engineer in a non-software company, and so there is almost no one with the knowledge/skills to solve the types of problems I run into. I too find that talking out problems helps me immensely, even when the person I'm talking to has no idea what I'm going on about. It's hard to be on your own, so don't feel bad about struggling with it! There are a few strategies that have worked for me, though.
If I just need a minute or two to chat about it at a high level, I'll go to the break room and catch somebody refilling their coffee or heating up their lunch. I'll ask them what they've been working on, and their response will let me know how receptive they are to chatting. Usually they will reciprocate and ask me the same, which gives me an opportunity to work out the problem verbally. Most people will be happy to do this **if you open by asking about their work first.** If you randomly approach people and start jabbering about stuff they don't understand, then they're going to feel that their time is being wasted.
If I need to talk more in-depth, then I save it for after I get off work. I'll generally use my husband as a sounding board, but friends work just as well. You could even go to a bar and chat up random strangers if you are comfortable with that. Again, ask people about themselves first,0 and they are generally happy to converse about anything!
If you use the above two strategies for when you just need someone (anyone) to listen, then you can save your expert contacts for when you are truly stuck and need their expertise to get you unstuck. This will allow you to grow your work relationships, not waste anyone's time, and get the type of help you need when you need it.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_6: You mentioned one thing about part of the social process involved that particularly stood out:
>
> *Then I noticed that sometimes it is sufficient to just think about how to explain a question to someone, and the solution comes to me before even calling them.*
>
>
>
Among software developers, that's often called [rubber duck debugging](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_duck_debugging):
>
> Many programmers have had the experience of explaining a programming problem to someone else, possibly even to someone who knows nothing about programming, and then hitting upon the solution in the process of explaining the problem.
>
>
>
Rubber duck debugging doesn't address all the issues that you've described. I've solved plenty of problems with rubber duck debugging, but I haven't had the same kind of inspiration and collaboration with a rubber duck on my desk that I've had with colleagues at a whiteboard, so this isn't a complete solution, but it's definitely part of the "working remotely" or "working in isolation" picture.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/12
| 1,259
| 5,201
|
<issue_start>username_0: I just finished my PhD and am starting an adjunct position at a local community college. I was responding to my first email from a student when I came across a problem I've never had before: I don't know how to sign my email.
Some options I've considered are:
* **First Name**: this is how I've signed every academic email my whole life.
* **First Name Last Name**: I have signed business, legal, or other official letters like this, and I suppose since this is my first job I could sign it the same way?
* **Professor Last Name**: this makes the most sense because that's what I want to be addressed in the classroom, but I have never seen a professor write their title out like this.
* **Initials**: I always thought professors signed their emails like this to shave precious seconds from their inbox time, but I'm now suspecting it has more to do with avoiding making the decision of how to sign.
I'm sure the best answer isn't going to be one of the above suggestions. No matter what I pick, I want to be *consistent*, so there's no confusion as to how I should be addressed.
---
*Edit*: this is in the US.<issue_comment>username_1: I would recommend signing your emails in the way that you would like your students to address you.
In my own experience in the US, most of the professors that I interacted with were quite informal with their students, preferring to be on a first-name basis in class, and likewise signed their emails in that manner (or even more informally, e.g., "-P").
Not all were, however, and those who wanted to be called Prof. Lastname tended to sign their emails thus as well. A few signed as a full "Prof. Firstname Lastname", which I found frustrating as a student, because it gave no indication as how they actually wanted to be addressed.
Note that in other institutions or other countries, the general custom may vary greatly, but I think the principle remains the same: if you sign your emails how you'd like your students to address you, it will be a clear and unambiguous signal to them, which they will likely appreciate.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: You could just not sign emails. The overwhelming majority of professional emails I send are unsigned.
Emails might end in something like "Thanks" or "Thanks!", or "I hope this helps." or "Let me know if this was unclear." That brings the email to enough of a conclusion.
I hope this helps.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Sign as you wish to be addressed by the recipient. When I sign an email with my first name, I am giving the recipient permission to address me by my first name. I almost always sign off with my first name, but in the rare instances that I don't want them to address me that way and do want to retain more formality, I use "Dr Firstname Lastname" instead. If I'm really feeling ambivalent, I'll use "Firstname Lastname", which I feel leaves the decision up to them.
I usually also have my full name with title and contact details in the sig at the bottom of my email, separated from my sign-off by a line containing only "--". This is so my contact details are handy, but also for clarity -- even if I am giving them permission to use my first name, it is sometimes useful for them to know my position and qualifications.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: **#2, Firstname Lastname**
Students will automatically call you Professor Lastname (or more likely Dr Lastname, in a community college), unless you take the first move to call you Firstname, or more affectionately, Dr Firstname.
If a student calls you by your first name (it could happen!) but you are uncomfortable with this, there is a simple solution. (This is also a good preventative measure.) Address your emails to students as Dear Mr./Ms. Lastname. You will come across as old-fashioned and respectful.
I predict that with time it will become less important to you to be called Prof. Lastname. But for now, that's what you want, and it's not hard to achieve.
I suppose if you find yourself in an informal environment where students naturally want to call you by your first name, it might help you achieve your goal if you wear a suit and tie to class and office hours.
You could also post a formal photograph of yourself with the caption "<NAME>" on your home page and your office door (or next to it). (You may allow yourself to smile for the photograph, if you wish.)
By the way, make yourself an automatic signature for your email, with your title, department name and contact information. But don't use "Professor" in your signature. You may certainly put ", PhD" after your name, though.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_5: **Do as your colleagues.**
There might be a specific tradition in your department, and you should respect it (especially if you just arrived).
If you are in a Department where the professor are referred to as "<NAME>", you would seem too familiar by allowing your students to call you "First Name". On the other hand, if everyone goes by "First Name", it would seem pedantic to go by "Pr. Last Name".
And, as all the answers pointed out, you want to sign the way you want to be addressed.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/12
| 1,194
| 4,963
|
<issue_start>username_0: I'm currently a grad student in STEM in the US. I'm currently receiving a very modest stipend for acting as a TA, as well as getting credit for some research this semester. I'm also interested in doing some research not directly related to my degree for a professor in my department who has been publishing papers on another, tangentially-related subject.
Would it be normal/acceptable for me to ask for extra pay in return for working on my advisor's pet project, if he would benefit from the work of a research assistant? He's not asking me to anything I'm not getting credit for, I just had the idea that I might ask.
My current stipend isn't making ends meet, and, if I can't get a raise, I'm going to take a part-time job doing menial labor to avoid relying on loans. I don't mind the labor at all but spending the time working on research would be better for my career.<issue_comment>username_1: I would recommend signing your emails in the way that you would like your students to address you.
In my own experience in the US, most of the professors that I interacted with were quite informal with their students, preferring to be on a first-name basis in class, and likewise signed their emails in that manner (or even more informally, e.g., "-P").
Not all were, however, and those who wanted to be called Prof. Lastname tended to sign their emails thus as well. A few signed as a full "Prof. Firstname Lastname", which I found frustrating as a student, because it gave no indication as how they actually wanted to be addressed.
Note that in other institutions or other countries, the general custom may vary greatly, but I think the principle remains the same: if you sign your emails how you'd like your students to address you, it will be a clear and unambiguous signal to them, which they will likely appreciate.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: You could just not sign emails. The overwhelming majority of professional emails I send are unsigned.
Emails might end in something like "Thanks" or "Thanks!", or "I hope this helps." or "Let me know if this was unclear." That brings the email to enough of a conclusion.
I hope this helps.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Sign as you wish to be addressed by the recipient. When I sign an email with my first name, I am giving the recipient permission to address me by my first name. I almost always sign off with my first name, but in the rare instances that I don't want them to address me that way and do want to retain more formality, I use "Dr Firstname Lastname" instead. If I'm really feeling ambivalent, I'll use "Firstname Lastname", which I feel leaves the decision up to them.
I usually also have my full name with title and contact details in the sig at the bottom of my email, separated from my sign-off by a line containing only "--". This is so my contact details are handy, but also for clarity -- even if I am giving them permission to use my first name, it is sometimes useful for them to know my position and qualifications.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: **#2, Firstname Lastname**
Students will automatically call you Professor Lastname (or more likely Dr Lastname, in a community college), unless you take the first move to call you Firstname, or more affectionately, Dr Firstname.
If a student calls you by your first name (it could happen!) but you are uncomfortable with this, there is a simple solution. (This is also a good preventative measure.) Address your emails to students as Dear Mr./Ms. Lastname. You will come across as old-fashioned and respectful.
I predict that with time it will become less important to you to be called Prof. Lastname. But for now, that's what you want, and it's not hard to achieve.
I suppose if you find yourself in an informal environment where students naturally want to call you by your first name, it might help you achieve your goal if you wear a suit and tie to class and office hours.
You could also post a formal photograph of yourself with the caption "Prof. Lastname" on your home page and your office door (or next to it). (You may allow yourself to smile for the photograph, if you wish.)
By the way, make yourself an automatic signature for your email, with your title, department name and contact information. But don't use "Professor" in your signature. You may certainly put ", PhD" after your name, though.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_5: **Do as your colleagues.**
There might be a specific tradition in your department, and you should respect it (especially if you just arrived).
If you are in a Department where the professor are referred to as "Dr. Last Name", you would seem too familiar by allowing your students to call you "First Name". On the other hand, if everyone goes by "First Name", it would seem pedantic to go by "Pr. Last Name".
And, as all the answers pointed out, you want to sign the way you want to be addressed.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/13
| 758
| 3,131
|
<issue_start>username_0: I'm currently starting my PhD and I'm contemplating whether I should stay with my current advisor and topic or switch before its too late.
Current subfield
* The recent work in this subfield has been very cool and my advisor's strong track record in this area was what attracted me to his lab.
* I don't have much of a background in this field. I feel like I'm struggling when I do research in this field, and I'm not sure how effective I would be if I went into this long term. (I don't think I'm playing to my strengths if I entered this subfield).
* I have heard from others that academic job prospects in this subfield are lower than other areas.
Other subfields
* I feel more comfortable with other subfields and I think I would be playing more toward my strengths even in certain other subfields where I have less of a background.
* The labs in other subfields are more popular amongst grad students, and I suspect each student gets less attention than they would with my current advisor.
Any advice on whether to stay and switch? Is it best to wait and switch, or switch ASAP.<issue_comment>username_1: Let me react to some specific comments
*I don't have much of a background in this field. I feel like I'm struggling when I do research in this field, and I'm not sure how effective I would be if I went into this long term. (I don't think I'm playing to my strengths if I entered this subfield).*
If you're just starting your Phd, I'd be surprised if you were an expert in the field, no offense. There is much to learn, and most early grad students - good and bad - feel they're struggling. The important question is are you struggling because it's complicated (good!) or because you don't care about the topic (bad!). If the latter, consider switching.
*I feel more comfortable with other subfields and I think I would be playing more toward my strengths even in certain other subfields where I have less of a background.*
One's comfort zone is seldom where significant progress is made. Again, if it's an interest issue, consider changing, but if you just feel overwhelmed by a new research area, consider embracing it - you will learn a lot. Moreover, perhaps you can bring your 'other sub fields' strengths to bear on your current subfield. Some of the best students I've known have used analyses and thought processes foreign to their immediate field.
*The labs in other subfields are more popular amongst grad students, and I suspect each student gets less attention than they would with my current advisor.
Any advice on whether to stay and switch? Is it best to wait and switch, or switch ASAP.*
If you're set on switching, do it asap. Just make sure your motivation is sound. You want to be able to stand out, for sure, but every field is going to have difficulties. It's a Phd. If it were easy, everyone would have one.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: The best advice is to select a topic based on your knowledge, backgrounds and your interest.
Do not rely strongly on your advisor expert, because this is your thesis, not his(her) duty.
Upvotes: 0
|
2016/09/13
| 1,099
| 4,765
|
<issue_start>username_0: I'm usually assigned to review one or a couple of papers for a conference. The problem is: I only have access to these single submissions.
How can I **give a score** (reject/weak reject/neutral/weak accept/accept) to a submission **without** having access to the other papers, so I could **compare** and **contrast** the contributions and originality of them?
* Even if I had access to the others dozens (or hundreds) of submissions, the question would still hold, as I surely would not be capable of evaluating all of them in the desired timeframe.
* Each conference has a different impact level and overall quality of submissions. But I'm not sure if I should use this information while reviewing submissions.
* I know the editor is the one imbued with the responsibility of accepting or rejecting a paper based on the reviews. But then a demanding reviewer could reject a paper, and because he reviews only a few submissions, this would clearly harm the overall process.<issue_comment>username_1: The goal is to score the papers on their own merits, *not* to rank them. There are some conferences where there are ranking systems, usually among the scored papers and done by the committee, but just like journal papers, it's possible to evaluate a paper on its own merits.
For example, if there was a paper that was technically the "Best of a bad lot", but still contained massive numbers of errors, poor writing, unintelligible graphics, etc., knowing the context isn't necessarily helpful, they're *all* bad papers.
Looking at their scoring metric, each one of these can be described in manner consistent with not knowing other papers:
* reject: This abstract isn't suitable for the venue, is just outright poor quality, etc. and is beyond salvaging.
* weak reject: This abstract isn't pathologically flawed, but would need a considerable amount of work to be appropriate for the venue.
* neutral: The "I suppose" category. Filler abstracts that could use a bit of polish, or ones that failed to rouse much of a strong feeling either way.
* weak accept: Promising submissions that are appropriate for the venue. While not inherently flawed, there's probably improvements they could make to.
* accept: "I would like to see this accepted"
It's possible for you to get two outstanding papers and simply both think they should be accepted. Or two papers that should be rejected flat out. And things in between. Trying to rank every submission to a conference would be a massive effort, and is still somewhat arbitrary, as your ranking scheme is not inherently an objective one. Nor are you necessarily guaranteed to be *qualified* to rank each and every submission.
You should take into account the nature of the conference itself - for example, there are some conferences where I am considerably more lenient than I am for others, the same way there are journals where I use somewhat stricter criteria. And yes, a strict reviewer could torpedo otherwise worthwhile papers, but that's why many groups use more than one reviewer, and the probability of any one reviewer being a sufficiently strict reviewer as to *meaningfully* start harming the overall peer review process is pretty small.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: A questionnaire-based metric system would be a pretty good system for reviewers and is used by many top conferences. Each of the questions are answered with a 5 scale range. The following can be few of them
1. Is the paper relevant to the conference?
2. How innovative is the paper?
3. How would you rate the technical quality of the paper?
4. How is the presentation?
5. Is the paper be of interest to the users and practitioners?
6. What is your confidence in your review of this paper?
7. Overall recommendation (in categories as mentioned by @username_1)
The last few sections would be subjective in description.
* Summary/overview of the paper
* Strong points
* Weak points
The final step would be to rank the list of papers as the the quantitative score and then eliminate contenders of the same score with the qualitative details.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: I can't add a comment to Ébe's answer (SO wont let me). However, I disagree on point 2. A more useful question is "How valuable is the paper?" - Innovation tends to ignore fundamental contributions, and encourages poor quality work.
Other useful questions would be:
"Has this been done elsewhere?"
"How complete is the work?"
Also, usually conferences occur in series. You should be able to look at the papers from the last series ((n-1)th conference on xyz-science) to determine what the audience will have an expectation of - there is often significant overlap from year-to-year in attendees.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/13
| 508
| 2,235
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am in math, and it occurred to me that in average, I receive answers to submission of my papers after about 8 months. In the journals I submit to, there is almost always only one referee report.
In recent years I served as a reviewer for many of these journals. The editors of these journals almost always ask me for a report within 2-3 months.
Where do the extra 5-6 months of wait come from?<issue_comment>username_1: As an editor, I can say that although we ask for reviews within a certain time-frame, we almost always get some reviews back late. But what often takes more time is finding willing reviewers in the first place. My journal aims to get four reviews for each manuscript, but usually settles for three. I start by sending out requests to five potential reviewers. Two weeks later, I might have accepts from two potential reviewers, declines from two, and no reply from number five. I'll send a reminder to potential reviewer number five. A week later, still not having heard back, I cancel that request and invite another two potential reviewers. Two weeks later, if I haven't heard back, or if they both decline, I'll look for more possibilities. Sometimes I get three reviewers on the first try, but sometimes, the process takes many weeks. We give our reviewers 21 days to return the review. In maths, I understand that reviewers are given longer, because they are expected to check the proofs in detail. Regardless of how long they are given, it is normal for some reviews to be late. Editors send out a reminder. Then a second reminder. Some reviewers, despite having agreed, never reply. In that case, we need to start the whole process again. This is why some manuscripts take so long to review.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: The primary reason of long review process backs to the editor in chief. If He(She) have a regular plan on paper review then the review process will be very short.
Also, the publisher is very important e.g. the Elsevier recently provides journal insights on the main page of some journals that contains the info on review process time schedule and journal prestige measures (I think that the plan is to develop for all of its journals).
Upvotes: 1
|
2016/09/13
| 261
| 1,117
|
<issue_start>username_0: I have been accepted for a research position in a very renowned Medical Professor's research group over the summer. The internship starts after 5 months so I have enough time to prepare to perform extremely well and impress the Professor. I would appreciate if you provide me some valuable tips and advice. Thanks!<issue_comment>username_1: The solution is straight-forward.
* Gain enough knowledge of what your research group is progressing on
* Develop skill-sets that would aid to to work in the group
Better yet, contact the professor and ask if there is anything you could do get *prepared* for the research internship. This would not only portray your enthusiasm and dedication, it would give you a clearer idea on what exactly to improve.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Do exactly the opposite. Get all your *other* stuff done before you start the internship. You will need a clean head there, so make a 200% effort to clean your mind before the internship starts. During an internship, do only the internship. Nothing else. Really *nothing* else.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/13
| 458
| 1,892
|
<issue_start>username_0: So my bachelor's thesis and master's topics bear some similarity. Now I am doing literature review for my master's thesis under same supervisor. Can I copy some relevant parts (about 10 pages long) from my old bachelor's? It's just the literature review, not the findings.<issue_comment>username_1: **Obviously you should check the regulations at the institution that you are attending to see exactly what they say about this matter.**
With that said...
Submission of a thesis often includes signing a declaration that the material contained within the thesis has not previously been submitted for consideration for another degree (or words to that effect).
By doing what you suggest, copying and pasting a sizeable chunk of a previous thesis, you would be violating this declaration.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Firstly: it is not *plagiarism* as long as you clearly state which parts are repeated from your earlier bachelor thesis. Of course, you *would* clearly state this, wouldn't you?
I did my PhD in Sweden, which includes a *licentiate* thesis, which is somewhat of a mid-PhD thesis. Large parts were verbatim identical. I included a preface in the PhD thesis to explain this, and there was no issue. I specified this down to the chapter level but no further.
However, your school may still have non-plagiarism reasons to prohibit repeating parts, such as indicated [by Ian\_Fins answer](https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/58418/ian-fin). Personally I would understand *material contained within the thesis* to be new research, not the literature review or other purely textual parts. Therefore, I believe that you *will* be able to reuse the material, provided you clearly indicate which parts are reused and which parts are new.
But: the only definite answer can be given by your advisor and others within your institution.
Upvotes: 0
|
2016/09/13
| 871
| 3,622
|
<issue_start>username_0: I completed my Masters of Science in September 2014 after over 2 years of work. My supervisor wasn't particularly helpful or supportive of the project since he seemed close to retiring and also most his money was dedicated to other fields of research. However, the field I studied in was my passion and I did it anyways.
Right after my graduate studies, I found a job in the private sector and at the same time I started working on a paper because I felt it needed to be done and I thought it would be important for my career. When I sent my draft to my supervisor, he would submit his feedback weeks to months later, and it was usually something like "It's too long". So I did the edits, sent it back, waited 2 months again for his comments, and so on. In Spring 2015, I abandonned because I could never finish it at this pace, even though most of it was done. His last comment was "Some more analysis could be necessary" even though it didn't seem necessary for the thesis.
Now, it's been 2 years, I haven't touched it since then, but I still feel I should submit the paper anyways. Here are my questions:
1. His is too late for me?
2. If I send the paper for review, do I need to put my supervisor as secondary author?
3. If my supervisor is secondary author, do I need to notify him? Could he refuse?
4. If reviewers demand that further analysis is required, is it game over for me? I did most of my work on a supercomputer and my account has expired.<issue_comment>username_1: 1. No.
2. Yes, if he actively wrote something. If not, put him into acknowledgements.
3. If you are on bad terms with him and he doesn't answer your emails but in several months, there is no point in notification: he cares *so much* about you, your paper, your research, your time, and your thesis. Yes, if you do notify him, he could refuse being a part of it.
4. No. It is just a matter of money to get distributed computing services.
Please be aware that writing a full paper may be a full-time job in certain areas: you need a full day of concentration. If you do it properly, it can easily take you, e.g., 6 person-months including rejections and resubmissions, depending on the area. If it's a journal paper, these 6 months could be spread to several years. If you cannot do it properly in parallel to your job in the industry, better forget it. The world is full of bullshit papers; you don't need to turn your good MSc thesis into yet another one.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Two years is a totally plausible length of time before submitting a paper. You'll need to update your related work section, but if the work is still novel and interesting and hasn't been published in a peer-reviewed venue, it's entirely reasonable to do so.
You *will* need to deal with your supervisor, however, as they most likely should be a co-author on the strength of their contributions to shaping the research project. In general, submitting a paper requires the consent of all of the co-authors, and your supervisor will need to either consent or take their name off of the paper. Most likely, however, they are correct that it needs more work, and you'll need to figure out either how to get the feedback that you need, from them or from somebody else.
Finally, involvement of your supervisor could be a very good thing in case more work is needed, as they may be able to restore access to resources or bring in an extra author who can help, if your work simply cannot be done on commercial cloud resources. If it can be done with cloud resources, of course, you may be able to do it yourself.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/13
| 1,049
| 4,548
|
<issue_start>username_0: I'm a high school student who's been working at a university lab as an intern, and this has been on my mind for a while.
The amount of scientific literature/papers in any field is obviously staggering. To me, it seems like there's no possible way to have read all of it. So, assuming I were a full-blown researcher/professor...
* How would I be sure that my research actually does add something novel to the field?
* What if there are papers that already address/refute my claim, that simply got buried amongst the masses of other papers that have already been published -- does that mean my own research is worth squat?
Thank you for all your help!<issue_comment>username_1: It is believed that the work which one is supposed to do would surely add something new to the knowledge of the world, which is called 'Science'.
It is actually very difficult to get all the details of the works which have already been done so far which might include which could refute the claims that you are proposing in your new work.
Moreover, it is also difficult to know whether a work is **novel** or not. This actually improves with experience and review experiences. If you think that the already published papers refute the claims (in some way), let us leave it to the reviewers. Even if they are refuting the claims or theories or hypothesis, it is actually interesting piece of work which actually gives a counter argument that the previous works were someway different in some context.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: The honest answer is: you *don't* know, and thus the phenomenon of [multiple discovery](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_multiple_discoveries). Sometimes this is simultaneous, and other times it is independent, as for example in the case of [conductive polymers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conductive_polymer#History), which were apparently rediscovered and lost several times.
Now, in practice, you must do a reasonable literature search, and part of the training that one receives over time is how to figure out how large a reasonable literature search is. It also helps to participate in conferences, where one becomes generally familiar with the thinking and knowledge in one's field. Submitting one's own work for peer review and presenting it in talks also offers opportunities to be informed of connections that one was not aware of.
While this may seem embarrassing, in fact, as long as one is doing one's reasonable due diligence, it is not worth being embarrassed about. This is because it's very rare for rediscovery to happen *in the same context*. There's a staggering amount of literature out there, but the number of problems is even bigger, and so any given specific piece of work may actually have startlingly few people in a position to conduct it.
Thus, rediscovery in practice often heralds a new connection being made between fields. In this case, the recognition of rediscovery often opens up the "unaware" side of the interaction to be able to import and adapt results that were based on the prior work, thus rapidly advancing the new area in which those results are being applied.
In short: do your due diligence, but don't fear discovering you've reinvented the wheel.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Scientific advances happen within niches, so the existing literature isn't as overwhelming as you might think. We read a lot, but we also read selectively. During our PhDs, we need to get up to speed on all that has been done so far in our general area of interest, and after that, we just need to stay up to date. I read fairly widely in oceanography and fairly widely in environmental modelling, but certainly don't read everything published in these fields. I read a larger proportion of what is published in the general area of coastal biogeochemistry, and a larger proportion again of what is published in coastal biogeochemical modelling, but still by no means everything.
But I do aim to read (or at least skim) everything that is published regarding the coastal biogeochemistry of my favourite geographical area, and everything that is published globally regarding the physiology of the particular biogeochemically-important micro-organism that I am particularly interested in at the moment. That only requires me to read half a dozen to a dozen new papers each year that relate very specifically to my own research area, in addition to the (much wider) general reading I do to stay on top of related recent developments.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/13
| 1,049
| 4,637
|
<issue_start>username_0: I'm teaching as an adjunct at a community college in the US. One of the courses I'm teaching has very low enrollment. Now, several weeks into the semester, the college is considering cancelling the course. I am not happy about this as it would significantly impact my income. The course is unusual (for reasons I won't go into in an attempt to preserve anonymity), and had I anticipated that low enrollment might lead to cancellation I might have chosen one of a couple other employment options this semester instead.
I can look into the legal aspects elsewhere, but I wonder whether this is a common scenario? Do instructors in this situation just accept the loss of income? I never encountered this before my previous teaching experience.<issue_comment>username_1: It is believed that the work which one is supposed to do would surely add something new to the knowledge of the world, which is called 'Science'.
It is actually very difficult to get all the details of the works which have already been done so far which might include which could refute the claims that you are proposing in your new work.
Moreover, it is also difficult to know whether a work is **novel** or not. This actually improves with experience and review experiences. If you think that the already published papers refute the claims (in some way), let us leave it to the reviewers. Even if they are refuting the claims or theories or hypothesis, it is actually interesting piece of work which actually gives a counter argument that the previous works were someway different in some context.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: The honest answer is: you *don't* know, and thus the phenomenon of [multiple discovery](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_multiple_discoveries). Sometimes this is simultaneous, and other times it is independent, as for example in the case of [conductive polymers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conductive_polymer#History), which were apparently rediscovered and lost several times.
Now, in practice, you must do a reasonable literature search, and part of the training that one receives over time is how to figure out how large a reasonable literature search is. It also helps to participate in conferences, where one becomes generally familiar with the thinking and knowledge in one's field. Submitting one's own work for peer review and presenting it in talks also offers opportunities to be informed of connections that one was not aware of.
While this may seem embarrassing, in fact, as long as one is doing one's reasonable due diligence, it is not worth being embarrassed about. This is because it's very rare for rediscovery to happen *in the same context*. There's a staggering amount of literature out there, but the number of problems is even bigger, and so any given specific piece of work may actually have startlingly few people in a position to conduct it.
Thus, rediscovery in practice often heralds a new connection being made between fields. In this case, the recognition of rediscovery often opens up the "unaware" side of the interaction to be able to import and adapt results that were based on the prior work, thus rapidly advancing the new area in which those results are being applied.
In short: do your due diligence, but don't fear discovering you've reinvented the wheel.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Scientific advances happen within niches, so the existing literature isn't as overwhelming as you might think. We read a lot, but we also read selectively. During our PhDs, we need to get up to speed on all that has been done so far in our general area of interest, and after that, we just need to stay up to date. I read fairly widely in oceanography and fairly widely in environmental modelling, but certainly don't read everything published in these fields. I read a larger proportion of what is published in the general area of coastal biogeochemistry, and a larger proportion again of what is published in coastal biogeochemical modelling, but still by no means everything.
But I do aim to read (or at least skim) everything that is published regarding the coastal biogeochemistry of my favourite geographical area, and everything that is published globally regarding the physiology of the particular biogeochemically-important micro-organism that I am particularly interested in at the moment. That only requires me to read half a dozen to a dozen new papers each year that relate very specifically to my own research area, in addition to the (much wider) general reading I do to stay on top of related recent developments.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/14
| 458
| 1,890
|
<issue_start>username_0: I just graduated recently in May, and right before graduation, I asked if my professors could write me LOR for grad school. And they all agreed. Now I'm in the process of applying to grad schools, but it's almost October, and how should I write the email to remind my professors of LOR? Should I start by asking if their offers still stand, and if they need anything else (like supporting materials) from me?<issue_comment>username_1: You may do that. However, from May to October is not a very long time, so you could probably omit asking if the offer still stands. (But I suppose it doesn't do any harm.)
You can always include an unofficial transcript as an attachment. If they don't need that, they can ignore the attachment.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Send them a polite email as a reminder. Professors are busy people so most of the time they forget about the LOR thing. In the email, first introduce yourself and mention which classes of the Professor you attended, tell him that you enjoyed this and that thing in their class due to which he is the best person to write you an LOR. Attach your CV and ask him if he needs other documents.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: 1. Be friendly, normal, polite, and human and remember that your professors are (or at least should be) too.
2. If they offered to write the LORs, they want to help you out. It makes people feel good to help others especially with LORs, because you get to help someone *and* feel nice and authoritative.
3. I wouldn't even bother asking if the offer still stands. Just make sure that you tell them that you're grateful and appreciative that they made the offer, let them know if there are any deadlines that you have coming up which make the need for LORs more urgent, and you should be just fine.
4. Always offer supplemental documentation if they need it.
Upvotes: 3
|
2016/09/14
| 3,249
| 13,567
|
<issue_start>username_0: In a math talk (at a seminar or a conference, not teaching) that uses projected slides, is it better to display the number of slides left or not? What are the pros and cons? Some people tell me they like it, others prefer when it doesn't appear. I'd like to have some objective comments about this.
For some context, talks in math are typically one hour long, so the number of slides can be large. I like to cut talks into a few short sections. Right now I'm using the following layout, displayed at the top of every slide (from the ["Frankfurt" beamer theme](http://deic.uab.es/~iblanes/beamer_gallery/large/Frankfurt-default-default-17.png)):
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/01l2m.png)
The current slide in the current section is highlighted, as well as the title of the current section.<issue_comment>username_1: A method to please both probably exists. Just tug a #/## at the lower corner, with the first number being the current slide number and the second one being the total slide number. People who have question on a certain slide can jot down the number quickly and come back (rather than "Can you go back to the third dot under 'The Model?'"); people who find a large bar intrusive will be less likely bothered by some small numbers at the corner.
I personally don't have problem with how beamer displays the time-line; it looks elegant. (I sometimes use it just to be that "lone kid in the department who uses LaTeX.") However, it requires some skills to be truly effective. Too many times I have seen very long section names used in this device, which clutter up the time-line badly.
And to be honest, I'd rather save the area on the slide to arrange information beautifully for those who pay attention then to give up 10-20% to set up a device for those who doze off and want to hop back in. Even I do care about them, major section signposts do not need to be on the screen all the time, the speaker (or a transition slide, or a small phrase next to the #/## index) can also deliver the transition.
Disclaimer: I don't give math talks, I work in biomedical field.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: [Halmos advises](https://faculty.washington.edu/heagerty/Courses/b572/public/HalmosHowToTalk.pdf) that in preparing a talk you should have a block of material that you can omit if you are running short of time. But if the slides show number of pages left, you cannot do that invisibly. For example: in an hour lecture, if you are 5 minutes from the end of the hour, but your numbering shows you are only halfway through your slides, the audience will be getting restless.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: I would omit the slide count altogether; what is important is which *topics* you have covered and have yet to cover. For example, you might periodically show a slide that looks something like
```
x Topic 1
x Topic 2
x Topic 2a
* Topic 2b
* Topic 3
```
at which point you would indicate that you have completed talking about Topic 2a and will proceed to discuss Topic 2b. The fact that Topic 1 was already covered, and that Topic 3 is still to come, is implied.
Your audience already knows how much time you have been allotted for the entire talk; they don't need constant reminders about how much longer you will be talking. The purpose of the topic lists is not to let them know how much longer you will be talking, but to remind them how each section of your talk fits into the whole.
The point @Penguin\_Knight raises about the slide numbers providing a point of reference for a question is valid. You can provide a slide number, though, without providing a slide *count*.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: I would **always** use a
`current page/last page`
setting. Additionally, you should have an outline of the talk the help the audience to navigate through your talk (but not to spend five minutes of the talk to read out your outline).
This helps the audience to keep track of where they are, and also help the chairperson of the session to see where you are going with your talk. When I am a chairman, I usually get nervous when a speaker has no outline and no page numbers and his time is running short. I then keep asking myself, when I should interrupt the speaker and it usually turns out for the worse of the speaker…
But you need to keep a few things in mind:
* The number `last page` should really be the number of the page that you want to display last. If you have any back-up slides after that, insert the correct number manually, e.g. by `\renewcommand{\inserttotalframenumber}{22}`. You may or may not restart the frame counter after that last official slide.
* Make sure that each counted frame/page is really one page. I've seen a talk that had ~100 "official frames" but more than 80 of them showed a single image that was part of a movie.
* Train you talk such that you don't have to omit something. It's a matter of preparation and can be done. Put in time, effort and also practice your talk to get the right timing. While you plan, keep in mind that you may have questions during the talk.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_5: Part of a good talk is good time management. If you have prepared well, including trying out your talk before it gets serious, you should have a good idea of how much time you will need and can adjust accordingly. You will even be able to get an idea how long you can engage with audience comments and questions. For the purpose of this answer, I will assume that your time management is good. If itisn't, you might as well just inslt your audience by swearing at them.
If your time management is spot on, you have two reasons for why you might want to display the number of slides left.
1. You may want to make it easier for the audience to refer to some slide of yours. In that case, precise slide titles will serve this function better. I think it is easier to ask for the slide that gives the equivalents of the definition of a woolladuh than asking for slide 7.
2. You may want to signal that our talk is on time. I think this is indeed legitimate in many contexts. In a conference where only short presentations are allowed, worrying that the speaker before you steals all your time might prevent you from paying attention. In a setting where people running out of time is a real possibility, I think the (number of current slide)/(number of total slides) works well, it gives the relevant information while minimizing the increase in noise. For a long seminar presentation, providing a roadmap of your talk will do more to ease your audience.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_6: Would you like, in an exciting movie, to have a counter at the bottom of the screen, saying: "50 out of 90 minutes"? There may be movies that profit from this as a suspense build-up, but most of the time, this would be quite a distractor and very counterproductive.
No, tell a good story, build suspense, and develop your argument stringently, don't bore your audience with structure which may make sense post-hoc, but not pre-hoc. Ideally, make them ache for the next slide.
Of course, you yourself should ensure to be well on time, though, but take care of not turning this into the worry of your audience.
And, if you conclude a few minutes before the expected time, when expectation is still high, and people have not yet remembered to look at their watches, you've done it *the right way* (TM).
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_7: In general user experience (human computer interaction, human factors, psychology) research, progress indicators are to let people know how long they need to wait or work to get a job done, and to allow them to determine if something has gone wrong, or if they thus need to conduct themselves differently (speed up, slow down). You already have a natural progress indicator built into your talk: the time. If your talk is one hour and there is 30 minutes left, the audience need only check the clock to see just how close you are to being done. The concern would be if you are suddenly going to be done early (and I don't recall ever being worried that any speaker was going to finish talking too soon), or too late (a very real concern), so a progress indicator would really only be useful to determine "on time, going over time, will finish early".
There is a second type of progress indicator available to you during a talk, which is...well, you. You can simply say things like "let me check the time...ah yes, we are right on schedule!", or "in the interests of time I'll omit some less interesting details here...", etc. You are providing the audience useful information they want to know, namely "will I need to prepare to walk out on this joker while he is still talking to get to the next talk on time", or at worst "can I possibly survive until the end of this talk...". Again, the time is the natural progress indicator here, so everything is likely to be judged relative to that.
In your proposed method of slide progress indicator, my question would be "what does this progress indicator add that the time and you as the speaker are not already providing?" What does your system provide to the audience, which they can not already determine trivially by context?
Other things your system could do is serve as a kind of mental map, allowing the audience to see how what you are saying fits into the talk as a whole. In most academic talks I'm use to, this is already provided both by the introduction/overview and the natural structure of talks. Unlike in website navigation, it is not assumed that your audience will get mentally lost, such as by getting up and walking off to get lunch and then expecting to pick up from where they left off (a big reason for such a progress indicator on a web presentation/form).
The biggest use I can imagine in this is actually not for the audience, but for you the presenter. At a glance you can see how you are pacing each section, and with some previously calculated mental math you can see if you need to speed up or slow down. The status indicator can also serve as a reminder to you of what is next, which can help you talk about the right thing at the right time and segway smoothly into the next slide and section. I know I personally regularly rearrange my talks as I revise them, and its easy to remember the order of the slides as it originally was and forget your last revision.
So in the end, based on my understanding of related research domains and personal experience giving talks and listening to them, I don't think the progress indicator of slides left/slide numbers is going to be a significant benefit to your audience. However, I do see how the system might be useful to you, and if it helps you give a better, more organized, more confident, smooth, useful talk, then that is of tremendous benefit to your audience indirectly and you should go for it! So long as you don't provide false indication, such as making it seem like you are going way too fast or too slow to make appropriate use of your time slot, then I don't think there is any real concern in choosing the system if you feel it helps you.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_8: **tl;dr**: Show it. In the beginning, the audience will be "warned" if your slide cadence will be fast or relaxed. And both you and audience will know how fast your progress is. If you have two slides pending chairmen are usually well-disposed when you are running short on time. If they don't know they will more likely interrupt you and ask you for speeding up. If you add extra slides for discussion - tables, reference citations, more details, etc. do not count them to the `pages` counter. It is awkward to have "Thank you" slide with number 10/15.
For short talks (10-20 min) I ommit the outline part, because it is always Introduction - Experimental - Results - Conclusion setup. I believe that every field has its "typical pattern". And it also cost time I would like to spend elsewhere (Results).
I have modified the `crane` layout. Above the header there is the title of the speech and in the footer there is my affiliation, conference name and date and the page numbering.
For longer talks (>30 min) like plenary lectures, I would divide the talk into parts and adress them in outline. In that case I would also show th page numbering (page/pages) and small "progress bar".
Regarding [username_2's](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/76838/9200) point, having half of the slides pending when having 5 minutes left during 1 hour lecture is utterly poor timing and displaying page numbering is of lesser issue.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_9: I would not display number of slides left when a) you have good reputation or goodwill with an audience (very interesting topic, you have been invited, people already heard your other talks) or b) your presentation will be approximately at a constant pace.
However, I would display number of slides left, if you are c) in the environment where many people (try to) go over their allocated time (e.g. conference) or if d) you have a slide for which you know will spend disproportionate amount of time on. But d) is best handled otherwise (e.g. split it into multiple slides), as you may get the opposite effect, depending where in the presentation such slide stands.
Number of slides left is to assure the auditorium "I know what I am doing, bear with me, I am aware of the time constraints", and if you then go over your allotted time it will look a bit silly.
Upvotes: 1
|
2016/09/14
| 235
| 1,124
|
<issue_start>username_0: I have many publications in my profile that I had to add manually, but ResearchGate seems not to recognize any of them sufficiently to create links to the online full text (and other info) that is readily available for all of them (Google Scholar, for example has links to every one of them).
Will ResearchGate eventually find and connect these publications? (Is adding this information manually myself the only option?)<issue_comment>username_1: ResearchGate will try to suggest papers that closely relates to your name provided. It will mostly suggest papers whose details are in its own repository (and probably some others). It does not have an effective crawler like Google Scholar.
I would consider adding them manually to be the better option.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: ResearchGate does not support this feature, and has no current plans to do so.
The only way to attach information to publications that ResearchGate must be added manually (because ResearchGate fails to find them) is to add that information manually for each publication as well.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]
|
2016/09/15
| 415
| 1,816
|
<issue_start>username_0: Now, I am working on a joint paper with some collaborators. The research is about mathematics.
This is my first experience of working in collaboration.
Another author has sent a manuscript about our work. The manuscript is about 40 pages. When I checked some part of the manuscript, it takes a lot of time to read the content and unfortunately, there are a lot of gaps and mathematical mistakes in it.
In addition, there are also many typos buried inside the manuscript.
Although, I can fix some part and adding some details and proof, I still do not understand about 50% of the manuscript.
I have to mention that we can communicate via email only.
The following are my questions:
1. How do you manage to work collaboratively in research?
2. How do you detect the mistake and fixing it quickly?
3. When should we keep trying to understand and fixing the argument or rather asking the explanation directly to the collaborators? Is 4 days-checking without asking question too short?
4. How to judge``grey part", like simpler proof, simplified definition, notation, sentences, etc?
Thank you for your advice.<issue_comment>username_1: ResearchGate will try to suggest papers that closely relates to your name provided. It will mostly suggest papers whose details are in its own repository (and probably some others). It does not have an effective crawler like Google Scholar.
I would consider adding them manually to be the better option.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: ResearchGate does not support this feature, and has no current plans to do so.
The only way to attach information to publications that ResearchGate must be added manually (because ResearchGate fails to find them) is to add that information manually for each publication as well.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]
|
2016/09/15
| 1,886
| 7,316
|
<issue_start>username_0: What are good choices to produce charts in computer science research papers? For example, I think Figure 8 from
[Staring into the Abyss: An Evaluation of Concurrency Control with One Thousand Cores (pdf)](http://www.vldb.org/pvldb/vol8/p209-yu.pdf), included below, is great. What tools were used to produce it?
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/nAk6F.png)
**Source: <NAME> et al., [*ibid.*](http://www.vldb.org/pvldb/vol8/p209-yu.pdf), p. 215.**<issue_comment>username_1: You can use TIKZ and PGFPLOTS packages in latex to produce beautiful figures, see these pages for some examples, [TIKZ examples](http://www.texample.net/tikz/examples/all/) and [PGFPLOTS examples](http://pgfplots.sourceforge.net/gallery.html).
Matlab and python are powerful software for producing nice plots.
Barchart creation using Matlab, [Barchart Matlab examples](http://undocumentedmatlab.com/blog/bar-plot-customizations), and Python example, [Python matplot example](https://plot.ly/matplotlib/bar-charts/).
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: To add to other answers that will probably suggest some nice, specific software:
**Use whatever you are comfortable with.** I personally don't think this figure 8 is that special, and I don't even think it has any features that cannot easily be done with something as common as Excel. As also mentioned in some comments: even the potential graphical powerhouse Matlab will produce crappy figures if you use the standard settings. The same for some other "go-to" software packages. But you have to be able to use them.
In almost all of the mentioned software you can adapt (almost) everything, and some default settings look better than others (one of the reasons why Excel has such a bad reputation).
**The most important thing is that you decide how a graph should look,** and actually make it look like that. Don't settle for default colors / font sizes and line widths! Whatever software you use to get there is your choice.
If you're fluent in MS Office: probably you should just use Excel. If you like to write scripts and use commands instead of clicking everywhere: Matlab might be an option. If spent 3 years getting good at using Graphpad but don't like how the graphs look? Just adapt them to fit your tastes, don't be limited by the default settings.
And when exporting them use the right settings. Many journals accept vector graphics, which will always look better, but the journal has to accept those. Figures also need to be the right size. Everything can look perfect printed 12 cm wide, but when your graph has to fit one column (8.5 cm), the same graph will look too small with unreadable fonts.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: Currently, the `ggplot` package in `R` is the best for producing very clean plots. `matplotlib` is fine, but it's not as easy or as flexible as `ggplot`. `seaborn` is another python package that wraps around `matplotlib` to make it a little easier.
But ultimately, as @username_2 says, do what's most comfortable for you.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: Adding to the other answers for the sake of completeness:
### gnuplot
[Gnuplot](http://gnuplot.sourceforge.net/demo/) is always an option if you do not want to use Python or R. It is freely available and can be used on most platforms. Also plotting can be automated using shell scripts.
### Inkscape
Inkscape is a vectorgraphics tool that can be used to create nice graphics. While it provides a rudimentary function plotter and can render TeX code I would advise against using it to create graphics.
In enhancing plots however, Inkscape can be invaluable. You can use Inkscape to edit svg and pdf files created by other plotting tools, like matplotlib, gnuplot, etc. I use this for grouping, recoloring, editing and adding labels, and other fine tuning tasks.
Inkscape is also available on most platforms. To edit a pdf file just open it with Inkscape (File -> Open).
### Off Topic: Literature
As others have mentioned, it is not the tool, it is what you do with it. While this might not be a direct answer to the question, I would like to recommend the Edward Tufte's book Envisioning Information. It explores several facets of what makes a good visualization of data and how to highlight what you actually want to show.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_5: username_2's advice "Use whatever you are comfortable with" is best, no shame in using excel if it works.
That said, may I suggest [`Plots.jl`](https://juliaplots.github.io/)? It has one of the simplest, but most flexible apis I've seen. The biggest advantage over others is it tries to display something for whatever data you throw at it. It can be as simple as:
```
plot(rand(10,5))
```
More complex examples such as animated gifs: 
can be easily built with only a few more lines of [code](https://juliaplots.github.io/)
Best of all, it is a front-end to many of the packages mentioned here (`PGFplots`, `TIKZ`, `Matplotlib`, others such as `Plotly`), so you can always change your final output format later
It is available as a package for the Julia language - which is a similar system to matlab
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_6: PGFPlots
--------
@Habi mentioned it already, but I thought I would go into more detail about why PGFPlots.
Here is what might happen over the course of a particular piece of work.
1. I do some work, gathers some bulk data, simulate some things
2. I have an analysis [Jupyter Notebook](http://jupyter.org/) that loads up the raw data, and a Subset it, and analysis it in jupyter, using what ever plotting tools I like.
3. (or 2b.) I export the key data from jupyter into a CSV (that I version control along side my latex documents)
4. I write up code to plot it using PGFplots into my paper
Then *stuff* happens.
* A university event wants me to talk about my current research -- got to make a slideshow
+ copy paste that pgfplots description into a Beamer presentation, change the colours to match my university theme. And adjust the scale. (Takes only a few minutes)
* I need to have a poster for a conference
+ Copy paste the the plot description, tweak the sizing. Use the poster color scheme. Again minutes.
* I screwed up the analysis, the plots in my paper are wrong (hopefully not too wrong).
+ Click "Run All in Jupyter"
+ Click Compile in my LaTeX editor
+ Done
Vs if I was exporting a Plot (and a png, of even svg or pdf, rather than CSV data) from a plotting tool (like matplotlib). I would have to mess around trying to get the size, resolution and color right for all the different versions of the plot -- I find that is much easier to do in latex.
And I would need to manage all those different plot files.
It is still automatable,
but now my presentation settings (style), live with my Analysis (in Jupyter), rather than in with my writeup (in LaTeX).
Side bonus is that Plots produced with PGFPlots use the same font as the rest of your document, and can use named colours you have defined in your document. And the text ends up highlightable (rather than as a image of text).
Upvotes: 3
|
2016/09/15
| 2,457
| 9,888
|
<issue_start>username_0: I'm in the second half of an electrical engineering doctorate but have come to realize that mathematical statistics and the theoretical side of information theory might be more my calling. I am too far along in my research to pivot my doctoral thesis to this abstract of an area, especially considering I am in the engineering department.
I am relatively strong in math (Tall for a hobbit... taking the grad functional analysis sequence, albeit late relative to when math students see it) and have a (very conservative) original math side project, so I believe I am at least capable of understanding math research. However my environment is still most conducive to studying engineering problems, not math/stats ones.
*If someone in this position wanted to research and publish in mathematical statistics later on, would an engineering doctorate be enough credentials to do so?*
There are several reasons I ask:
* The amount of math knowledge implied by a typical engineering doctorate is not anywhere near the amount necessary to do research in statistics theory. (Not to say the EEs I have met here aren't extremely capable in their field, just most aren't focused on research level math).
* The direction my adviser and I are headed with my current thesis is interesting and useful. I'm not about to drop my engineering degree.
* If it isn't necessary I would rather not jump through all the hoops of getting a PhD all over again.<issue_comment>username_1: No formal credential is required for scientific publication in any discipline.
What is required is good work, presented well in a context in which the reviewers can understand your results and their significance to the community with which you are communicating.
That often *strongly correlates* with having a Ph.D. in the discipline in which you are publishing, since that is the most straight-forward manner in which to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary for effectively engaging with such a community. There are many other ways to get engaged with a scientific discipline, however.
For example, you're coming up on another good opportunity for shifting between communities, however, which is getting a postdoc in the area in which you work. Given what you have described of your situation, I would suggest following through to completion with your Ph.D. work, while simultaneously continuing to explore your alternate interests and looking for a good postdoc to help you shift.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: If you are interested in staying in academia, do a postdoc. You have a new interest that extends your grad work, but that you don't have precisely the right background to drop into the field without additional training. I'd describe this as almost the ideal situation for starting a postdoc! Look for someone a bit more embedded in mathematics with research interests in the direction you're interested in. With your engineering background, you could bring new problems or new techniques to them. Unless you are dealing with work that needs massive amounts of analysis and measure theory, I think many applied mathematicians would be happy to work with people with slightly different backgrounds, especially if you can make a case to them that you have gone through the coursework. [As a warning: there can be some cultural transitions - many math postdocs teach to support themselves!]
If you are not interested in staying in academia, and just want to publish because you find the work interesting - then credentials don't matter as much. But you still might want to get a little connected to people just to see if 1) your questions are interesting to other people, 2) you're trying to answer something that is already known in the literature, etc. Really, what you would need there is friends in the field you want to work in. Unfortunately, you mostly get those by working in academia for long enough to make a reputation and find people you respect. Some people will respond to [well-informed] questions, but it's not the same as working with a mentor in the new field.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: As others have pointed out, the answer to your literal question
>
> Is an engineering PhD enough to publish math stats research?
>
>
>
is
>
> Yes. In fact no degrees are necessary to publish math/stats research.
>
>
>
But I think what you are really asking is
>
> I find myself more interested in mathematics / statistics than engineering. How do I get there from here? In particular, can one become an academic in mathematics and/or statistics with degrees in engineering?
>
>
>
The answer to the second question is shorter: yes, [you](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Shannon) [can](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raoul_Bott). I highly recommend reading a bit about the lives of these two mathematicians. The point is that they got some of their degrees in engineering, but they kept a lively interest in mathematics and in particular had a lot of contact with mathematicians.
So that is the major thing that you should do if you want to segue into mathematics: cultivate strong relationships with the mathematics research community. As others have said, a well-chosen postdoc is ideal for this. Many people nowadays do more than one postdoc. I would recommend that in your case, since you point out that most math PhDs have more mathematical training than you do (which sounds reasonable, by the way), so doing one postdoc where you can spend some time acquiring these mathematical skills may be beneficial.
Let me say finally although you certainly can do whatever you like, I think your chances become much better if you don't simply gradually turn your back on your background and work in engineering but rather *positively incorporate it* into your mathematical work. Because mathematics (especially highly theoretical mathematics) has such a high "entry fee," even in comparison to other STEM fields, candidates whom a math department can view as "really mathematicians" (or statisticians...) but who have a strongly relevant interest in engineering look like very valuable players. In particular, university deans are all about interdisciplinary stuff nowadays...whereas most pure mathematicians really are not. I think there are a lot of good niches waiting to be occupied; if you can find one, you may have a leg up on some people who were studying only math the whole time.
Thanks for your interest in mathematics (it's pretty great, isn't it?) and good luck.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: Your paper ought to stand by itself. If it is good enough to be published, it will (or at least should) be published.
Of course, people will wonder about your "background." And "engineering" isn't the most usual background for a math paper. Still, it isn't as far out of the way as say, fine arts. And people realize that engineering PhDs have all kinds of "secondary" concentrations. Yours just happens to be math.
If you want "credentials," you might go back to school for a Master's (not necessarily a PhD) in Math or Statistics. But you really don't need to. Your current background (and interest) ought to speak for itself.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_5: As stated in other answers, doing a postdoc in your newly-found area of interest after finishing your PhD would be the preferable way to switch your focus.
While I essentially agree with most of the other answers, I want to mention here that your plan may not be as far-fetched as you think it is, or as others would have you believe. Your target areas (mathematical statistics and theoretical information theory) **are studied by electrical engineers, and there is no need to switch from EE to other fields of study entirely.**
Choosing your postdoc institution wisely is the key to success. If you are not inclined to toss aside your EE credentials completely, and still don't mind being aligned with (*gasp!*) electrical engineering (*who says EE isn't great?*), one thing to look for are EE departments that have more theoretical leanings. Some schools that come to mind here are Stanford, UC Berkeley, UCSD, Duke, UT Austin, UIUC, Caltech, Georgia Tech, Columbia, and Princeton. Schools that combine their electrical engineering and computer science faculty into one department also would be worthwhile to investigate.
Just to give you some ideas of where to look, here are some researchers who are either EEs, or are affiliated in some way with EE departments, and do the type of research that you want to get into:
* [<NAME> at UIUC](http://vvv.ece.illinois.edu/)
* [<NAME> at UIUC](http://maxim.ece.illinois.edu/)
* [<NAME> at Duke](http://reeves.ee.duke.edu/)
* [<NAME> at Caltech](http://users.cms.caltech.edu/~venkatc/)
* [<NAME> at UT Austin](http://users.ece.utexas.edu/~sanghavi/)
* [<NAME> at UC Berkeley](https://people.eecs.berkeley.edu/~wainwrig/)
* [<NAME> at UC Berkeley](https://people.eecs.berkeley.edu/~courtade/)
* [<NAME> at UC Berkeley](https://people.eecs.berkeley.edu/~brecht/)
* [<NAME> at UCSD](http://alon.ucsd.edu/)
* [<NAME> at Stanford](http://web.stanford.edu/~tsachy/)
* [<NAME> at Stanford](https://web.stanford.edu/~dntse/)
* [<NAME> at Stanford](http://web.stanford.edu/~jduchi/)
* [<NAME> at Georgia Tech](http://mdav.ece.gatech.edu/)
* [<NAME> at Georgia Tech](http://users.ece.gatech.edu/justin/Justin_Romberg.html)
* [<NAME> at Columbia](http://www.columbia.edu/~jw2966/)
* [<NAME> at Princeton](http://www.princeton.edu/~verdu/)
Additionally, here are two researchers who did their PhDs in EE, but are now faculty in statistics departments:
* [<NAME> at Yale](http://www.stat.yale.edu/~yw562/)
* [<NAME> at Columbia](https://sites.google.com/site/malekiarian/)
Upvotes: 3
|
2016/09/15
| 467
| 2,040
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am currently a Ph.D. student. I was invited for a week by a professor from another university in a second country. He told that he likes me to meet his research team, and to show me what they are working on. This collaboration is intended to be a preparation for a postdoc position in his department.
At the current situation, I do not know what exactly should I show him. I thought of preparing a presentation about my Ph.D. work. Besides, discuss several things.
Also, Is this something that can be written in my CV?<issue_comment>username_1: Offering to give a presentation about your work sounds like a very good idea. I would suggest contacting the professor as soon as possible saying that you would be keen to present your work. By giving them early notice, you give them the chance to either arrange something for you, or to pass your details onto anybody in the wider department who may run the sorts of seminars/colloquiums where such talks often take place.
In terms of other things you could do, if they've already told you that you'll be introduced to other members of the research team then that sounds like a lot of that will be organised for you. Another thing you may want to consider is to see what other regularly seminars, journal clubs, research groups, etc. already exist that might be of interest to you. If this is somewhere that you may have the opportunity to go and work at then you want to have the fullest sense of what your working environment would be like.
As for putting it on your CV, I'm not entirely sure that a visit is entirely relevant. If it was a visiting job then include it, but something casual like this probably not. It is the sort of thing that may be well worth discussing (if it's relevant) in a cover letter or supporting statement that goes alongside applications.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: My CV has a section for talks that I've given at various institutions. You can definitely mention this under such a category.
Upvotes: 4
|
2016/09/15
| 692
| 2,966
|
<issue_start>username_0: In case it varies between countries, by thesis committee I mean 2-4 professors who examine you on your MSc research after you submit your thesis, so except for your advisor, they are usually not familiar with your work prior to submission. Some of them might belong to other universities/departments and not be familiar with the student at all.
I am wondering whether such letters would be valuable. On the one hand, I feel they should be the next best thing after letters from people you've done research with, but on the other hand such letters can only refer to the quality of the outcome of your research and not your character.
What about letters from professors who have read your papers/thesis but haven't met you in person and thus haven't held a conversation regarding your research with you?<issue_comment>username_1: You are free to ask whomever you want for a LoR, but you should be careful as only persons who have had the opportunity to get to know you, are in a position to write strong letters.
So, if the professors in your committee are not familiar with your work, they could at best write very generic (read weak) letters for you. In my experience it is far more likely that such faculty will decline writing a letter for you, as they don't want to cause damage to your application with a weak LoR.
My advice is to approach people with whom you had a good and lasting working relationship for a LoR. These can be faculty that wrote papers with you, supervised your work on a project, the supervisors of the lab you worked in, even is some cases faculty whose class you took (take the last one with reserve though). Ask them whether they are comfortable writing a **strong** letter for your application.
Finally, never expect professors to spin a tale to make you look better on your LoR.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: In the UK at least, when applying for research jobs soon after completing a PhD it's quite common for one of the referees to include the external examiner of your thesis (a member of the committee that is external to the institution which awards the PhD). The idea there being that as they're experts in an area in which you've worked and they've assessed a sizeable product of your research (i.e. the thesis), as well as having engaged with you during its defence, they should be in a position to speak authoritatively about your abilities as a researcher.
The professor who has only read your work is in a significantly different position. While they may have the expertise in the subject area, and the familiarity with your work, of the examiner, they've not assessed you in a formal role, nor really engaged with you as an individual.
Of course, your question is about an MSc thesis committee, rather than a PhD one. Without more specifics, you will have to judge whether the involvement of committee members is similar to the involvement of a PhD thesis committee member.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/15
| 475
| 2,074
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am a communications engineering undergraduate, and I was thinking of studying pure math courses will this help me later on in graduate school, and if it will help what courses of pure math will be related to my major?<issue_comment>username_1: I'm in a similar situation to you. I'm finishing my masters in digital communications and doing my thesis right now. Math is an issue for me definitely.
In my experience, a bit more complicated math is helpful if you're going to be developing systems that do statistical signal processing (which seems to be very popular now) and anything that has "smart" in its name.
What exactly do you need depends on what you want to study in detail. It might be a good idea to first dip your toes in the fields you want to be working with first and the pick math courses you want to take. You could try looking at some books or papers about say adaptive filters or modern receivers or estimation theory. This should give you an idea what's usually needed. If you're lucky enough to have approchable professors, do ask them about what will be useful to you.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: I find <NAME>'s recommended courses rather ambitious for a non-math major undergrad, if the context is the U.S.
You would be well served by covering most of the basic math classes needed for a physics or engineering major:
* the calculus, including multi-variate
* an intro to ordinary differential equations -- this is a classic course and will prepare you for the Fourier transform
* linear algebra -- will make a lot of things easier once you've had this; also, as long as your course is rigorous and not too cookbook, you will gain mathematical maturity by doing lots of proofs
* if you enjoy it, you could have some fun with a numerical methods class (although this is not a pure math course)
* intro to probability or graph theory (for something totally different)
* if you want more pure math, then take "advanced calculus" (but not without a rigorous linear algebra class under your belt)
Upvotes: 0
|
2016/09/15
| 319
| 1,480
|
<issue_start>username_0: Me and my coauthors have recently submitted a paper to conference X. By talking to colleagues I discovered that another set of authors have had a very similar result, and submitted their paper to conference X.
Basically, the result is a theorem that solves an open problem stated in a paper which appeared at conference X in the previous year. The new theorem is essentially the same in both papers, but the proofs are very different.
What happens in this case?<issue_comment>username_1: This sounds like a straight-forward case of multiple discovery.
In the case that both papers are well-written and have correct proofs, the typical and appropriate thing would be for both of them to be accepted. If one or both are not sufficient for the standards of the conference in their presentation or technical approach, however, then it would be reasonable for one or both to be rejected, however, even if they have identical results.
Given that there is often a great degree of variability in reviewing, however, it would likely be a good thing to get in contact with the conference organizers and let them know about the situation, so that they can ensure fair treatment of the two papers (e.g., via meta-review or by assigning the same reviewers to both).
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: There have been instances where in such a case the authors of both papers have been asked by the program committee to merge their papers into one.
Upvotes: 1
|
2016/09/15
| 3,097
| 12,240
|
<issue_start>username_0: I was recently asked to train a new undergrad research assistant in the lab I work in. I was then told this new lab member is my assistant. He has no experience working in the lab before this, but I had been there for about a year before he came in. We have been working together for a few months now, but I am stuck.
I did have the chance to talk with him more, and he told me that he is only doing research to get a paper published. After all, if you complete research and do not get published, what is the point? I was a little bit taken back when I heard this, though not surprised. Of course almost every researcher dreams of being published, but me personally, I truly want to learn. I am not boasting and trying to make myself look better, but I personally believe my experience as a researcher will serve me well in my future career. If I do get published, all the better! I do strive to have enough data for publication, but I put my learning first.
After hearing this, my opinion of John changed, though I try very hard not to make it personal. I try very hard to focus on the research, and put all of my energy towards making my project successful. He always mentions to me how his schedule is very full, that he is always busy, but at the same time, I also struggle in giving him work to do. I do not want for him to take credit for something I did (in the long run), but I am afraid that because I may appear weak to him, this will most likely happen.
We had a meeting with our PI a few weeks back, and though John had mentioned to me he would be available for work that morning... once our meeting concluded, and several alarms later (that the professor subtly hinted his annoyance with the constant going off of his alarms), he mentioned to me that he has to get going. He gave me one idea that we could do to improve our project, but then as he walked away, said that his schedule is starting to become busy. I am busy too, I am overwhelmed sometimes, but I simply cannot stand the complaining anymore. I would like to tell him in a nice way, that if we are to work on this project together, he must put in the same amount of work that I do. However, the professor has mentioned he is to be my assistant, so I am not sure if he does have to put in as much work as I do?
I am really stuck on how to stand my ground and not appear weak, but at the same time, I do not want to be mean/a jerk. I am also wondering whether I am just putting John in a negative light because I see him as competition? Any thoughts?<issue_comment>username_1: **Disclaimer lable: 100% organic locally grown opinion**
I think there are a few aspects you need to reflect on.
First, it's fine for different people to create a joint effort with different motives. As long as the motives move the main goal forward. In addition, just because he wanted to publish a paper does not imply that he does not value learning. If his saying made you assume that he is just on for a free ride, I think that can be too premature a conclusion.
Second, learn how to manage people. Don't expect them just to fit in perfectly with your schedule and work style. Set up ground rules, lay out tasks, and negotiate on the ways of reporting. A very good feature about this case is you know his Achilles' tendon (or hanging carrot if you're a glass half-full kind of person): Name on the publication. Lay out all the works or tasks or learning for him and demand him to complete them on an agreed time or his name will not be listed as an author, but in the acknowledgement. Be civil about it and listen to what he says.
Third, sort out your own conflict. First:
>
> How do I tell him to help out more without being rude?
>
>
>
And then:
>
> but at the same time, I also struggle in giving him work to do. I do
> not want for him to take credit for something I did
>
>
>
Actually do you need an assistant or not? If yes, then make sure the terms are clear and he followed through. If he did, and ended up in the paper, he will eventually take some credits of yours AND you will also take some credits of his. This is what collaboration entails, at the end we have a general idea who did what, but it's inevitable to have some shared credit. If you're completely possessive about your work, and you think that he is taking advantage of you, then you should consider if you need an assistant or if you should decline this responsibility assigned by your supervisor.
Lastly, strengthen yourself up. Listen to this:
>
> I am afraid that because I may appear weak to him, this will most
> likely happen.
>
>
>
What about you that is weak? Why do you just label yourself weak from the get go? Personality? Physique? French? The only thing you need to be stronger than him in this case is your knowledge in this project. All others are side matters and you should not place yourself in the victim seat. An effective manager does not have to have strong personality, he/she just need to be fair, just, and remain clear and open in communication.
Lastly lastly, you should also talk to your supervisor for advice and tips. Work on it to create a happier collaboration experience.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: *I was about to comment but then it got too long and even as a post it is quite long.*
---
**Speak with your PI**
>
> However, the professor has mentioned he is to be my assistant, so I am not sure if he does have to put in as much work as I do?
>
>
>
I suppose this is the first time you have an assistant and in that case, it seems fair to ask your PI what is the scope of tasks and the amount of time you are entitled to ask your 'assistant'.
I know that the amount of work/time really depends on your country/university/field/department and lab.
Your PI should be able to give you at least general guidelines and what it is the **minimum expected from an undergrad assistant in his lab**.
Then stick to it at first and see how things go.
BTW,
* Were you given an assistant for the sole purpose that you were too busy?
OR
* This new research undergrad had to be trained and since you have taken care of it, you can now 'be paid back' by his work to compensate the time you had put in his training?
If you don't know you should also figure this out with your PI.
>
> I do not want for him to take credit for something I did (in the long run), but I am afraid that because I may appear weak to him, this will most likely happen.
> I am also wondering whether I am just putting [him] in a negative light because I see him as competition?
>
>
>
This should not happen as long as you keep your PI 'in the loop' about what everyone has done.
Keep a log of everything he has done and the things you have done. In a matter of fact and professional way.
This is also good to find out what is the contribution of each author/co-author in the final paper.
It is a good practice to **keep your PI up-to-date by e-mails** (particularly if you have a busy PI) of the progression of the work. (CC everyone involved in those emails). Even if your PI doesn't really read these emails. The purpose, here, is **to keep track in a** more **formal way**.
---
**Speak with your "assistant"**
*He is busy, you are busy, everyone is busy.*
There are several points to consider here:
* Is your assistant still studying?
* Is he '*doing research*' in your lab as a full-time job? As a side?
* As a requirement of his curriculum?
* As to gain more experience for later so basically for free and his own volition?
* Is he earning some financial compensation or reputational one due to this position?
And same questions about yourself?
The way to handle this situation is going to depend on his and your situation.
In any case, you can **ask in advance how many hours per week he can give you and when**: even if he is very busy, he should be able to give that much information before hand. Make him then understand that not being able to keep his words on what he promised is very unprofessional.
However, do give him a bit of time to figure this out, he looks pretty disorganised to me, so he might need a couple of weeks before he can give you a proper figure.
>
> I also struggle in giving him work to do
>
>
>
That would help you to figure out what to give him. Particularly as you seem to do wet-lab work for me (chemistry I would guess if there are many alarms going off). It is hard to plan on the spot.
>
> I would like to tell him in a nice way, that if we are to work on this project together, he must put in the same amount of work that I do.[...] but I simply cannot stand the complaining anymore.
>
>
>
Depending on the amount of time he can give you, you should be able to tell him something like:
*OK, based on your schedule, you can only work 10h on this project per week, while I put 35h and X is putting y h., which means that would be only 2% of the total work per week and then I was working on this project from XX months and X,Y,Z from MM months.
You do realise that won't be enough for a proper contribution to the paper*
The guy might be truly very busy and just didn't realise what he was committing himself to. You don't expect the same thing from an intern and an assistant. You don't expect the same amount of work from the technician and the PhD student either. They also won't have the same priority on the final authors list.
Try to keep in mind that he is unexperimented and maybe he doesn't realise what is the normal amount of work he should be doing. And maybe he is not fitted for it. What you think about his opinion about research is irrelevant to the problem; how much time he can spare is.
You should also **assess why he tends to trigger the alarms so often**. If it is because he doesn't apply the best practices, ask him to do so.
Teach him again if necessary.
Safety matters are not a joke. These can also block you to land future positions.
(In a former lab I was working in, one of the post-doc was a real danger and wasn't carrying about anyone health and safety but himself; he created different bad accidents - at the end, he had to go to teach in one this 'after school' complementary school for high-schooler as nobody was allowing them in their lab anymore).
Alarms might be seen as a nuisance to some people, but in the long term (life long-term) there aren't.
---
**Speak with other people of the lab/department**
If you can't have a clear idea about what to do from your PI, look/discuss with the other people from the lab about **general politics** of the lab. No need to complain about your assistant to other as it might be perceived as unprofessional.
Just figure out what is an assistant suppose to do, and how you are supposed to manage them, if there was any other undergrad assistant, etc.
---
**About the publishing part**:
If you do science, it is sad to be the only one to know about something, so please consider publishing in any case. ;)
And when you are publishing a paper, everyone is not required (and most of the time they are not) to put the same amount of effort and time. However, the contribution of everyone should be clearly stated in the final paper.
As long as you communicate clearly with your PI, you will be fine.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: You need to tease him in a slightly edgy way, e.g.:
(Monday morning) Hi, Manny, how's it going?
(Answering your own question, pretending to be or speak for him, so you'll have to change your voice slightly) Spent the whole weekend working! (Now speaking for yourself) No rest for the weary! Come, let's get started so we can get out of here in good time. Do you remember ... [and now quiz him on some safety procedures you taught him last week.] Do not humiliate him under any circumstances. Just tease him in a friendly, cheerful way.
We want him to get the idea that complaining, and not doing his job, is ludicrous.
Edit: If you're a grad student, and he is an undergrad, then you can expect his number of hours in the lab to be much less than yours. However, you needn't have to put up with constant bragging, complaining, whining, etc. Deflate his airs of self-importance by poking fun. Gently.
Upvotes: -1
|
2016/09/15
| 1,254
| 4,953
|
<issue_start>username_0: Suspense is a powerful tool. In story-telling, not knowing what is going to happen or how the story is going to end can grab attention and sustain interest. In giving a research presentation, one is often encouraged to "tell a story". One could certainly make use of suspense to do so.
>
> We are interested in how best to predict X. Previous research has indicated that P Q and R could be crucial here. [much later] It turned out that... [pause for drama]... variable K was surprisingly the strongest predictor of X!
>
>
>
However, most presentations take a more up-front approach.
>
> Welcome to my presentation entitled "How K can be used to predict X"...
>
>
>
The latter approach follows the advice that I have often received, which can be summarised by the maxim:
>
> Tell them what you are going to tell them, then tell them, then tell them what you have told them.
>
>
>
So, **is it a bad idea to use suspense with the intention of making the "story" of your presentation more engaging?**
[This question was inspired by an [answer](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/76861/46184) given elsewhere on Academia.SE.]<issue_comment>username_1: I believe that using suspense in a talk is a terrible idea on any but the shortest rhetorical time scales.
The reason is that, at any given time, a significant fraction of your audience will not be paying attention. It doesn't matter whether they're twiddling with their phone or just thinking about what you said two slides ago: the point is, it's terribly easy for people to miss bits of a talk. As a result, if you build your talk as a suspenseful mystery where somebody has to be paying attention at the right times, then you'll probably fail to convey key information to a significant fraction of your audience.
Now, there's nothing wrong with using it in the short range as a bit of rhetorical flourish, e.g., "And what did we find? The wires were covered with purple spots!" Once you start putting long-range dependencies in your talk, however, you're gambling with attention. Likewise, even without putting in a dependency, if you say your key idea only once in your talk, you're decreasing the number of people who will hear and remember it, compared to if you say it in "preview" and again when you get to it in detail.
In short: don't hide information from your audience. There's plenty of other, more effective ways to make a scientific presentation interesting.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Have you ever read a badly written book or short story, where the author had a fine idea, but just didn't manage to pull it off?
You'll just have to try this out and see if you can pull it off.
Note, when I say "try it out", I mean on your friends. Practice talks.
---
I predict that this will be a growing trend. Cooking magazines and DIY magazines now often use a story-telling format. Instead of just plunking down on the page the recipe for roasting a chicken that was found to give the best results in the testing labs, nowadays the author *tells a story* -- and it's a personal story, told in the first person. It's a journey of discovery... to arrive at the best recipe for roasting chicken! It sounds funny, but actually you do get drawn in.
Also, consider the new field of creative nonfiction. Wikipedia defines it: *"Creative nonfiction (also known as literary nonfiction or narrative nonfiction) is a genre of writing that uses literary styles and techniques to create factually accurate narratives."*
You can laugh at this too, and see it as part of the general shift toward egocentrism, where the researcher-author has to be at the center of everything. The author can't just expound about the material, making it interesting and understandable. Nooo, he has to make everything about himself!
But if you've read any good creative nonfiction, you'll see that when the author can pull it off, it's wonderful.
---
Jake was concerned about a distracted member of the audience missing a key bit and therefore being confused for the whole rest of the talk. That can easily happen in a traditional talk structure as well.
Hopefully, if you are a researcher who is interested in experimenting with more novel structures, you are also someone who knows how to use, or can learn how to use, techniques performers in the fine arts have learned, of getting the audience's attention before the critical point that must not be missed. For example, a small joke to wake everybody up. Sometimes reducing your volume at a certain place can have a mesmerizing effect. Etc.
---
Personally I think the key to not overdoing the novel stuff is to make sure that it doesn't detract from the science. The takeaway message needs to be "the science that was presented is fascinating", not "the scientist put on a great performance". In other words, the *science* needs to take center stage, as opposed to *you* taking center stage.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/15
| 442
| 1,879
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am working on a research project whose eventual conclusion is probably several years away. However, I have some intermediate results that are:
a) Useful for practitioners in the field
b) Useful as stepping stones towards the eventual complete solution
I'm thinking of writing up these results in a paper with the title: "Towards a closed-form solution of grasp statics". My question is, is it correct to use "towards" here to indicate that the paper is presenting a piece of an as-yet incomplete solution?<issue_comment>username_1: Using "towards" in a title is perfectly acceptable, as indicated by [the large number of papers](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q=towards) that you can find with this word in their title.
I've also used it myself, in just the sort of manner that you are considering, and found no objection from reviewers.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Although I agree with the other answer that "towards" in a title is fine, I don't believe it is acceptable for the as-yet-unsolved major topic to stand alone as the entire title.
In particular, if while working toward a closed-form solution of grasp statics, you publish several papers containing useful partial results, a reader should be able to distinguish them by title and not merely the year of publication.
Most probably once you identify the differentiating factor for this piece of work, you'll still name the major problem, but without using the word "towards". Perhaps something like *Separability of force-volume integrals arising in analytic models of grasp statics* (I really have no clue about your field, I'm just throwing in some mathematics terms)
In summary: DO name the problem you're working towards, but if possible, make your title descriptive of the portion you've done, and try to avoid the word "towards".
Upvotes: 3
|
2016/09/15
| 918
| 3,983
|
<issue_start>username_0: Two friends of mine, Alice and Bob, enrolled in two different Ph.D. programs, have been collaborating in a research project and writing a paper together. They have submitted the abstract to a certain conference and hope to publish the paper in the future (the conference allows this). Alice, expecting to graduate sooner than Bob will, asked Bob by email if she could include the paper into her "staple" dissertation. Bob is completely fine with that, but he is confused at the same time, since her email was lengthy for the seemingly simple favor. He thinks that perhaps the favor would have consequences according to some customs in the academia; he is worried that the decision might make it impossible to use the paper as part of his own dissertation.
Question: Can a single co-authored paper be part of two stapled dissertations (by two people)?
(Alice is in the Netherlands, and Bob is in the U.S. They both are enrolled in interdisciplinary programs, but the closest fields include mathematics and theoretical computer science.)<issue_comment>username_1: Every university should have guidelines around how publications can be incorporated into a PhD thesis. The correct advice (as @Andreas notes) is to consult these guidelines. Furthermore, it seems that PhD by publication is becoming more popular and guidelines are evolving.
I'm familiar with various models of "PhD by publication". At my institution in Australia, the PhD student is expected to be first author on any major publication that forms part of a PhD by publication submission. They also need to attach a form for each publication outlining their contribution and the contribution of the other authors. The form needs to be signed by the other authors. Non-first-author publications can be included but they are intended more as supplementary contributions. Exactly what this means is a little open to interpretation.
By way of a concrete example, here is an example of such a policy (the policy at your university may differ):
>
> It is expected that the student will be the first author on the papers, as per 1 above; the number of co-authors is limitless. Students may be second or later authors on additional papers.
>
>
>
Thus, to answer your specific question, at my institution, a paper could be included in more than one PhD. However, the student who is first author would have a stronger inherent case for it being seen as an integral part of their thesis. Furthermore, the contributions of all authors would have to be explained.
You may want to consider practical alternatives such as thinking about how the work could form two papers where you each drive one paper as reflected in being first-author on that paper.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Depends on the (formal) rules of the university in question. At my University, rules state clearly that every PhD candidate needs at least one SCI indexed paper, authored as first author (!) to be eligible to submit his thesis, so the scenario you describes would not fly, only the author who is first, would be able to submit the thesis, based on that paper.
For a "stapled" dissertations, at my Uni, all papers (usually no less than three SCI indexed journal papers) have to be authored by the thesis author as the **first** author. Situation is further complicated by the fact that they are at different universities, so Bob should really take care that he won't slam shut his own door to dissertation by allowing incorporation of his paper into someone other's thesis (in case Bob is the first author).
Consider the following scenario which may end disastrously for Bob: Alice submits her dissertation with Bob's (first-authored) paper and she is granted PhD, based on her Uni rules. Later, Bob tries to do the same, but is rebuffed by the thesis examiner, who finds the paper to be already part of some other dissertation, and the Bob's uni rules do not allow for that...
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/16
| 467
| 1,788
|
<issue_start>username_0: I need some help determining the proper publication date to cite a book (a textbook). It is the 8th edition of the textbook, Print 01, Print year 2016, the Copyright year is 2017. Should the print year or the copyright year be cited as the proper publication date? Does it matter if the copyright date is in the future (for reference, this question is being asked in 2016). I understand that the copyright date is pushed as far forward as the publisher can get away with to maximize the copyrighted period.
I realize this is similar to a couple other questions, such as [What determines the copyright year for a publication?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/52170/what-determines-the-copyright-year-for-a-publication/52181#52181) but I think it is a bit different in that those questions deal with multiple copyright dates or a print date that is after the copyright date.
The textbook is:
<NAME>. (2016 or 2017?). *Quality and Performance Excellence*, 8th edition, Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
ISBN is 1-305-66222-9<issue_comment>username_1: Whenever you have tricky issues like this, go back to the basics of *why* we reference works at all.
The aim of a reference is to help the reader locate a copy of the work, so that they can replicate or investigate your results or argument.
So ignore the publisher's gaming of the copyright year — which suggests to the reader that book is an advance copy, and thus not available from the publisher, but only from the paper's author and other 'insider' sources — and use the date the work was actually available to the reader from the publisher.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Others will use the copyright date. So, if you want to communicate with others, why not use it, too?
Upvotes: 0
|
2016/09/16
| 560
| 2,154
|
<issue_start>username_0: When I want to use formatted citation from google sholar it;s show 5 option to copy. Which one is IEEE standard? I add an image for clear my question.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/bCPp9.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: None of the "standard" citations that they provide is IEEE format.
Instead, you should use one of the links at the bottom to take the format for your preferred citation manager, such as BibTeX, which can then be used to format following any publication venue's guidelines.
For IEEE in particular, the best option is generally BibTeX, because IEEE strongly pushes its authors towards preparing their publications via the IEEE LaTeX package and its accompanying BibTeX style format.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Word supports the IEEE citation format already (at last Word 2016).
I would suggest using [JabRef](https://www.jabref.org/) to build a BibTeX-file to keep track of your references. JabRef can export to the reference list format Word supports (an XML-file). It can also directly import the BibTeX-entires downloaded from Google. I suggest this program, as the built-in reference list editor in Word is nearly useless. Another alternative, if you are on Windows, is to use [bibtex4word](http://www.ee.ic.ac.uk/hp/staff/dmb/perl/index.html). This macro uses [MikTeX](http://miktex.org/) or [TeX Live](https://www.tug.org/texlive/) to generate a reference list from your BibTeX-file which is subsequently imported into your Word document.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: As the other answers suggested that none of the options are in IEEE format, I first went looking for an online citation tool for this purpose. I found one which does not require any login or premium account: [Bibme](http://www.bibme.org/ieee). Another one is [Refme](https://www.refme.com/citation-generator/ieee/). Yet another: [Citation Machine](http://www.citationmachine.net/ieee-circuits-and-systems-magazine/cite-a-journal). You might also want to search for other tools, as they are in plenty on the Internet.
Upvotes: 1
|
2016/09/16
| 474
| 2,011
|
<issue_start>username_0: If you are creating a simulator of the existing system then should you present the details about the system or your simulator? or both? How technical you should go in your defense presentation? I have so much stuff in my report that I don't know what to put in my defense and what to leave out. I wanted to show my slides to my supervisor but he is very busy this week and I doubt he will have time for me.
I am doing a post-Masters degree known as a Doctorate of Engineering or professional doctorate and I will have 45 minutes for the presentation and 15 minutes for question. Then I will have one more hour for my defense.<issue_comment>username_1: Your question is one to ask to your principal supervisor and your adjunct/secondary supervisor if you have one.
That's also what they are there for, regardless how much time they have. They get paid also for supervisory duties. Supervision is not an extra duty that comes on top of what is in their job description, unless your local setting is unusual.
Indeed attending other thesis defenses shall give you a good first-hand flavour of what you may expect.
Good luck!
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: Tailor the presentation to those who assess it. You say that will be your supervisors. If that means they are people closely familiar with your subject matter, you can devote more time to project details. That means 60-70% of your time. If they are non-experts (researchers from a different department/specialization), spend less time on technical details. When in doubt, always focus more on
-What's the big question/motivation for this study
-how does your contribution tie into big question
-Why was it a difficult project to tackle (important for non-experts)
-how did you overcome those difficulties
-how can the big question be addressed now that you made your contribution?
The last ties back into the beginning and may feel repetitive to you. But it is important for people listening to the talk.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/16
| 1,438
| 5,898
|
<issue_start>username_0: When you write a thesis is it supposed to all be 100% independent research?
Does the thesis need to be ground-breaking? For example, the thesis from Riemann about Differential Geometry.
Does a thesis always have to be 'revolutionary' in math and physics?<issue_comment>username_1: This depends heavily on the level of the thesis (Masters, Ph.D) and the educational system in which the institute issueing the degree sits.
Typically, at Master's level you need to demonstrate familiarity and competence in the *execution* of research. Ie, you need to show that you can understand and implement *methods*. However, the results may be unoriginal.
For a Ph.D, you need to do *original* research. This means that an *original* result needs to be published in the thesis. However, the interpretation of original may take many forms. As you note, it's almost impossible to publish an entirely new form of knowledge.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: >
> Is it supposed that all the thesis must be 100% independent research ?
>
>
>
Well, **yes** apart from the introduction, the chapters on background and such. Also your research usually depends on your advisor and research group, but still it had to be your work and not somebody else's.
>
> Should the thesis be ground-breaking ? Like the thesis from Riemann about Differential geommetry?
>
>
>
**No**. First, this is impossible but second, demanding this would be bad for science. The impact of groundbreaking theses vs. incremental theses is largely overestimated. Without all these small steps made in thousands of theses there would be basically no progress at all.
>
> Have a thesis always to be 'revolutionary' in math and physics?
>
>
>
**No**.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: A Ph.D. thesis is supposed to be "publishable". Not all published papers are revolutionary or ground-breaking. And not all theses are revolutionary or ground-breaking.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: Your dissertation is supposed to be a solid contribution to your field. Period.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_5: Every PhD topic which I have seen since 1995 is incremental improvements making use of the technology recipes of the preceeding 20+ years. For example beating the high score for pulse peak power out of a semiconductor laser of recipe similar to those of Basov in the 1970's but a different shape (along with the detailed test and simulation tasks to get that). For something as really new as "try getting a few flakes of graphite transferred by van-der-waals adhesion to sticky tape from a 6B pencil mark on paper to a glass slide, and then four-point microprobe it under a microscope to measure the carrier lifetime and conductivity within a monocrystalline domain of graphite", that would never have got funding because it was too novel; those sometimes get called "Friday Afternoon Experiments" and tend to be a byproduct of having the basic research equipment doing something more ordinary for the rest of the week. If you think of a potential Friday Afternoon Experiment which is truly novel then you have to think of something more ordinary and incremental by which your supervisor can buy the relevant test equipment, and live with it that someone else might do the novel experiment.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_6: In addition to the fact that "revolutionary" and "groundbreaking" are not required, as noted in the other answers, it is important to understand that these properties also *cannot generally even be assessed*. Notions like "revolutionary" and "groundbreaking" are *post-facto* analyses of the impact of a work, and as such generally can only be assessed much later.
Sometimes, the implications of a work are immediately clear. Other times, however, particularly with deeply theoretical work, the consequences or even the correctness may not be understood for many years afterward. See, for example, [this question on rejection of famous mathematical results](https://mathoverflow.net/q/13896).
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_7: Generally, a Ph.D. thesis must include *original research* which contributes to the field.
* It does not have to be 100% original research. In fact, the thesis *should* (some would say *must*) include an overview of the state of research in the subject and set your original research in context.
* Especially in mathematics, it may be necessary to repeat well-known definitions and theorems to remove any ambiguity regarding notation. Those would have to be cited, even if you change the notation.
* It may also be necessary to adapt prior results to your specific requirements.
For instance, a thesis could be a fundamentally new proof for an old theorem. The thesis could be more than a hundred pages, but only one or two are original results.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_8: The requirement for a thesis is that the work is original - this can be proved. Revolutionary or ground-breaking are subjective terms which can neither be proved or disproved... what is revolutionary to one person is merely incremental to another depending on their knowledge base and perspective.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_9: "Revolutionary" is far too much to ask - if every thesis were revolutionary, the field would have hundreds of "revolutions" a year. "Groundbreaking", yes, in a certain sense - you should be doing something new, something that's a genuine contribution to the field, rather than reporting on something done previously. But it needn't be big.
The critical thing is that a PhD thesis is a demonstration that you are capable of contributing to the field - something a holder of a PhD is expected to be able to do. So while the thesis need not be 100% original (it's perfectly fine to review others' results as background, for example) the core of it must be, without exception.
Upvotes: 1
|
2016/09/16
| 747
| 2,859
|
<issue_start>username_0: Almost every publication, journal or conference series seems to have its own style guide. Is anyone keeping track of these ? IE, is there a website which keeps a list of style guides - specifically citation styles - for various publications ? The most definitive (*ie* all-encompassing) list would be what I'm after.<issue_comment>username_1: This [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_style_guides) may be a good starting point.
There are the international ISO series. And just in the US there are style guides for general writing, legal documents, academic papers, journalism, electronic publishing, business, and computer industry. It may be better to limit your scope of study.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: A dedicated literature reference software may help you to keep track of the publications already accessed, as well in cross-linking them together (for example with a mind map; like [docear](http://www.docear.org/)), as well as easing insertion of the citations in your word processor / editing software. Beside an [article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reference_management_software) about it, wikipedia holds a list to [compare](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_reference_management_software) them.
After collection of your readings, you will benefit from their style library, simply select "this publication is for Nature", and the citations will be formatted accordingly. If you you want to use the citations again, for a different journal, reformatting is just a click away.
Personally, as working in an environment of different operating systems, I prefer [zotero](https://www.zotero.org/) with a large -- and extensible -- library of [styles](https://www.zotero.org/support/styles), and "connectors" to Microsoft Word, LibreOffice Write, Apple's office, and LaTeX.
In addition, university / research libraries often offer workshops how to work with such tools. Because of personal preferences, I recommend exploring them, side-by-side for some time *prior* to make a decission in favour for one or/and the other.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: Many reference managers can format citation styles automatically. This is a case where LaTeX is probably not your friend. A search of [CTAN](https://www.ctan.org/search/?phrase=biblatex&ext=false&_PORTAL=&PORTAL=on&_PKG=&PKG=on&_AUTHORS=&AUTHORS=on&_TOPICS=&TOPICS=on&_FILES=&max=256) reveals around 43 styles for Biblatex and my TeX Live 2016 install has 404 bst files for Bibtex. In contrast, [Endnote](http://endnote.com/downloads/styles) offers more than 6000 styles and [Zotero](https://www.zotero.org/styles) has 8341 styles. I believe [Mendeley](https://blog.mendeley.com/2011/09/19/citation-style-refresh/) uses data from [CitationStyles.org](http://citationstyles.org/) which claims to have over 8000 styles.
Upvotes: 0
|
2016/09/16
| 1,987
| 9,145
|
<issue_start>username_0: Much work is put into constructing grant applications: sharing them would allow diffusing novel ideas faster, which I would expect it to be seen positively by researchers. Why aren't grant applications systematically published online, regardless of whether they are accepted?<issue_comment>username_1: Confidentiality is a real issue. In an ideal world, ideas could be shared freely, and this would enhance the flow of knowledge and the progress of science and other research endeavors. However, we live in a world with limited resources. In particular, there is a shortage of grant funding. Most grants do not get funded.
Consider the following scenario: A researcher has some very interesting preliminary data, and they want to get a chance to follow up and do a more full study. So they apply for a research grant from some agency. If their proposal is not funded, but the content of the proposal is made available online, other researchers may troll through and pick up on the idea. If another scientist with access to more resources sees the proposal and decides to do the follow-up work themselves, this robs the person who originally had the interesting idea and started the project of a fair shot at completing it and getting adequate credit for it.
Sometimes, having a good idea for something to study is the hardest part of the research process. I personally have some ideas for projects that I do not want widely disseminated, because I would like to do them myself at some point, but I don't have the time and resources I need right now. They do not involve urgent questions that really need to be answered, so there is no great loss if these avenues are not pursued promptly. Thus I feel justified in keeping some of my best ideas confidential.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: I can think of many reasons why researchers are not prone to sharing (especially failed) grant proposals, but fundamentally I think your premise is flawed:
>
> sharing [grant proposals independently of success] would allow diffusing novel ideas faster, which I would expect it to be seen positively by researchers.
>
>
>
This I think is wrong on two axis. First, the trivial one: most researchers are for pragmatic reasons not happy if their ideas are "diffusing" *before* they had the time and money to work on them themselves. This is usually called "being scooped," and it's not exactly something that researchers actively try to make happen. Yes, as researchers we love to make people aware of our work, but generally only if we already have results available or at least sufficient head start that getting scooped is unlikely.
Additionally, I am also unconvinced why sharing proposals would even "diffuse novel ideas faster". In many fields, there are nowadays so many finished, peer-reviewed papers to be read that adding more stuff that fundamentally proposes at the time of writing untested ideas and hypotheses to the discussion would likely mostly add noise, and hence get largely ignored. As I wrote in a comment above, at least in my field ideas are a dime a dozen, and unless you have thought of something particularly radical or mindblowing (which most proposals are not, just like most papers are incremental rather than radical), the content of a proposal alone is unlikely to get much attention.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: **The context of this answer is applied CS in Germany. It may or may not be applicable to other contexts.**
I fully agree with
>
> Much work is put into constructing grant applications
>
>
>
However, I think
>
> sharing them would allow diffusing novel ideas faster
>
>
>
is unlikely and misses an important point: Grant applications often do not contain much in terms of actual ideas.
At least with grant applications directed at national ministries and connected organizations, the target audience of the grant applications (at least the part that will decide on whether or not to accept a given application) is not particularly knowledgeable about the field. They cannot possibly evaluate whether a particular approach is promising; they can only check whether a given grant application appears to be aimed at what was asked for (e.g. in a call for proposals), appears to be achievable based upon the applying entity's previous experience, and looks like a solid endeavour that can be completed as planned with the resources (money and time) provided.
At the same time, from the applying researchers' point of view, the goal is not to secure funding for a particular idea, but to secure funding. If possible, without any ties attached, but as that is usually not possible, the art of writing a grant application includes trying to make realistic promises that leave enough ways of interpretation so the actual direction the research takes is still relatively open.
Therefore, such grant applications focus on the following content:
* **Defining the fields in which the applicant1 can provide their expertise.** This builds upon the applicant's experience from other projects and previous publications. It touches upon solutions only on a per-topic basis (fictitious example: "Based upon the previous experiences in automated manufacturing processes, the applicant has the expertise to examine opportunities for using directed microwave radiation in manufacturing."), not with concrete ideas.
* **Addressing the points/topics requested by the call for proposals, on a rather high level.** Like the previous point, this will rather indicate possible combinations of topics with keywords from the call for proposals, but not elaborate a lot on concrete ideas for new developments.
* **Explaining the general expected outcome from the results (such as scientific publications and practical applicability).** The information related to this will often focus on the typical publication rate in a given field, and the current scientific activity level with respect to the topics asked for in the call for proposals, the topics the applicant has experience with, and - most importantly - the combination thereof.
* **Justifying how it is feasible.** This might go more in depth, but not about solutions. Rather than that, there may be information about operational and administrative details of conducting the research (usage of quality assurance tools; planned communication and decision processes in a consortium; ...).
So, while there is plenty of information in such a grant application, it does not necessarily describe any concrete ideas. And in the end, that is probably not too surprising, given that the start of a grant application is usually a somewhat vague idea about "several intriguing topics that should be combined", or "one intriguing topic that we should extend our expertise to and that sounds compatible with what we have been doing so far", while the actual ideas are developed only during the run of the grant.
1: This can be an individual researcher or a whole organization, or anything in between.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: >
> sharing them would allow diffusing novel ideas faster, which I would expect it to be seen positively by researchers
>
>
>
The lack of current availability suggests that most researchers would view it negatively. If you feel publicizing your grant proposals would help spread your ideas, you can easily post them on your web page. A few people do this for funded grant proposals, but it's rather unusual.
Specifically, in the areas I work in, I'd guess that perhaps 5% of funded proposals are directly posted by the PIs. Government-funded grants are generally available with some effort through FOIA or other open records laws, while other funding sources may not make them available at all. Unfunded proposals are never made available by the funding agency, and it's really rare to see them posted online by the PIs.
What this indicates is that almost all PIs either don't want their proposals publicly distributed any more so than they already are, haven't thought of distributing them online or don't know how, or feel it's not worth the very minor effort of adding them to a web page.
I agree with the other answers regarding the reason for this, but I want to emphasize that regardless of the underlying reasoning, you can tell most people aren't enthusiastic about distributing their own proposals.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: Where would be the point in sharing grant applications? The only conceivable outcome (which you actually state so yourself) is that others will likely produce similar grant applications. It then basically becomes a random matter which of the applications will actually be granted, and that means that a potential grant may end up with someone who is not invested in the matter to a degree where he would have been even able to put together a well-researched grant application.
You don't apply for a grant out of the blue. You apply when there is a tangible chunk of research work you have whittled down to something that can be resolved by you with reasonable chance for success and/or progress in the scope of the grant.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/16
| 290
| 1,278
|
<issue_start>username_0: I will soon take part in my first congress in the USA.
**What piece of identification is needed to register on the first day?**
I don't want to carry my passport with me all the day of the conference so is a driver licence sufficient?<issue_comment>username_1: If you're registered as a student (or some other role that gives you a discount) then you may need to bring proof of that, but otherwise I've never attended a conference and had to bring anything in order to register.
If the organisers of the conference expect you to bring something then they'd almost certainly tell you. Check the information you've been given, and if they say nothing about bringing proof of ID then you don't need it.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I have attended a few conferences or workshops held inside (US) government owned facilities, and for those I had to show ID at the gate. In the case of the site where highly classified work is done my foreign colleagues had to provide extra documentation before coming and we all I had to promise to stick to certain parts of the facility and to return our temporary badges before leaving.
That's the only circumstance in which I've been asked for ID on showing up for a conference.
Upvotes: 0
|
2016/08/17
| 665
| 2,422
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am an I.T. student and currently working on my capstone project it is equivalent to research paper or thesis for some college courses. I usually do an in-text citation using APA style. For example:
>
> According to Jones (1998), "Students often had difficulty using APA
> style, especially when it was their first time" (p. 199).
>
>
>
As you can see at the last part (p. 199) that is the "source". At least, that is what I understand from my professor's explanation.
Since almost of my reference are taken from websites particularly an article which have no pages on it. My question is, how should I put a source in my research paper if a website have no pages?
I already do my research about this problem, but it is still very vague to me.<issue_comment>username_1: when you are citing a particular document or piece of information from a website, include both a reference list entry and an in-text citation.
The key to creating the reference list entry is to determine the type of content on the web page. Basically, provide the following four pieces of information:
Author, A. (date). Title of document [Format description]. Retrieved from <http://xxxxxxxxx>
The in-text citation includes the author and date (Author, date), as with any other APA Style citation.
You can read more about this from the APA style guide website at: <http://www.apastyle.org/learn/quick-guide-on-references.aspx>
Check out the **"More Information"** section for further clarification on what to do if there is no author, year or page numbers.
I hope this is what you were asking. Andy ;-)
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: The "source" is actually not just the page number, but also the author(s) name(s) and the publication date. In APA style, the page number is only included when you're directly quoting the source, so if you're just summarizing the information you found on a website, this won't be a problem at all.
However, if you are directly quoting something, then you will want to make sure you have author(s), date, and a reference of some kind to the quote's location in the document, even if you can't use page numbers. Here's a page on APA's website about including all of those elements, even when it isn't intuitive: <http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2010/11/how-to-cite-something-you-found-on-a-website-in-apa-style.html?_ga=1.195825445.860168388.1455210412>
Upvotes: 0
|
2016/09/16
| 613
| 2,614
|
<issue_start>username_0: I recently submitted an application essay for a pre-college program, and was accepted. I'm particularly proud of my essay; I put my best into it.
Now, after the pre-college program, I intend to apply for one of the institute's degree programs.
I've written an essay for the application. Most of it is rewritten, but it does have a lot of similarities (the intro paragraph is nearly identical).
>
> **Would it be considered plagiarism for using my own work? If not, is it still frowned upon if there are many similarities, and could impact my chances of getting accepted?**
>
>
>
I understand that it is likely that answers are individual to each institute, but I'd like to know what the general answer is.
I've read some sources that claim students applying to multiple schools use very similar essays for all (assuming the prompts are similar), only changing statements specific to each school. So, maybe it is alright that I do such a thing? But then again, this is the same institute I'm applying to.<issue_comment>username_1: **Plagiarism** of one's own work is a contradiction in terms. It does not exist. However, **duplicate publication** is rightfully frowned upon, unless made explicit. **Parallel grant application** is allowed by some funding bodies and disallowed by others. Even if disallowed, the same application materials may be reused later. **Parallel job or stipend applications** are taken for granted, and it is perfectly acceptable to reuse the application materials. Whether it is also prudent is another matter. Applications are much more likely to succeed if they are tailored to the position.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: I honestly think there is nothing wrong in applying with a similar work of yours. And I think it, well, for all the reasons you've mentioned yourself, starting with the fact that it won't be considered as plagiarism, since the primary version of it is yours as well, ending with the fact that the work is sent to the same school.
However, depending on whether you've made only minor changes to it or not, you might adjust the work a bit more, or expand it, or formulate some thoughts differently for the sake of back-up (say, if there is a chance that any of the members of the admissions know or have previously seen your primary work - then they might think that you weren't generous on the effort and,therefore, don't perceive the opportunity to be worth working more on that work or on additional ideas). After all, you're the creator, so it is still up to you to decide upon all the abovementioned things!
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/16
| 2,098
| 8,863
|
<issue_start>username_0: The recommendation letters seem to be one of the most important aspects of the application.
1. First of, how will I manage to ask a professor to write a recommendation letter for 5 colleges I am intending to apply to?
2. Does it make a difference for the professor what school I am
applying to (ivy league or not)?
3. What criteria should I use when picking the professors that will write a good recommendation?
4. I live in a different country at the moment. Should I go and meet them in person to ask for this?
5. I burned a few bridges, but how can I influence their opinion at this point and show them how much I have grown after college and how
much better I have become and it is partially thanks to them?
I am really scared of asking them. Any tips or advice is greatly appreciated it.<issue_comment>username_1: I have no knowledge of you, your university or the staff that taught you; however, despite what most students believe most academic staff are extremely professional. Their position requires it of them.
When I and my colleagues provide a reference (our equivalent of a letter of recommendation) we base it on the facts checked from the student records. We would check the transcripts look at the attendance records and other material on file (such as disciplines, warnings), we would note late submissions of work and other statistical details. From that we would build up a picture of the student as a scholar and use that as the basis for a recommendation.
It would be unprofessional to just base such a recommendation on a memory of a previous meeting, and incident in class. Actually, with so many students passing through over the years individuals rarely remain in the memory unless they were remarkably outstanding in a positive or negative sense (i.e. one in a million).
We aim to write accurate and factual references to our sister institutions in a manner that we would expect to receive them for our own applicants. We would expect the references supplies to us similarly written in a detached and professional manner.
All you can do is ask. You need letters of recommendation. The only way to get them is to ask. Although you might have matured and learned a professional approach, don't forget they had to also do this to gain their own position, and will continue to do so.
Your mileage may vary, but I can only give my opinion from my experiences of supporting students every year in their quests for future success.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> I have not been a very good student while attending college. Whenever attendance was not mandatory I would probably miss class. My grades were a lot better than people attending every day but it has been cases I attended only few times a class over the entire semester. But my GPA has been 3.8 and did a double major (Both were science majors, 20 credits a semester, in a reputable school).
>
>
>
It sounds like you were a very good student in some ways: first, a 3.8 GPA is excellent. Second, to get those kinds of grades while rarely attending class except when it is required demonstrates a talent in learning and understanding independently: this is very beneficial for graduate school. On the other hand, if you are rarely showing up for class, you are missing most of the benefit of being enrolled in a university. Moreover, a class that you can mostly ace without showing up for might be the right class for a student who is trying to get a degree with minimal effort; it is exactly the wrong class for a student who wants to pursue a professional academic career. The vast majority of students who are going to the very top programs have all of your talent and are using their time as undergraduates to dramatically increase their knowledge and skills.
>
> But I am sure that all of them don't think high of me, in terms of achieving a master's degree.... I went to office hours and was respectful of them. The problem is that I did not act in a very professional manner towards them. I had many personal issues and was still discovering myself at the time, but this is all excuses nobody will understand.
>
>
>
I'm not sure that your old professors do not think highly of you, professionally speaking, and you haven't said enough to explain why you think that. I would describe a large percentage of the undergraduate students I've interacted at with as "respectful but not very professional". Most faculty figure out pretty quickly that they can't expect 18-22 years young adults to behave according to the professional standards of academia (or other adult, professional life). Someone who is 20 years old, intelligent and successful in their coursework but somewhat unprofessional has a good chance to become a 25 year old graduate student who is intelligent, successful in their research and more professional. When it comes to evaluating undergraduates, when tend to look for unprofessionalism and immaturity *that impedes their studies and acquisition of the material*.
I agree with <NAME> that a large range of suboptimal student behaviors will not factor into recommendation letters (though some will). I think the real problem is not that you necessarily have "burned bridges" with your instructors (although I don't know exactly what you did...) but rather that you failed to cultivate positive relationships with them outside of the classroom. As far as I can see, you have a good shot at getting routinely-good letters from your professors: the kind of letter that says that the student did well in the courses they took, as evidenced by their very high grades....and doesn't say much else. These kind of letters, written by faculty at a reputable institution, ought to get you into a graduate program *somewhere*, but in my experience will leave you far short of the top places (the Ivy League and others of the same caliber).
Here are (necessarily brief) answers to your questions:
>
> First of[f], how will I manage to ask a professor to write a recommendation letter for 5 colleges I am intending to apply to?
>
>
>
You should begin by composing an email briefly explaining that you are applying to graduate programs and X and would like a recommendation letter. Let the email sit for a day or two and then reread it to make sure that it doesn't sound weird. Then send it. Don't overthink this.
>
> Does it make a difference for the professor what school I am applying to (ivy league or not)?
>
>
>
In my field (mathematics), faculty usually write just one letter and send it to everyone. If they have a substantial professional relationship with faculty at one or more of the institutions being applied to, they might separately contact their, um, contacts at these places, or they may in turn be contacted by them. That's about it. The job of the "one letter" is to calibrate rather precisely the student's potential. For instance, I recently wrote a letter for a student in which I meant to indicate (without saying it in so many words) that they should be a strong candidate for admission at a top 20 program but less so for a top 10 one.
>
> What criteria should I use when picking the professors that will write a good recommendation?
>
>
>
There are whole questions on this site about this, but: you want to strike a good balance between someone who (i) knows you well, (ii) has good things to say about you and (iii) has a status in the academic community that lends weight to what they say. In practice, students who have not been very mindful about cultivating strong relationships with their instructors end up in a situation in which the number of faculty members who could possibly write such a letter is not much larger than the number of letters needed, so it's not such a difficult task.
>
> I live in a different country at the moment. Should I go and meet them in person to ask for this?
>
>
>
It's really up to you, but to my mind this is not worth a serious or long trip. If your email communications are not resulting in faculty agreeing to write letters, maybe reevaluate.
>
> I burned a few bridges, but how can I influence their opinion at this point and show them how much I have grown after college and how much better I have become and it is partially thanks to them?
>
>
>
To be honest, I don't think there's that much spin you can put on the situation at this point. The faculty are writing based on their past interactions with you as an undergraduate, not based on the person you are now or who you aspire to be (there are already parts of the application for you to address that). If you have subsequent academic work or accomplishments, you should certainly convey that to them, but if you're asking how to talk them into writing you a stronger letter...Sorry, I don't think you can.
Good luck.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]
|
2016/09/17
| 913
| 3,770
|
<issue_start>username_0: I'm going to graduate with a physics degree at the end of next year (around December). I want to do my PhD in Europe, but I know that the academic year starts in September, and I don't think I can finish before that.
Is it uncommon to begin work at the start of the year (February, March) rather than the usual date? Does that lower my chances of getting in to most universities? I mean, I'd have to tell them that I won't be able to go until the next year, and that seems pretty unorthodox. Maybe there's some people that won't have a problem with that, but I imagine they'll be in the minority. I'd probably lose the spot to someone that can start in August/September, wouldn't I?
What should I do? I don't think taking 6 months off is a good idea, and I definitely won't have any more courses or finals by that time.<issue_comment>username_1: The European universities that I know of, will hire a PhD candidate and employ the candidate under a time-limited contract. You are not enrolling in a pre-set program, you are being employed. The timing for completing any mandatory coursework is usually very flexible. There are no general rigid rules with regards to when to hire someone for a PhD position. As most, but not all, students typically finish their Master's during summer, most positions will have a starting date in early autumn. But some do not. It depends on circumstances. You will have to look up adverts on available PhD positions, and see what the specifics are. You will also find contact information to people in the group that is hiring, and you can and should give them a call. They will be able to provide more information on how much flexibility they have.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: The answer to your question really depends on which country in Europe you want to go. In Italy all the open PhD positions are assigned in the fall, while in the Netherlands every professor that has own grant can create a PhD position and hire you any time of the year. I guess this reflect also the different status that a PhD student has in these two countries: in Italy you are a student with a scholarship, in the Netherlands you are an employee of the university with a temporary contract.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: Indeed it is dependent on a number of different factors.
* As mentioned, different countries will have different rules, though even there individual universities could differ, and within those universities there may be exceptional cases...
* If you are going to be (externally) funded, it will depend on the stipulations of that agreement: the funding body may or may not be happy with you starting at another time, or the grant may become available in January and the positions need to be filled asap. If you are not (immediately) funded, universities or supervisors may be more likely to accept you any time of the year, because free labour.
* Even if starting later/earlier than September is not an option, you may be able to officially start the PhD while not having your MSc degree yet - if this is workable for you of course.
In my experience (UK), you can start any time of the year.
But it is true that in some other countries (Benelux, Germany, ...) a PhD 'student' is not as much 'student' as 'employee'. In the UK you are a student, but typically one that can start at another time (again YMMV).
---
>
> I don't think taking 6 months off is a good idea
>
>
>
I beg to differ in many cases, but to each their own of course.
One idea is to do some work e.g. as a research assistant at the institution you are considering studying at.
Also remember European PhDs are short (especially UK), between 3 and 5 years, as opposed to the US ones which take forever.
Upvotes: 1
|
2016/09/17
| 1,168
| 4,912
|
<issue_start>username_0: Typically, PhD theses are expected to have novel results. As science advances, it is becoming increasingly difficult to accumulate enough knowledge to begin a project that pushes the boundaries. Original findings are often published as papers before the defense, thus the thesis has become valued for its indication of technical expertise, not the discovery itself.
Since ancient history, redoing the work of masters has been seen as a very effective tool for training. It so happens that there is also a need for reproduction studies, but few are willing to do them.
Why don't PhD theses consist of reproducing important, recent, controversial research? Has anyone tried this?
Note: I am deliberately leaving open to interpretation whether the student would reproduce their own advisor's work or that of a researcher from a different group, and whether the original researcher is to assist in this and to what extent.<issue_comment>username_1: A chapter that does that is fine; I had one in my thesis. It can for example serve to set the stage for your original work. But someone with a PhD has to be able to do more than just repeat the work done by others, and the thesis has to show that capability. Replications are valuable, but a thesis consisting solely of replications won't show what it needs to show.
Instead we should try to find a way to make replications publishable (especially if they show what is already known) and worthwhile for established authors, rather than diminishing its value by delegating it to students.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_2: Yes, "redoing the work of masters has been seen as a very effective tool for training." but the Ph.D. dissertation is **not** training! It evidence of what you have learned from the training.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: Reproducing and repeating results are not the same thing. Reproducing a previously-published result definitely a valid means of knowledge production, and so would be fine for a Ph.D. However, it should follow the scientific method. In particular, the new contribution should use a different *method*, or *environment*. Merely *repeating* the experiment or work can show that the method is self-consistent, but reproducing the result in a different context is one of the key tenets of the scientific method.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: I agree with all the other answers that a PhD thesis should still be original research. Still it is obvious that science in general (although clearly psychology is in the spotlight at the moment) has a problem with reproducing results.
This shouldn't surprise anyone - the process is set up in such a way that reproduction studies are hard to publish in good journals and non prestigious even if you get them published. All incentives are for researchers to not waste time on such studies but try to get novel results.
There have been a number of proposals on how to solve this problem, but one proposal in particular seems similar to your idea:
>
> in order to receive a Ph.D. in psychology from any accredited
> institution in the United States (and perhaps in other nations as
> well), it is a requirement that one will have (1) conducted a
> high-quality “direct” replication of a major finding in their area
> (i.e., the area upon which their original doctoral research will be
> based); (2) written up the replication attempt to professional
> standards, no matter which way the data come out, and (3) made a
> good-faith effort to publish the paper in one of a growing number of
> high-quality online journals (such as PLoS ONE) that publish reports
> of well-conducted, valid experiments regardless of their novelty or
> their perceived “importance.”
>
>
>
[A tragedy of the (academic) commons: interpreting the replication crisis in psychology as a social dilemma for early-career researchers](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4527093/)
So you'd still do your novel research for your PhD thesis but be required to also conduct a high quality replication of some work in your field.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: While I agree with @Superbest on the hardship of producing novel results on the boundary of science, this issue satisfies for most of the things in the world now. Indeed, the novelty in the cinema and movies is very hard due to the production of hundreds of movies in the world just in one year.
But, how we can response to this problem? Just stop, redo and reproduce the old things again and again?
The pure original ideas appear scarcely in the academics and cinema (e.g.). But the hybrid ideas would be built from the pioneers of the past.
The most published works (or even produced movies) are hybrid and not original ones'.
The reproducing published works is an essential step for creating novel and potential ideas from the deficiencies of those works.
Upvotes: 0
|
2016/09/17
| 1,296
| 5,347
|
<issue_start>username_0: In a certain field of science, it has been known that X leads to Y and assumed that if Y is observed it is caused by X. Using a relatively simple (mathematical) experiment, I have shown that also A, B, C, ... (class of certain objects), lead to Y, which means that observing Y does not guarantee X.
In my opinion, this is something that should have been checked years ago. In fact, this finding can be used to refute or at least considerably weaken the work done in a certain sub-field over more than 10 years. (though there's some prior critical work on this but the people do not seem to have cared)
Is it usually possible to publish such findings in leading journals?
Another problem that I have is that the work challenges a major part of my supervisor's work, which rests on the mentioned assumption. She seems quite upset, and tries to see the work just as some technical quirk, which it is not. I joined the lab quite recently, so I have no idea what to do. Anyway, I am very serios about this: I'll resign if it necessary to get thing published as soon as possible. It could even end my career altogether but if science is not about truth I don't see why I would like to stay in it.
I am very early in my career and the most technical (mathematical) person in the lab. What I have shown is kind of similar as finding a counter-example in math.<issue_comment>username_1: A chapter that does that is fine; I had one in my thesis. It can for example serve to set the stage for your original work. But someone with a PhD has to be able to do more than just repeat the work done by others, and the thesis has to show that capability. Replications are valuable, but a thesis consisting solely of replications won't show what it needs to show.
Instead we should try to find a way to make replications publishable (especially if they show what is already known) and worthwhile for established authors, rather than diminishing its value by delegating it to students.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_2: Yes, "redoing the work of masters has been seen as a very effective tool for training." but the Ph.D. dissertation is **not** training! It evidence of what you have learned from the training.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: Reproducing and repeating results are not the same thing. Reproducing a previously-published result definitely a valid means of knowledge production, and so would be fine for a Ph.D. However, it should follow the scientific method. In particular, the new contribution should use a different *method*, or *environment*. Merely *repeating* the experiment or work can show that the method is self-consistent, but reproducing the result in a different context is one of the key tenets of the scientific method.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: I agree with all the other answers that a PhD thesis should still be original research. Still it is obvious that science in general (although clearly psychology is in the spotlight at the moment) has a problem with reproducing results.
This shouldn't surprise anyone - the process is set up in such a way that reproduction studies are hard to publish in good journals and non prestigious even if you get them published. All incentives are for researchers to not waste time on such studies but try to get novel results.
There have been a number of proposals on how to solve this problem, but one proposal in particular seems similar to your idea:
>
> in order to receive a Ph.D. in psychology from any accredited
> institution in the United States (and perhaps in other nations as
> well), it is a requirement that one will have (1) conducted a
> high-quality “direct” replication of a major finding in their area
> (i.e., the area upon which their original doctoral research will be
> based); (2) written up the replication attempt to professional
> standards, no matter which way the data come out, and (3) made a
> good-faith effort to publish the paper in one of a growing number of
> high-quality online journals (such as PLoS ONE) that publish reports
> of well-conducted, valid experiments regardless of their novelty or
> their perceived “importance.”
>
>
>
[A tragedy of the (academic) commons: interpreting the replication crisis in psychology as a social dilemma for early-career researchers](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4527093/)
So you'd still do your novel research for your PhD thesis but be required to also conduct a high quality replication of some work in your field.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: While I agree with @Superbest on the hardship of producing novel results on the boundary of science, this issue satisfies for most of the things in the world now. Indeed, the novelty in the cinema and movies is very hard due to the production of hundreds of movies in the world just in one year.
But, how we can response to this problem? Just stop, redo and reproduce the old things again and again?
The pure original ideas appear scarcely in the academics and cinema (e.g.). But the hybrid ideas would be built from the pioneers of the past.
The most published works (or even produced movies) are hybrid and not original ones'.
The reproducing published works is an essential step for creating novel and potential ideas from the deficiencies of those works.
Upvotes: 0
|
2016/09/17
| 3,740
| 15,655
|
<issue_start>username_0: Most PhD students I know have the problem that their supervisor is not involved enough. I have a different problem, my supervisor is too involved.
He wants to be a co author on all three of my PhD papers, and to get them published.
I know that this sounds great, but I do not want to free ride on my supervisors work, I want it to be my own, and I want to be proud of it. Regardless of whether it is published or not. A publication is a bonus, not the end game for me.
I spent half my phd working on what I intended to be my job market paper (the paper I show to employers that best showcases my skills). My supervisor made some suggestions here and there, but nothing substantial. I am now getting ready to submit my paper to a journal and my supervisor has rewritten my entire paper without permission and wants me to sign off on this. He has justified it by saying it has a better shot of being published in its new form. I feel very uncomfortable about this, it is in effect no longer my paper. I thought he would make suggestions and I would fix the paper myself.
He is too involved in other ways too. When I settle on a research question, he throws methodology and research design at me, before I have a chance to think about the topic myself and come to my own conclusions, and then encourages me to do it his way and not explore my way.
Is this normal behaviour from a supervisor?
I have to talk to him about this, but I am unsure how to bring it up and what to say. Do you have any advice?
I need at least one paper where I am the sole author, is it appropriate to mention this to my supervisor, without offending him or his position? He will try to put his name on all my papers.
I do not want to come across ungrateful, I am very happy for his help, and I will be the first to admit that I need help. But all I want is a chance to learn from my mistakes and be given opportunities to grow, I will never be a successful researcher if I cannot exercise this. Unfortunately, I feel like my supervisors research assistant instead of a PhD student.
I am really struggling to continue on the course, and I appreciate any comments you may have.<issue_comment>username_1: The first part (rewriting your text) is quite frequent. Believe it or not, most PhD students are terrible writers and though a good adviser would patiently go over the paper with a student pointing out the presentation flaws and asking the student to fix them himself (take my word for it, you do not want to get that list from the reviewer *after* the paper has been submitted), I know many people who lost their patience in that respect eons ago and other people who give up after 6 months of modifications and still do the job themselves.
So, the first question to ask is "How well was your paper written in the first place?". If not too well, there is a chance that you should be merely grateful for the revision and stop at there.
The second point is "throwing his ideas at you". Here the question is "How fast are you coming with workable ideas of your own?" Giving a PhD student the solution together with the problem is a terrible idea, insisting that the student do things your way and your way only is even more terrible, but giving him no suggestions after 6 months of no progress is also not good.
The third question is whether the supervisor should be a co-author. Unfortunately, your post is somewhat self-contradictory on this point: compare
>
> My supervisor made some suggestions here and there, but nothing substantial.
>
>
>
with
>
> he throws methodology and research design at me, before I have a chance to think about the topic myself and come to my own conclusions, and then encourages me to do it his way and not explore my way.
>
>
>
So was that particular paper done his way or your way? In the first case, IMHO, it is his choice whether he should become a co-author or not though you may still drop a hint that "the job market is tough and having a single author paper is a nearly must to land at the place you want to go to", in the second case it should be yours even if he rewrote the whole thing and you have all moral rights to insist on a single authorship if it is important to you. How exactly to do it without offending him I don't know (different people need different approaches), but judging from the tone of your post, you have had arguments with your adviser before, so you should know better than I what upsets him and what makes him cooperative.
So, alas, the only things I can tell you are the usual "Look into the mirror and try to figure out what exactly you see there before making final judgements" and "Hold your ground but use your common sense and pay attention to the reaction to your words when insisting on something". I should confess that I often fail on both accounts myself, but I'm in a different position than you. Let's see if other people can come up with some better advice :-).
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: Your's is not an isolated case. In my experience, what works best is to be assertive and convey him your intellectual capacities. Such degree of involvement indicates that he feels more prepared than you to do the work, show him that you have very relevant things to offer. This is a challenging task, the key is on logic and the scientific method, be very smart about it. He probably has a lot more practice than you at arguing, but thankfully in science people tend to be slightly more logical in debate/confrontation.
Also, try to be humble, it is always easier to see other people's flaws. Your intuition may tell you many things, but try to build your arguments on evidence and specific points. Ultimately, he is a more experienced person.
In regards to the writing, that is tricky and very important. You can always ask a third person to blindly evaluate both versions, that can be quite helpful.
( read him/her, I don't know the gender of your supervisor)
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: You seem to have a lot of problems with this:
>
> He wants to be a co author on all three of my PhD papers, and to get them published.
>
>
>
I do not know what your field is and what are the conventions there, but in all of the fields I am familiar with, this is not a bad thing. Having your supervisor as a co-author does not make the paper any less "yours". If my field(s), whenever there is a PhD student as the first author, everyone knows that the paper is theirs, and they did most (if not all) of the work.
>
> ...and my supervisor has rewritten my entire paper...
>
>
>
Nothing wrong with that. As noted elsewhere in the answers, your supervisor knows more about writing papers than you do. It was not uncommon for sections of my own papers to be rewritten by my supervisor.
>
> He has justified it by saying it has a better shot of being published in its new form.
>
>
>
He is probably right. Instead of thinking along those lines...
>
> ...but I do not want to free ride on my supervisors work, I want it to be
> my own, and I want to be proud of it.
>
>
>
You should be thanking your supervisor for this. He is teaching you how to write proper papers. You have to remember that you are still a student. This is why you are there - to learn how to be a scientist or researcher. Part of the process is accepting feedback from your supervisor. If you don't, it will come in the form of a much more harsh peer-review when you submit the paper.
If your job market absolutely requires a single author paper written by you (which I doubt), ask your supervisor about it. I am pretty sure he does not want to ruin your job prospects. Explain the situation and see what he thinks.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: Regarding the argument of an article as a single article (to get a job), I doubt that, at least in my field (chemical engineering). Every supervisor is different, so I'll just focus on my own process as a Ph.D. student and I will hope it helps you in any way.
I published 6 articles on my direct Ph.D.; 4 as a first author and other 2 helping others in their projects. My first article had 24 versions (drafts) before sending it to a journal! I was *very* frustrated–until we sent it: it got accepted without a single correction in *Chemical Engineering Science* (a really nice journal for what I was doing).
After that article, the level of involvement from my advisor decreased, slowly but surely: the fourth article he merely sent it as is to *Chemical Engineering Journal*.
He was a co-author for all of my articles, although most of the lab work, programming (algorithms and implementation), and even the ideas were mine. Sure, we debated some ideas (mine worked at the end), but still, the lab was his, the money for research was his, the technicians helping me were his, and even the frustrating debates helped me.
He helped me a lot when getting a job and still does; we collaborate as equals now. My first article as a corresponding author came up when I was in my first year as a postdoc... so my advice is: be patient, learning to be a researcher takes more than a Ph.D. nowadays; some decades ago you could be doing cutting-edge research a year after finishing your undergrad, but that is not the case nowadays.
Be patient, this can only get better with time; you don't want/need an offended advisor.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: I feel you! Being a phd researcher in social sciences isn't what I expected. It is more about doing things the right way than it is being innovative or creative. This right way is where our kind supervisors try to guide us for the articles to be published. If and when you come up with a special idea you want to do your own way, I would present this idea to your supervisor as a "crazy idea you want to try even if it means you would have to do it on your own". Just to tell your supervisor that you want to be a single author to some article doesn't sound like fair or even wise.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_6: First off, please be aware that I have not personally put to practice the advice I am offering; this is more of an after-the-fact "I should have done that" situation.
I assume that the papers you publish will be part of your thesis. I don't know enough about job-market papers or the significance of sole authorship in your field, so I'm not going to touch on that. I'm going to address two other specific problems that you mentioned.
a) Your supervisor rewriting your paper: You can say "I appreciate that you made the paper more publishable, but whenever one person rewrites the work of another there's always a danger that some details in a proof/argument is accidentally misrepresented" (be careful to phrase this diplomatically so as not to imply that he's not capable enough of understanding your work - he's just not as involved with the specific details as you). "Next time, can you give me your suggestions separately and let me implement them, to eliminate this possibility?" Then you have a choice to reject some changes if you wish. They should understand where you're coming from, as even the most involved and capable supervisor can get a detail wrong.
b) Your supervisor pushing their choice of methodology on you: The following solution only works in countries where the PhD presentation is more an actual examination than a formality (I'm thinking of the UK). You can say: "I don't feel that I can defend this direction of research in my upcoming examination." They'll probably say something along the lines of "Sure you can, we're doing this because of XYZ", to which you can reply "I know the justification but since this is not the direction that makes the most sense to me personally, I don't think I can offer a coherent explanation if I'm pushed by the examiners, and you wouldn't want me to say 'this is just what my supervisor told me to do'." This also requires some diplomacy, but basically your argument here is that you're expected to defend your thesis as your own creation and show independence, and if you just trust someone else's authority you're going to fail on that front.
Lastly, in the event that you are in complete disagreement with your supervisor's suggestions, an extreme solution here may be to drop the subject altogether, as long as it is not integral to your thesis. Just say "We're clearly not seeing eye to eye on this, let's just focus on some of the other things we have been looking at". Maybe you won't even need to address this in the end.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_7: I think this is a great question, thanks for coming up with it.
What you report is common -- though not widespread --, **advisor** behaviour in my field. I have, myself done this. And I believe it is not productive behaviour for the advisee for the exact reason you state, feeling "(...) very uncomfortable about this, it is in effect no longer my paper". I see you there.
First of all, *I recommend you abide to this*, for the time being. Put yourself in his shoes to understand the conflict: this guy sees your work as his own. I think trying too hard to react against that will generate unnecessary stress.
Academia nowadays is unfortunately pressed for productivity and published papers are worth more than human resources and development, or bonafide science. Your advisor may feel frustrated for not having the time/ability/space for doing your project(s) directly, and sees in you an extension of himself. He is eager to impress his peers. I don't think you should stand in the way by being, well, a real person in his career game.
Take the opportunity to learn some of his ways, if you really believe (and it looks like you do) he is fairly competent in the field. You can try to observe his strategy, style, ask him questions, while building your own independent line inside.
Finally, I do understand your urge to become an independent investigator (i.e. a true PhD) and I think you should strive for that. Consider writing some essays of your own without telling your advisor and without delaying your projects. Consider, e.g., an opinion piece, a methods paper, a mini-review. As long as you *don't* include locally-obtained data or ideas from others, these are 100% private and you can do whatever you wish with those.
P.S. Why did I put the word "advisor" in bold? Because that's how you should see your PhD mentor. Better leave the word "supervisor" to postdocs, and avoid the terms "boss", "leader", "owner", etc completely.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_8: This post really resonates with me as I have been in the same situation for now 6+ years as PhD and now Postdoc under a similar supervisor. I disagree with some of the comments above that imply the goal of a PhD program is simply to get papers accepted. Papers are important but the purpose of a PhD program is to develop the student as an INDEPENDENT RESEACHER. Human's learn and improve by attempting, failing and reviewing. Not by having do someone do the job for them. Has it been shown in any field this is a better approach?
Unfortunately there is little supervisor training that targets this type of thing (even though student revisions are a predominant part of the supervisor's job), and each supervivor will differ greatly in their approach.
I agree you need to be delicate when bringing this up. Try and voice your concerns without pointing the finger. Maybe at your next meeting ask what is their opinion on needing a student single name publication for success. And when is the best was to show case lots of skills in paper. They may come to the same conclusion.
Upvotes: 0
|
2016/09/17
| 728
| 3,033
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am trying to come up with criteria to decide if I leave my job and start a PhD I was recently offered. One issue is the impact the PhD will have in my career: will it open new doors, will it make me a more attractive candidate to work for the government or the non-profit sector where I have been working for the past 10 years? Or should I just continue working on the issues I already have experience with and a network?
The main reason I am considering the offer is because I love the topic, I have been wondering about it for many many years and I would like to become an expert on it. It will be a big change for me, financially and geographically, as well as socially. PhD students can be very young these days.<issue_comment>username_1: The issue isn't your age but what you want to get out of a PhD.
A PhD teaches you how to do research. If you want a job doing research or teaching at the university level, then yes, it might be for you!
For any other type of job, it will probably result in slowing down your career without opening many other doors. In the US, a PhD can take 4-7 years of full-time work with very little pay.
The other possibility is that if you *really* just love the subject and don't care that it won't increase your salary potential, then it might also be for you.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: @Austin answered you on what you should be expecting from a Phd. But he misses the importance of Phd in industry and commercial potential.
It **depends** on what exactly you did in your last 10 years. I should share my personal example. My background is in software engineering, but I'm focusing on quantitative modelling (eg: machine learning) where my all colleagues have a Phd in mathematics, bioinformatics, statistics etc. It makes **total sense** for me to do a Phd, because it'll give me huge opportunity to advance my career.
However, all my friends who did software engineering with me are doing general programming (JavaScript, iOS, Android, UI development etc). They have no motivation and no career proposal with any Phd degree. **Nobody** expects a phd iOS/Android app developer.
To make a decision, you should ask yourself whether what you have done in the last 10 years is something relevant to a Phd degree. Is that something very technically advanced? If it's not, your experience won't count and you'll be nothing more than a fresh Phd graduate.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: As already stated above, it depends on what you want to get out of PhD. If you are simply doing it because you are passionate about the topic and don't expect much in return in terms of your career growth then avoid it. You can alternatively read the stuff to have pleasure. It will take a huge period of time and you may end up lagging behind in your career. If you expect some solid career related returns, especially in academics/research then definitely go for it.
Somewhere I heard this "A PhD holder knows too much about too little" !!!!!!!!!!
Upvotes: -1
|
2016/09/17
| 1,997
| 7,134
|
<issue_start>username_0: In a comment to [How do you answer "Oh, you're a professor? What do you teach?"](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/49504/how-do-you-answer-oh-youre-a-professor-what-do-you-teach/), @JohnSmith [wrote](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/49504/how-do-you-answer-oh-youre-a-professor-what-do-you-teach/49508#comment114915_49504)
>
> I'm black so it generally goes "Oh you're a professor? So you teach African Studies?" I generally storm off.
>
>
>
John's reaction is understandable. But I'd like to explore some alternatives. Note that John's experience is not isolated to black professors. For example, another comment on that thread pointed out that some stupid people tend to assume a female professor teaches gender studies.
**How do you answer "Oh you're a professor? So you teach African Studies?"**
I'm looking for a lot in an answer. It should:
* be short
* open the thoughtless person's eyes
* allow for a graceful exit by both parties
Here is an example of the kind of answer I'm looking for:
>
> Question posed by a white person to a transracial black adoptee: "What country were you born in?"
>
>
> Answer: "Long Island."
>
>
>
**Edit:** Please assume there was no hidden agenda. Just some combination of garden variety cluelessness and stereotyped thinking.
Typical scenarios: neighborhood picnic... parent meeting at your child's school... standing in line at the grocery store....
**Edit 9/18:** This question closely mirrors the other, in which the questioner is *not* an academic, and the academic feels socially isolated and uncomfortable, and unsure how to respond.
What's different here is that there is an additional layer of discomfort related to being an obvious member of an under-represented group. Think of a Venn diagram. The set of people interested in "So you teach African Studies" question is a *subset* of those interested in the original "What do you teach?" question.
I would ask enthusiasts of this site who have no personal interest in this question to allow those of us who do, to explore this very real problem -- even if you yourself have never experienced it and do not anticipate experiencing it.
But who knows, you might encounter a similar problem some day on a trip to an overseas conference, or in an unfamiliar corner of your own country.
Permitting an exploration of this question can potentially be useful to white, male, straight, in short, hegemonic, academics in another way. If your department is one of the many that are striving to diversify, this question is an example of things that matter to the diverse candidates you are trying to recruit.
**Edit 9/22**: Reading the answers and comments led me to an idea. (If the question gets re-opened *again*(!) I can post it as an actual answer.)
>
> Well, no, but if you're trying to choose an African Studies course for next semester, you're welcome to bounce some ideas off me.
>
>
>
(I have a feeling this is the kind of answer I'd get in a lot of trouble with from my children. They'd say it's too annoying....)<issue_comment>username_1: What's wrong with a sensible answer: "No, I teach Chemistry."
Upvotes: 7 <issue_comment>username_2: How about a [zeugma](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeugma)?
>
> "I teach chemistry and people not to stereotype."
>
>
>
Too glib? I'm not sure, having never been in that position. Perhaps it provides just enough humor to allow a slight saving of face, but little enough humor to be clear that it is also intended as a reprimand.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: I would suggest:
>
> No, I teach X. But I wonder what makes you think that I would teach African Studies?
>
>
>
This answers the question and turns things back on the questioner. Note that, at least logically speaking, it is too soon to jump to conclusions, as there are innocent answers to this question, e.g.:
>
> Oh, Karen told me about a friend of hers who teaches African Studies. His name is also Eric. I guess that's not you!
>
>
>
I also think that there is a good chance that when the question is reflected back, the questioner will just realize that it's a stupid question and apologize. If they actually say
>
> Because you're African American.
>
>
>
then I think it might be worth a brief public service announcement:
>
> Actually, most African American faculty members don't teach African studies. You really can't tell what someone teaches by looking at them, and it might be better not to try.
>
>
>
The idea underlying all of this is that you just got asked what is probably a pretty stupid question. If it turns out the person really does believe that African Americans are only cut out to teach African Studies, then that's terrible and probably unsolvable, but that is certainly not a standard racist stereotype. There is a good chance that the question is at least somewhat motivated by ignorance -- this is not someone who has spoken to a lot of African American professors, and probably not many professors at all -- and that is in your power to try to fix. I also think there's something to be said for "not sinking to the person's level": ideally the questions and answers are delivered in a polite, neutral tone, not angrily or sarcastically.
Upvotes: 7 <issue_comment>username_4: What about:
"No, I teach chemistry. African chemistry, obviously."
or just:
"African *chemistry* actually."
I like these ... they are typical of the kind of thing I would say in such a situation (then again, I don't always do that well in my interactions with humans ;-)
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_5: To better meet OP's bulleted criteria, I would expand on the bare-bones answer:
>
> No, I teach Chemistry, to African-American students as well as everyone else.
>
>
>
It gives the asker a chance to gracefully exit by acknowledging the mistake, instead of having to back-pedal in response to the shorter version.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_6: I am an engineer and female, and foreign, so have heard lots of useless comments:
* Whose secretary are you?
Me: I'm an engineer, whose secretary are you?
* What are you studying?
Me: Engineering.
You mean English?
Me: Eng-in-eer-ing.
* But girls don't do that!
Me: Watch me. This is me studying Engineering.
* You must be the translator.
Me: No, I'm the engineer. Though I do indeed speak 4 languages.
I try not to get annoyed, and just stick to the facts. Now if they start arguing about it, that's a different story. After 40 years of this job there isn't an insult I haven't heard and I have an answer for all of them.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_7: "No, *White* Studies."
Instant mental derailment that might prompt a dialog.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_8: It would suffice to reply "No; I'm a chemistry professor".
If you want to reinforce the lesson, let the silence hang after your reply.
There's no need to do anything more than that. In fact, anything more explicit, would only make the person more defensive and thus less likely to revise his or her beliefs about black professors.
Upvotes: 3
|
2016/09/18
| 1,468
| 5,565
|
<issue_start>username_0: I'm a first year PhD student at a university in the USA. Still I haven't finished my first semester. After I come here, I feel right now, I like a different research field (based on job application and doing empirical research). The problem is that, there is only two professors who do that type of research work in my department. One of the professor doesn't have a good reputation doing research work and another one's review is not good (I heard his from previous students. He is very rude sometimes, this scared me a lot). He is very furious if his students can't satisfy his expectations. Therefore I don't have wish to work under his supervision.
I have two options right now, 1. changing research field and 2. finding another university related to my research interest.
Please note that I have not taken the first qualifying exam and even my first semester core courses haven't finished yet. The university gives the MS certificate if anyone satisfies the requirement of MS.
I have received suggestion from one of the PhD student which is: **I should take the physics GRE to increase my score and apply this upcoming fall. If I get admission, I can inform the International office that I will leave.**
This suggestion didn't seem good to me because my department may take this in negative way, as I will require a recommendation letter.
What's your suggestions in this case? Should I wait more and talk to the professors after my qualifying exam regarding my research interest.<issue_comment>username_1: What's wrong with a sensible answer: "No, I teach Chemistry."
Upvotes: 7 <issue_comment>username_2: How about a [zeugma](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeugma)?
>
> "I teach chemistry and people not to stereotype."
>
>
>
Too glib? I'm not sure, having never been in that position. Perhaps it provides just enough humor to allow a slight saving of face, but little enough humor to be clear that it is also intended as a reprimand.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: I would suggest:
>
> No, I teach X. But I wonder what makes you think that I would teach African Studies?
>
>
>
This answers the question and turns things back on the questioner. Note that, at least logically speaking, it is too soon to jump to conclusions, as there are innocent answers to this question, e.g.:
>
> Oh, Karen told me about a friend of hers who teaches African Studies. His name is also Eric. I guess that's not you!
>
>
>
I also think that there is a good chance that when the question is reflected back, the questioner will just realize that it's a stupid question and apologize. If they actually say
>
> Because you're African American.
>
>
>
then I think it might be worth a brief public service announcement:
>
> Actually, most African American faculty members don't teach African studies. You really can't tell what someone teaches by looking at them, and it might be better not to try.
>
>
>
The idea underlying all of this is that you just got asked what is probably a pretty stupid question. If it turns out the person really does believe that African Americans are only cut out to teach African Studies, then that's terrible and probably unsolvable, but that is certainly not a standard racist stereotype. There is a good chance that the question is at least somewhat motivated by ignorance -- this is not someone who has spoken to a lot of African American professors, and probably not many professors at all -- and that is in your power to try to fix. I also think there's something to be said for "not sinking to the person's level": ideally the questions and answers are delivered in a polite, neutral tone, not angrily or sarcastically.
Upvotes: 7 <issue_comment>username_4: What about:
"No, I teach chemistry. African chemistry, obviously."
or just:
"African *chemistry* actually."
I like these ... they are typical of the kind of thing I would say in such a situation (then again, I don't always do that well in my interactions with humans ;-)
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_5: To better meet OP's bulleted criteria, I would expand on the bare-bones answer:
>
> No, I teach Chemistry, to African-American students as well as everyone else.
>
>
>
It gives the asker a chance to gracefully exit by acknowledging the mistake, instead of having to back-pedal in response to the shorter version.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_6: I am an engineer and female, and foreign, so have heard lots of useless comments:
* Whose secretary are you?
Me: I'm an engineer, whose secretary are you?
* What are you studying?
Me: Engineering.
You mean English?
Me: Eng-in-eer-ing.
* But girls don't do that!
Me: Watch me. This is me studying Engineering.
* You must be the translator.
Me: No, I'm the engineer. Though I do indeed speak 4 languages.
I try not to get annoyed, and just stick to the facts. Now if they start arguing about it, that's a different story. After 40 years of this job there isn't an insult I haven't heard and I have an answer for all of them.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_7: "No, *White* Studies."
Instant mental derailment that might prompt a dialog.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_8: It would suffice to reply "No; I'm a chemistry professor".
If you want to reinforce the lesson, let the silence hang after your reply.
There's no need to do anything more than that. In fact, anything more explicit, would only make the person more defensive and thus less likely to revise his or her beliefs about black professors.
Upvotes: 3
|
2016/09/19
| 1,467
| 6,290
|
<issue_start>username_0: The following question asks about how long after making a submission you should wait before contacting the editor to enquire about the status of the submission. (i.e., [When / how should I ask about a manuscript's status in review?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/900/62) ). Many people suggested that after around 6 months, it was reasonable to contact the editor to enquire about the status of the manuscript.
I have a manuscript where we received a positive set of first round reviews. We submitted revisions. It has now been five months. So my question is:
* When is it appropriate to enquire about the status of submission of revisions?
* Would you use the same rule of thumb that you use for initial submissions (e.g., 6 months or so)? Or is it reasonable to enquire about the status of the manuscript sooner? Alternatively, would you be less inclined to enquire about the status because there is more to lose by irritating the editor?<issue_comment>username_1: >
> When is it appropriate to enquire about the status of submission of revisions?
>
>
>
At any stage of the publication process, you should feel free to check in whenever you think the referees / editors / typesetters / whoever have taken a reasonable amount of time to do the job, and you are beginning to worry that your paper is not being processed in a timely way. I don't think that is any fixed amount of time: in particular six months was suggested by one pure mathematician for papers in pure mathematics. It happens that I also use six months as a rough guideline (I am also a pure mathematician), but I will adjust in either direction if it seems reasonable. For instance, if the paper is so short and easy that a qualified referee could do it one sitting then six months doesn't make any sense. If the paper is 50 pages long and hard even for me to read, six months doesn't sound like enough time. Of course what I think is an appropriate amount of time is a subjective judgment but informed by my own refereeing experiences.
>
> Would you use the same rule of thumb that you use for initial submissions (e.g., 6 months or so)? Or is it reasonable to enquire about the status of the manuscript sooner?
>
>
>
If it seems clear to you that refereeing the revised version should take much less time than the original version then sure, inquire (or "enquire," depending upon where in the anglophone world you are) sooner. In my experience, most referees do turn around minor revisions much faster than the original report. The flip side of this is that the editor will of course try to get the same referee to do the revisions, and the referee might have become busier in the meantime. Anyway, all you can do is ask.
>
> Alternatively, would you be less inclined to enquire about the status because there is more to lose by irritating the editor?
>
>
>
I am feeling a bit jaded about the publication process right now -- the quality of service that an author can expect from their submission experience varies so wildly as to seem like a fairness issue -- but I am not so jaded to think that editors would allow their feelings of "irritation" at this (completely appropriate and expected) authorial behavior to influence their processing of the paper. I have seen a lot of weird stuff happen over the years, but I've never seen that. However, I've witnessed many, many instances of authors who don't stand up for themselves and get victimized because of it. So I think it is much sounder strategy to "irritate" editors more rather than less often. Either that or cultivate a kind of inner peace that allows these kind of delays to, truly, not bother you. For that I think it helps to do a fair amount of refereeing of one's own!
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: It also might depend on the publisher's/journal's policies. While the journal can never garantee a review time the editor can influence the time of review. In all review request's I so far received I was also questioned if I could perform in timeframe XY.
Usually I find in the author's guideline an average review time of the last three years or so. This should give you a rough hint to your question.
Apart from that I personally consider a revision review of five months a quite critical time frame already in general. The reviewers have read the manuscript before and documented critical paragraphs. It costs a lot less time to:
a) re-read the whole manuscript, the reviewer already has understood the underlying theory
b) check if the suggestions have been implemented and if not to check if the author's defending arguments are reasonable
By no means I can imagine that a friendly written email about the status can be considered as spam or unethical pressure from the authors' side. Remember despite what I said there can always be reasons for an extended review time. The reviewer can get sick for example.
To conclude: I would recommend spending again a reasonable time on the journals homepage to check if you find useful informations about the review time. If not you can check also previously published papers too see if your time is an outlier. After that prepare a well written email to the editor if you do not find any reasons not to do so.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Disclosure: I am frequent reviewer and a member of an editorial board of SCI-indexed journal. The clear answer would be: you MAY ask at any time, but I suggest that you wait for the period that usually takes papers in *that particular journal* to be accepted. This information is, AFAIK, not systematically collected, but many journals publish "Submitted on:" and "Accepted on:" dates with the accepted papers, so it is sufficient to browse few papers for the last year to get an insight how long does it usually take.
In my field (engineering) most journals give reviewers one month to complete the reviews, I have seen deadlines as short as two weeks and as long as three months.
So if you are waiting for the next iteration for five months, it is fair chance that one of the reviewers did not complete his review (yet) and the editor should really be kicking him hard to do his duty (which he may be doing it, but behind the scenes).
So: YES, do ask after waiting five months.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/19
| 983
| 3,787
|
<issue_start>username_0: I read on [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brexit&oldid=739916614#Academic_funding):
>
> UK universities rely on the EU for around 16% of their total research funding, and are disproportionately successful at winning EU-awarded research grants.
>
>
>
Why are UK universities "disproportionately successful at winning EU-awarded research grants"?<issue_comment>username_1: The [Royal Society](https://royalsociety.org/~/media/policy/projects/eu-uk-funding/uk-membership-of-eu.pdf) has looked into this. The "disproportionately successful" claim is complicated. The [report says](https://royalsociety.org/~/media/policy/projects/eu-uk-funding/uk-membership-of-eu.pdf)
>
> The UK is one of the largest recipients of research funding in the EU and, although national contributions to the EU budget are not itemised, analyses suggest that the UK receives a greater amount of EU research funding than it
> contributes.
>
>
>
According to the report, the UK contributions account for 10.5% of the total EU budget, but the UK then "only" receives 6% of the total budget. The report claims that approximately 7% (5.4 billion out of 77.7 billion) of the UK contribution to the EU went to research funding and that 19% (8.8 billion out of 47.5 billion) of the money the UK received from the EU was for research. The report goes on to say
>
> There are two major routes by which the EU directly funds research in the UK – Framework Programme funding and structural funds. The UK is very successful in attracting Framework Programme funding, particularly that allocated for excellence. The UK recieves relatively little structural funding, which is largely targeted at building capacity in the least economically developed regions of the EU.
>
>
>
Roughly half the EU research budget is for "excellence" (the other half is for "capacity building"). There is a large asymmetry in distribution of the "excellence" funding with Germany, France, and the UK capturing approximately half of the excellence funding and only a quarter of the capacity building funding.
I do not think it is surprising that countries with strong "economies" are better able to capture funding earmarked for "excellence". If the EU shifted funding from excellence to capacity building, then the UK share would likely decrease. This in turn would decrease the UK share of the total EU budget and possibly lead to an earlier vote by the UK to leave the EU.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Universities in the UK (and universities in Northern Europe in general) are just [better on average](https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/best-universities/best-universities-europe-2016), with better infrastructure, better English skills, the means to hire better people, attract better students and in the end to write better grants (that might or might not be written by professional grant-writers). These are [Framework programme grants](https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/) for which there is Europe-wide competition.
This isn't entirely fair, that's why universities/research projects in poorer European regions are funded by the EU using more localized grants, as part of the [European Structure funds](http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/funding/erdf/). Usually these grants are not open to Europe-wide competition, and the UK can't win them all.
Another comment on how "disproportionally successful" could be counted. If they just counted #grants-with-UK-participants / #grants the UK would come out ahead because of its large population (the same for Germany). Almost all grants will have UK / German groups involved, as it's hard to get 10 research groups & companies together without taking one from the UK (or Germany).
Upvotes: 3
|
2016/09/19
| 1,035
| 4,326
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am doing an undergraduate project on matrix analysis which mostly involves functional analysis(but not a lot of heavy machinery) but I realize I don't really like the area very much and my work isn't particularly non-trivial. I have an excellent and patient guide.The alternative is that I can instead read a bunch of graduate texts in analysis over the next year.
Here are the pros and cons of quitting the project I could come up with:
Pros:
1. If I quit, I will be reading some graduate texts.
2. I will be reading something I like.
Cons:
1. I will lose out on valuable research experience. I am concerned that the lack of it will render my applications to graduate schools in the US rather ordinary. 2. I have an excellent relationship with my guide.I am a little concerned she might be disappointed with the switch.
(I can't work under someone else for various reasons.)
Any help is appreciated. Thank you.<issue_comment>username_1: Can't you do both? You may be able to do the reading and work on the project.
If you dislike your project, then try speaking with your advisor/mentor. You never know if they might be able to help you find something more aligned with your interests.
Aslo, I would say that for undergraduate research, it isn't *really* about your project, but more about getting some experience, networking, and resume building.
But like I say in most of my answers on this website: try talking to your mentor about this issue!
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: In my opinion it is definitely worth considering quitting an undergraduate project that you have tried and don't like in favor of doing more reading that you do like. Indeed you should talk to your advisor about it. To be slightly more specific:
>
> Pros: 1. If I quit, I will be reading some graduate texts. 2. I will be reading something I like.
>
>
>
Reading graduate texts is a great thing for a would-be math graduate student to do, especially if you really like them. If you can acquire graduate level knowledge mostly independent as an undergraduate, that will be strongly beneficial in your graduate applications.
>
> Cons: 1. I will lose out on valuable research experience. I am concerned that the lack of it will render my applications to graduate schools in the US rather ordinary. 2. I have an excellent relationship with my guide.I am a little concerned she might be disappointed with the switch. (I can't work under someone else for various reasons.)
>
>
>
1. Doing some undergraduate research is not what will make an application to a US graduate school stand out. A lot of students have done this, and it is not necessarily very impressive. If you do research that is sufficiently good and sufficiently independently done then that will grab people's attention but (i) that is very rare and (ii) most undergraduates who are in a position to do that had excellent applications anyway. In your case, it sounds like your research is not going anywhere exceptional. (But you could be wrong, and this is worth talking to your advisor about.)
2. You're right that your advisor might be disappointed. When a student strays from the path that you've laid out for them, it is usually a bit disappointing at first...but it happens frequently, and most advisors are used to it. The real question is if it's disappointing enough to have a real negative effect on you (or your advisor, but I am less worried about that), and the way to find out is to ask. It is much better to ask than to just stick with something that you don't like, I think.
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Well, I believe you should not quit your research right now.
In my opinion what you said about your research situation was very good. You should know that the purpose of B.Sc. project and research is to get familiar with research world and to do something real in the **Correct Way**.
I think a helpful, devoting professor is like a gold in these situations. She can help you throw your bright future. It does not mean you should stick to this field for the rest of your life! Take it as a start for your future more professional research experiences.
Also, you can talk to her about different fields which you like. She may find you a combined nice problem to work on.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/19
| 382
| 1,569
|
<issue_start>username_0: I'm trying to search for a scientific review article of determined theme. That is, I'm not searching a single scientific article containing an analysis of a determined theme, I'm trying to search a scientific article containing a review of many articles about the theme and its conclusion.
What are the terms which I should include in my search (using Google)? Example: "free trade revision", or "free trade paper review"... what are the recommended terms for this search?
Extra question: What are the best sites to search about this? (scientific reviews, scientific articles, papers, books, etc..)
Note: I think my English is legible, I'm brazilian.<issue_comment>username_1: You can search it in the Google and use "main title of your interest" +"review" in your search.
Google scholar also is an aletrnative way to get the result after searching in google main site.
The third alternative is to search in journals in your field devoted to the surveys and review papers e.g. <http://www.nowpublishers.com/MAL> or <http://www.journals.elsevier.com/computer-science-review> in computer science.
Also see the recent published textbook to find probable context of your interest.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: I think the easiest option is to use Scopus (if your University has access) and in the title, abstract, etc, fields type your keywords and in the document type field just select "Review".
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: You may look into meta-analysis:
<https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta-analysis>
Upvotes: 0
|
2016/09/20
| 368
| 1,506
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am applying for PhD in engineering and wondering whether should I take recommendation letter from academic advisor during master's program.
He has 'professor' in his title. He was not my thesis advisor and I did not take any courses from him. His role was more like advising students which courses to take, approving their courses for the semester, judging whether a student meet with course requirements, etc.
This recommendation letter would be based on generalization, such as GPA. I know a recommendation letter should be specific, but can a letter from such professor help or harm?<issue_comment>username_1: You can search it in the Google and use "main title of your interest" +"review" in your search.
Google scholar also is an aletrnative way to get the result after searching in google main site.
The third alternative is to search in journals in your field devoted to the surveys and review papers e.g. <http://www.nowpublishers.com/MAL> or <http://www.journals.elsevier.com/computer-science-review> in computer science.
Also see the recent published textbook to find probable context of your interest.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: I think the easiest option is to use Scopus (if your University has access) and in the title, abstract, etc, fields type your keywords and in the document type field just select "Review".
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: You may look into meta-analysis:
<https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta-analysis>
Upvotes: 0
|
2016/09/20
| 2,274
| 9,163
|
<issue_start>username_0: I'm in a total disaster right now because it feels like I have no chance of being a researcher anymore. Months ago, I submitted my Bachelor's thesis. Days later, I realized that I printed a wrong version of it (the version before the final) so I asked permission from my adviser and the librarian if I can replace the copies because of the mistake. They allowed me.
Weeks later, I realized that there was a term in my abstract that might need to be cited. But for the record, I cited this term in the body of my research. I consulted my adviser whether or not I violated something with that. She said that it was okay because I already cited it in the body of my research. However, I insisted and ask if I can add a citation just to be sure. She said okay. So I had to replace my copies of thesis again.
Lately, it occurred to me again that there was something wrong again. I think that I failed to cite a secondary source in the 'limitations' part of my thesis. Although I already have cited this secondary source as a secondary source 2 sentences before the sentence in question, I still feel that it was not sufficient because we had another similar quotation from an author in the sentence in question. I don't remember exactly why I failed to cite the secondary source in that sentence again. But as far as I can remember, I accessed the primary source. Maybe that is why I did not cite the secondary source.
But it still bothers me because even if that's the case, it might still look like I copied that part of my thesis (although not verbatim, but it totally bothers me still). That's the only problematic part of the whole research. I would like to correct this and give a more sufficient citation for the secondary source, but as I have mentioned, I already corrected my copies twice and they might not allow me anymore. I am so devastated right now, I am afraid that this might bar me from doing research again. Or worst, they might take away my degree which I really worked hard for.
How do you think will my adviser react to this? The last time I amended my thesis, I said that it will be the last time. But this mistake is unbearable and I can't live a day without thinking about it. What if the other faculty members will know? What will be their reaction? I have a perception that academicians are perfectionists and might persecute mistakes like this even when done unintentionally. I don't know what to do, I really don't know what to do.<issue_comment>username_1: >
> I have a perception that academicians are perfectionists and might persecute mistakes like this even when done unintentionally.
>
>
>
I am pleased to report that your perception is wrong! Academics are human beings who tend to be rather understanding of other human beings who, like themselves, occasionally make mistakes. In fact, if you browse other questions on this site that are tagged [errors-erratum](/questions/tagged/errors-erratum "show questions tagged 'errors-erratum'"), you will find that mistakes happen quite often in academia, just as they do everywhere else.
One slightly ambiguous citation in a thesis is
* not going to bar you from doing research,
* not cause for taking away your degree, and
* not even cause for anyone to think poorly of you, assuming the rest of your work is good.
If it bothers you, put a corrected version of your thesis (and/or an erratum) on your personal website, just to set the record straight. (And realistically, *if* anyone happens to read your thesis in the future, they are far more likely to read your easily accessible online version than a printed copy in the library.)
Upvotes: 7 <issue_comment>username_2: You're worrying too much. :)
It is uncommon not to have a minor mistake in a work of dozens of pages. It is very likely that you yourself will always be your worst critic. What will happen is:
* Most likely nobody beside yourself would notice the error
* If someone noticed, they would recognize it for the minor issue that it is
You've submitted your Bachelor's thesis and it was accepted. While it is fine to provide an updated version on your website as username_1 suggests, or even to have a look at previous projects sometimes, continually obsessing about past work will drain you. Do everything as good as you can, but once you've delivered it, it's time to shelve it and move on to new projects. ;)
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: Don't overthink, you seem to be a good researcher, just try to work on the proof-reading side. Read your thesis, article or whatever 100 times before submitting.
It is human to err, and the thing you are worried about is not worth noting even. Same thing happens with good researchers even, and the academic people are not that rude that they might put a full-stop on you, they do know that such small mistakes happen and is not an issue.
Cheer up, focus on work but do a good proof-reading next time.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: Well, You are defending Bachelor thesis now. In two years you will write your masters thesis. In six years, or later, you will write your PhD thesis. Around this time you will start to publish papers and participate conferences... In analogy, you are 5 years old and learning how to ride a bike. This was your first fall. Do you think it prevents you from winning Tour de France some day?
I cannot read *my* bachelor thesis, it is awful and there are mistakes. But it was accepted and I defended it. I fear reading my masters, because there are mistakes, weak spots, etc. But it was accepted and I defended it. Maybe you tolerate others' mistakes but overestimate your own mistakes.
You made a mistake(s). Nobody is perfect. If you realize the mistake and do try to replace it (new copy, ask for reject, ask for update), it is totally acceptable and even welcome. If you do not realize the mistake, but try to replace it, when been informed about it, it is totally acceptable. If you realize the mistake and resist to replace, defend your flawed results, humble your "opponents", then you shall be expelled.
---
I have found that the best way how to defend a thesis is to read it many times before printing. Let some people to read it as well, your schoolmate, your friend from different field. They will find errors and typos for sure. Correct it. Then read it through once more. When you get it printed, add there your signature, enclose the CD, if needed, submit it and never ever think about reading a single line before the defense. In the very first line you will read, you will find total flaw or demeaning typo.
There is rumour, that in one masters thesis there is "Transistor will be made of oak wood, because nobody reads it anyway." This statement was false, obviously. The one who read this was the author who read it day after his successfull defense. He had written it as a desperate joke while writing the manuscript and forgot to delete it...
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_5: It's bachelor's thesis. After it is approved, no-one will read it. Ever.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_6: A bachelor's thesis is, by definition, a "first effort." It would not be surprising for you to make mistakes on it. In fact, it would be surprising if you *didn't* make mistakes.
Every full fledged researcher, even the best ones, will make occasional mistakes. That just goes with the territory. In your case, what you most need to do is to learn to deal with the inevitable, and yes, I mean inevitable, mistakes, you will make in this or any other career. Then you'll be fine.
Many of the most accomplished people on the site can tell of more serious setbacks than yours. No one's career is going to be derailed by an early setback that isn't even particularly serious.
The one thing you want to avoid is something like "plagiarism." An incomplete citation doesn't count as such. That would be a "retail" error that many people make. You do want to avoid "wholesale" errors, like copying multiple paragraphs or even pages without attribution.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_7: Your problem will not be one of failing to live up to the standards of all us perfectionists—with that extreme level of conscientiousness and attention to detail, you'll be a very good researcher in one sense. No, your problem is going to be that you'll never allow yourself to finish your graduate thesis/-ses. Or you'll burn out. Or both.
So: chill. And remember (sadly I don't know who said it first, but I've never forgotten my bachelor thesis adviser saying it to me): *a thesis can never be finished—only abandoned*.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_8: All of the researchers have errors on their writing.
If you carefully read the theses or papers, you can see a lot of errors and typos in them.
Also, it's not your problem solely, but it is related to your advisor too for not remarking you the elements of technical writing.
Moreover, if the hard copy of your work won't be allowed to change again, simply add a report paper on the thesis hardcopies devoted to the errors and typos in the thesis. (common approach for published textbook)
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]
|
2016/09/20
| 376
| 1,660
|
<issue_start>username_0: It’s International Peer Review Week, and this year’s theme is “Recognition for Review.” This makes me wonder whether authors feel a sense of appreciation for their reviewers. As an author, I have always felt intimidated or depressed by peer review. But on some reflection, I feel that reviewers have actually helped me improve my papers. Have you ever felt a sense of appreciation and gratitude for your reviewers? If you had the opportunity to write a note of thanks to your reviewers today, what would you write?<issue_comment>username_1: Contrary to the impression you may get reading this forum, mostly authors do appreciate the work of referees.
On a few occasions, when a referee provided valuable information, I have added it to the paper and thanked "an anonymous referee" for it in the paper.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: We just finished revising a paper in response to three peer reviews that were clear, well-reasoned, and thoughtful, and our paper is undoubtedly much stronger as a result. I definitely appreciate those peer reviewers.
I would say that maybe one in ten of the papers I write end up like that, with all three reviewers giving suggestions that are unambiguously helpful. Probably seven out of ten times, one reviewer will make one or two moderately helpful comments, and the remaining times, the reviews are mostly trivial, or actively wrong, and are not helpful.
Still, that means that the vast majority of my papers are at least a little improved by peer reviewers' comments, and sometimes I'm helped a lot. So, yes, as an author I definitely appreciate the work of peer reviewers.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/20
| 2,362
| 9,796
|
<issue_start>username_0: Since entering graduate school, albeit in a [STEM](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science,_technology,_engineering,_and_mathematics) field, I have never been exposed to such an emphasis on women-only meetings, leadership conferences, panels, etc. I have seen most, if not all of these venues, exclusive to women. Most of these meetings are hosted by the [WISE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WISE_Campaign) (Women In Science and Engineering) organization at this university. I am sure this phenomenon is true elsewhere.
Why is it that in academe, in my experience, it is common for women to segregate themselves in the context of raising gender issues?
How does this behavior exemplify equal opportunity?
How does this behavior develop real solutions to real problems?<issue_comment>username_1: I actually agree with you completely. I think that the women only conference concept is very well intentioned but in practice kind of terrible. I once went to an all girl hackathon and spent 2 1/2 hours *not* making anything and instead watching everyone pat themselves on the back for being women. Had to sit through a ton of self congratulatory "Ted Talks" while all I wanted to do was code with some other female engineers. It was.... weird.
There are reasons for it though.
* I think that the biggest threat to women is other women who view them only as competition. The women only concept removes that competition from the equation so that we can have a safe space to actually support each other.
* Working in STEM, it's really unfortunate but sexism is kind of pervasive, and most women don't really feel like they have the tools to deal with it appropriately. These conferences usually provide some sort of structure to help them learn.
* Women have been largely ignored by the STEM community for so long that we really do need all these outreach programs. It actually does make a difference to both the women in attendance and our level of visibility and subsequently provides opportunities for growth.
* For younger women, these experiences are invaluable. It tells them that it's okay to be who they want to be, that they're not alone, and that they have people who really will rally around them and support them as they grow and come up in the world. Honestly, I wish these things existed when I was a kid.
That being said, isolationism is stupid and self defeating. I'd be much more interested in something that fostered actual dialogue between genders, or provided hands-on technical training in skills that I actually need instead of congratulatory prose about what a good little girl I was for showing up.
Upvotes: 7 <issue_comment>username_2: You're quite right in your observation of that segregation does little to exemplify equal opportunity, and is a poor venue to discuss gender inequality.
However, the purpose of these women-only panels, forums, conferences, scholarships, prizes, etc. is not for the express purpose of solving gender inequality or un-equal opportunity.
The purpose of this is three-fold:
1. There is generally funding and resources available to events such as these, therefore the funding and resources are used.
2. These events add value for the women who are able to attend simply by existing.
3. A field criticized for having poor female representation may be able to improve public opinion by holding events that are specifically for women.
[sarcasm]*How could a field of study possibly be gender biased when they specifically hold special events for the discriminated sex.*[/sarcasm]
Items 1 and 3 are fairly straight-forward.
Item 2 above is not very clear. However, imagine you are artistically inclined and you are viewing two possible schools. One of which has listed many art clubs and provides several art forums. You don't know how good any of these forums are. The other school has fewer art clubs and forums. Which one is more appealing?
Similarly, if a field of study holds women-only events, there is a perspective that this field of study is taking steps to be extra-geared toward women. A woman who is deciding between a career field heavily populated by women and a field holding routine events specifically *for* women, may be swayed won by the field holding events expressly *for* women.
Frankly, and I realize it's not part of the question, but I don't see many of these approaches being very helpful for purposes of equality.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: The vision of the [Association for Women in Science](http://www.awis.org/?page=AboutAWIS) focuses on compensation, advancement, discrimination and respect. These are real problems for women in academia. To an extent, conferences for women are a result of the ["leaky pipeline"](https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2015/03/03/essay-calls-ending-leaky-pipeline-metaphor-when-discussing-women-science) of the 1970s and and 1980s where women were more likely to leave academia then men. While the leaks have been slowed, possibly stopped or reversed, at the [Bachelors to PhD stage](http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00037/full), the pipeline may still be leaky at later stages.
What is clear is that gender biases in conferences still exist (e.g., <https://biaswatchneuro.com/>) and the all male conference panel (aka the [manel](http://allmalepanels.tumblr.com/)) are still all too common. In presence of these, and other gender, biases, providing women only conferences/workshops seems a reasonable approach as part of a larger strategy towards gender equality.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_4: My answer is focused on the sessions that usually occur within a larger conference.
The purpose of a successful session is to leave the attendees energized and feeling more confident so that they can be more productive. Please be sensitive to the fact that women, for whom those session are focused, have come to a career in science with the lifetime of acquiring not-particularly-helpful baggage from whatever typical cultural biases they negotiated previously.
I have never seen any of these sessions be closed, (there are no bouncers stopping people at the door for lack of bosom) simply that the circulars and announcements strongly emphasize that they are *for* the women (for the women's benefit). They encourage an atmosphere that will end up with a room full of women scientists (senior/midcareer/junior/student). The attendees, thankfully, tend to self-select for being truly supportive.
Typically, there will be some formal presentation on results of current research on stereotyping and bias, prevalence of impostor syndrome, etc, and its impact on career or motivation and confidence. In a well-run session, the primary purpose of such presentations or panel discussions is not to initiate a spiraling negativity of people comparing terrible experiences or feelings, but to get the information out because these facts are powerful. It helps in confirmation of experiences ("maybe it isn't all in my head after all") - or it simply can be comforting to realize one is not alone ("I'm not the only woman who feels like my successes are probably a mistake"). The sessions that are useful will focus then on making connections, networking, and helping women 'mentor' themselves, showing successful examples.
I have been in a STEM field over 30 years. In my 1st 10 years, I used to be surprised when I saw my reflection off of a window when walking in a street with colleagues. ("Who is that strange-looking person with them? - oh that's me"). Contrast that with having the occasional opportunity to be in a room of scientists, and also majority women. That is a pretty neat in itself, and also is a 'safe' space to ask questions or to make observations and get feedback. It also was very interesting personal observation to recognize a different level of personal comfort being in a space; most of the attendees share similar experiences/feelings that my male colleagues typically have not had (or at least not so pervasively common throughout their career).
I hope that the supportive OP would be self-reflective enough (and informed enough) by now to recognize that we all are 'biased' and that cultural stereotyping and its impact did not disappear overnight. The 'insulted' feeling is natural, (feeling as if you are being told you are inadequate?) but beside the point and not helpful. Perhaps by now you can laugh at yourself a bit realizing that what it sounded like (to me) is that you are so confident about your natural place in STEM that if you feel insulted, you assume it must mean that someone else must be wrong or that it deserves pacifying and explanation. Statistically, women in STEM are a lot less confident. The workshops are to help give little pushes to overcome those insecurities.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_5: [Warning: Male speaking]
If enough people feel the need for such a conference, then there is a need. Since these conferences keep getting held, clearly there is a need for them.
Now, in an ideal world, conferences would be coed and everybody would feel welcome everywhere. Unfortunately, this is not an ideal world.
Many women feel that they are being judged inferior simply because they are women. Most of these women are correct about that.
You complain about being called "unsafe". Remember that there are other men than you in this world and that some of them are definitely unsafe. Also remember that "feeling safe" is not only about physical safety, but also safety from ridicule, from being ignored, and from getting your self-confidence shattered in other ways.
Most conferences are male-biased. Having woman-only conferences is not a **good** solution to this problem, but it is better than doing nothing about it.
Upvotes: 5
|
2016/09/20
| 636
| 2,805
|
<issue_start>username_0: How/where does one get hold of the arguments put forward by lobby groups?
I am currently researching the topic of advertising as it relates to junk food. There are many arguments in favour of regulation/ban in books, papers and websites; however, I am looking for responses to these arguments by the industry. I keep coming across articles claiming that lots of money has been spent lobbying against regulation, but these are almost never referenced. Where should I look for the arguments of lobby groups? This seems like the only place to find the other side of the debate.
This is an area that is quite alien to me so any guidance is appreciated. Also, I'm interested in lobbying in any English-speaking country.<issue_comment>username_1: Honestly, I don't know, but I can point you to who would know: **an academic librarian who specializes in the academic discipline of marketing**. At least, at my university, there are librarians who are assigned to be responsible to various academic departments, and the Marketing Librarian is the one I would go to for such a question. Even if your university doesn't have a librarian specialized on this, try a nearby university that might. They shouldn't have a problem with spending time with someone from the general public.
Based on my past experience consulting librarians, I recommend that you book an appointment and that you send an e-mail that describes what you are looking for in detail, and also what you have already tried that hasn't worked for you. Then the appointment would probably be much more fruitful, since you would give the librarian the time to look up various possibilities. Indeed, quite often librarians have access to special resources that are not public (e.g. not on the university website) that you would only learn about if you ask them directly. And a good librarian (like I have at my university) will ask other colleagues about more resources that might help you.
Librarians are probably the most under-utilized resource for literature searches, and yet they are professionals who specialize on helping people find exactly this kind of question. And in universities, they are deeply knowledgeable in not only academic sources of information, but also practice-oriented sources (they have to support non-scholarly undergraduate and master's student projects, too).
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Lobby groups like having their arguments known. They publish them on their web sites, often as media releases. If you can't find what you want there, call them: lobby group representatives will be happy to explain their positions.
My husband works for a lobby goup/peak body and he quite enjoys talking to students who contact him with questions about his industry.
Upvotes: 3
|
2016/09/20
| 925
| 3,964
|
<issue_start>username_0: Are systems like Git robust enough so that if questions arises about a paper's priority, it would prove or substantiate a claim to have a VCS log?<issue_comment>username_1: I understand your question in the following way:
You are asking if a git repository can be used to add a "timestamp" to some idea, so that in case multiple researchers come with the same idea, you can prove that you were the first (whenever this is actually true).
Unfortunately, dates in a git repository can easily be forged. See [here](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/20081916/github-shows-wrong-time-of-commits) for a stackexchange thread documenting this.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: It sort of depends on what you want to timestamp, and who you want to convince with the data, but there's some important points to keep in mind.
* If it's a locally-kept repository, then it simply cannot be used to establish any sort of priority, because those timestamps can be forged. Git is simply not robust enough (depending as it does e.g. on your system clock) to be a silver bullet; it can be made part of a case (analogously e.g. to timestamped lab books) but it is not enough by itself.
* On the other hand, you can use a version-control repository hosted by a third party, such as a private repository on GitHub or Bitbucket. Here you need to make sure that you push regularly to the remote repo, because what really matters is the timestamp on the push and not the commit (again, because the locally-generated timestamps can be forged); you also need to make sure that the third party actually keeps timestamped logs of said uploads.
This is in principle usable, but whether it will be sufficient or not will depend on what you want to do with it. Ultimately it will come down to whether the people you're trying to convince can be persuaded to trust the third party's logs and their neutrality. (Note, also, that what matters here is not the robustness of git that matters - it is the reliability of the third party instead.)
* Depending on your field and its community, having written the paper first may not actually matter - quite often, a lot more weight can be put (rightly or wrongly) on being the first to publish the work.
There is a lot of field-to-field variability, but if someone else publishes work that is essentially equivalent to yours, then at the very least you should expect a steep uphill climb to get a journal to publish your manuscript, even if you can prove you had the text just about completed before the others even submitted. I will leave these discussions aside, though, under the assumption that you've already thought through them or will do so before acting.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Trusted time-stamping service
=============================
What you are looking for is a provider of [trusted time-stamping](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusted_timestamping).
Git can not — or rather: should not — be used for that, because git is not in any way meant to perform that sort of service. For git to be used this way, you would have to prove that the git repository is accurate when it comes to time, accurate about who is submitting to it, and tamper-proof when it comes to commits.
And sure, you may **assume** that this is the case with any of the big third-party providers, like github. And sure, in a civil case, where a preponderance of the evidence is enough (i.e. evidence need only be more likely than not likely, instead of as in a criminal trial where they must be proven beyond reasonable doubt), then this might very well fly.
But why bother with re-purposing git when there are dedicated providers for this very type of service? There are both free and paid providers. I would personally take someone way more seriously when they use a proper service for this compared to someone that re-purpose something that is meant for completely different things.
Upvotes: 3
|
2016/09/21
| 1,217
| 5,278
|
<issue_start>username_0: If I have an idea to extend an already published paper (P1) but the extension is very small and further I know how to prove the results of (P1) so my question is as follows. If I prove the results of P1 through my own way and has slight extension (in the form of application of the results) of P1 then is it worth writing that idea or should I avoid such thing?<issue_comment>username_1: It is often very difficult to answer "Is this paper worth writing?" in general terms. Sorry to say, but it is very common that you don't know whether a paper is worth writing until you write it, and you don't know whether a paper is publishable until you submit it (sometimes more than once).
If I understood the situation properly, it's this: there is a paper in the literature by someone else that contains some mathematical-ish result: something that received a **proof** in the original publication. You have (i) your own proof and (ii) a small extension of the result, and you are wondering whether it's worth writing up and trying to publish. So the answer is: it might or might not be. If you are a junior researcher -- by which I mean anyone who has a designated advisor or mentor -- then I strongly suggest that you talk to your advisor about this. The question of what constitutes publishable work (and if so, where it can/should be published) is really a question about the sociology of your discipline, and a veteran researcher in your field will probably have better instincts about this than a newer researcher...and this can continue to be true even when the veteran researcher has equal or lesser insight into this particular project.
Probably though at some point you will just have to decide whether to push on with it or not. That's really up to you. The main downside is that you may spend time writing and trying to publish the paper and eventually learn that the paper is not publishable, or at least not publishable in the sort of journal you want to publish in. There is also the chance that you could publish the paper and that others in the field may view your contribution as too minor to meet their own standards of publication, but in that situation I would expect them to mostly ignore the paper. (There are other situations in academia where people count papers, and even a very minor publication will still count for that. This is not a great situation, in my opinion, but it exists, and some people may in fact have large incentives to keep the publications coming.)
I think the right way to look at the decision is this: the question is not really whether to write up and publish versus not to write up and publish. Rather, you will want to spend your time writing up and publishing *something*, and practically speaking there is a limit on the number of projects you can try to write up and publish at any given time. (This varies based on the field and even the person. For me (a mathematician), even if I start with a huge stack of manuscripts already on my desk with all the **Theorem:...** and **Proof:...**'s already written down in some mathematically satisfactory form, nevertheless I would struggle mightily to find the time to edit and submit more than 4-5 of them per year.) So do you want to spend your time on this or something else?
I want to end by mentioning that a few months ago I submitted for publication a project that has the same rough description as the OP: in [this note](http://alpha.math.uga.edu/%7Epete/after_kapovich.pdf) I give a new (though not completely new) proof of a recent theorem of M. Kapovich, and then I prove a stronger result in a special case. There is no question that I view this as a very minor work. Why did I decide to submit it for publication? Well, first I found Kapovich's result very interesting so I had already decided to give an exposition of it in [some notes of mine](http://alpha.math.uga.edu/%7Epete/integral2015.pdf). Writing up these results led directly to my (very minor) new contribution, so the amount of additional polishing I had to do in order to have something submittable was rather small. Second, the paper concerns a mathematical subfield, complex manifolds, in which I absolutely do not possess a research-level knowledge....so I have no reputation to ruin. Finally, I have enough other publications that I think no one is going to try to draw any conclusions about my research program or trajectory from this one paper. Whether this was a good decision is not yet clear to me...
**Added**: Just this morning I received an email that the above note has been accepted!
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: The important factor for writing a successful paper is to have a new idea. If you have a novel idea that is related to a recently published work, you can write the paper in your own approach. First, you should describe your idea without directly refer to the recent paper, and after that, you would mention that paper.
But if you can't add a new idea and just modify the results of the P1 work, you have a little chance for publishing the work on valuable journals.
I think that you can preserve your energy and times on writing a paper with a new idea with applied theme versus on time-consuming modification of the others' work.
Upvotes: 0
|
2016/09/21
| 833
| 3,630
|
<issue_start>username_0: Students A and B in my physics class turned in identical solutions to certain homework problems on two problem sets in a row. My policy is not to give credit in situations like this. The similarities are far too extensive and idiosyncratic to be explainable if the students had really done their work independently. Normally this kind of thing is not a big deal, because the assignments are only worth token amounts of credit. The students get the message and change their behavior.
But this particular case is becoming more of a big deal because A acts very upset and claims he did the work totally independently. I asked B what happened, and B said he found a solution online and copied it down. This seems plausible: A and B both copied the same online solution.
How could I determine/prove whether this is what happened? I have heard that there are web sites that students can use to access materials like these. Is there a small enough number of such sites that I could check each one to see if this work originated from materials provided there? To gain access to these sites, would I have to upload materials that they wanted, which could be onerous or unethical? If this was an English paper, I could google for the plagiarized text or use a service such as turnitin. There are also tools for use with computer code. But AFAIK there is no way to do this with mathematical material.
Please do not post comments or answers about whether it is a good idea to count homework in students' grades, or whether I can really tell that two students' work is too similar to be explainable if the work was independent. These could be worthwhile things to discuss, but they are not the subject of this question.<issue_comment>username_1: From a comment:
>
> The solutions the students turned in are basically just equations with
> no surrounding explanatory text.
>
>
>
Ask student A to produce the explanatory text for the equations in the common answer. If A indeed worked out the answer independently, A should be able to explain the reasoning leading to each equation. If A just copied down a solution that only contained the equations, that is less likely.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: *Disclaimer:* The answer below is based on my experience, but I'm not in the US.
I'll try to address this question:
>
> Is there a small enough number of such sites that I could check each one to see if this work originated from materials provided there?
>
>
>
Along the years, I have seen students searching for solutions online in at least three different places: newsgroups (Usenet is agonizing, but not definitely dead), forums, specific repositories and -- last but not the least -- Stack Exchange.
Exercises are usually reported in the form of plain text, text with LaTeX equations, an attached PDF file, or a picture taken with the smartphone (sometimes the picture is taken after having printed the PDF file. Gosh).
Moreover, exercises might not be reported in the original language: a student knowing a second language might ask for help on a foreigner forum, translating the exercise (I saw it happening).
From the above points, I think that the general answer to your quoted question is *no*, and trying to identify an online source might be a hopeless task. Of course, strokes of luck can happen and at a local level there might exist communities of users of a specific college or university.
Therefore, I strongly support alternative strategies, like that suggested by username_1 in [her answer](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/77154/20058).
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer]
|
2016/09/21
| 594
| 2,481
|
<issue_start>username_0: I have several research ideas (oncology and virology) that I want to discuss with professors/experts, so I am looking for an online platform where the ideas can be shared and discussed. However, other than Researchgate (which I cannot use, because I don't have an institutional email), I can't seem to find any other suitable places on the web. Biology Stack Exchange didn't work well for me, because the mods there say that my question is mainly based on "opinion."
So......in short,any good forums or platforms where I can discuss my ideas with the experts?<issue_comment>username_1: From a comment:
>
> The solutions the students turned in are basically just equations with
> no surrounding explanatory text.
>
>
>
Ask student A to produce the explanatory text for the equations in the common answer. If A indeed worked out the answer independently, A should be able to explain the reasoning leading to each equation. If A just copied down a solution that only contained the equations, that is less likely.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: *Disclaimer:* The answer below is based on my experience, but I'm not in the US.
I'll try to address this question:
>
> Is there a small enough number of such sites that I could check each one to see if this work originated from materials provided there?
>
>
>
Along the years, I have seen students searching for solutions online in at least three different places: newsgroups (Usenet is agonizing, but not definitely dead), forums, specific repositories and -- last but not the least -- Stack Exchange.
Exercises are usually reported in the form of plain text, text with LaTeX equations, an attached PDF file, or a picture taken with the smartphone (sometimes the picture is taken after having printed the PDF file. Gosh).
Moreover, exercises might not be reported in the original language: a student knowing a second language might ask for help on a foreigner forum, translating the exercise (I saw it happening).
From the above points, I think that the general answer to your quoted question is *no*, and trying to identify an online source might be a hopeless task. Of course, strokes of luck can happen and at a local level there might exist communities of users of a specific college or university.
Therefore, I strongly support alternative strategies, like that suggested by username_1 in [her answer](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/77154/20058).
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer]
|
2016/09/21
| 1,179
| 4,544
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am a researcher without a PhD. Because most people in my field do have PhDs, I sometimes get emails addressed to "Dr. [MyName]."
How should I address this, if at all? I don't want to complain because they are being polite, but also I don't want to lie by omission about my credentials.<issue_comment>username_1: I don't think it's necessary to respond directly to being addressed as "Dr." via email. If it makes you feel better, you may put whatever credentials you do have in your email signature:
>
> [body of email]
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Slow\_Writing, M.S., M.P.H., B.A.
>
> Research Associate
>
> Department of Writing Slowly
>
> University Technical College
>
>
>
If they care, they'll read your signature and fix it. If not, enjoy the free title.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: This is a very common experience, and mostly I think that you should ignore it. From my experience, the primary reasons that you will get addressed as Dr. (or Prof.) are:
1. The sender doesn't know who you are and doesn't really care ("Honorable Dr. please send your excellent paper to our predatory journal sir!")
2. They are using a form or other automated system that is automatically inserting the title.
3. Somebody who does care but isn't sure of your status "rounds you up," figuring they are less likely to offend by too much honor than by too little.
If the person is somebody you actually want to have a relationship with or are concerned about misleading, then you can correct them, but for the most part just don't worry about it.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: I have the same problem. I teach at a state university and I'm occasionally addressed as "Dr." even though only have an MS, unlike everyone else in the department. Similarly, I'm occasionally addressed as "Professor", even though I'm only a lecturer. I'm a stickler about not inflating my resume or my credentials, so this makes me uncomfortable, just as it does you.
Usually I'll offer a correction but sometimes not. With my students, I specifically tell them at the beginning of every quarter that I do not have a PhD and am not a professor, explaining that other people have earned those titles, I have not. I'm a lecturer and they should call me Nicole. Most do that, though some will still call me "Professor", usually, I suspect, because they've forgotten my name or because they follow the casual convention among students of calling all their instructors "Professor". I'll generally let that slide though if they do it in a one-on-one conversation, I may gently remind them, "You know I'm not really a professor, right?"
With others, whether I offer a correction depends on context. If it happens in conversation, I always offer a correction. If it's on a notice or a poster or something else that might be seen by others, I always ask for a correction (which doesn't always happen, to my discomfort). If it happens in a forum of some kind where a speaker has referred to me as "Dr." in front of a lot of people, I'm always uncomfortable but always let it slide at the time, rather than correct the speaker in front of others, possibly making them uncomfortable as well. But I may look for a later opportunity to offer the correction privately.
With emails, if it's simply an automated email (even sometimes from my own department), that's easy: I ignore it. With other emails, it depends on whether I have to reply or if I expect to have more contact with the individual. If yes to either, I always offer a correction and, as with my students, ask them to call me Nicole.
Anyway, that's what I do. YMMV.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: I find that the cleanest way to defuse this, without (a) raising a fuss, or (b) lying by omission, is simply to sign my reply as e.g.
>
> Yours sincerely,
>
>
> Mr. <NAME>
>
>
>
It is short and unobtrusive, it's there if they want to look for it, and the fact that you're signing with your title is odd enough that it's a bit of a rap on the knuckles if the email is personal and your correspondent is at least a bit perceptive.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_5: If the email is from somebody who you'll need to communicate with in the future, you can let them know that you don't have a PhD. It doesn't matter how you do that: just be polite. Most of these emails, though, are from people you will never speak to again. There's no need to waste your energy correcting those people; just ignore it and/or take it as a small compliment.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/21
| 1,083
| 4,066
|
<issue_start>username_0: I recently attended a "preparing for the job market" workshop for PhD students where the speaker instructed us in no uncertain terms that we should always refer to a "curriculum vitae" and never a "curriculum vita." Following the workshop, I made sure to replace all instances of "vita" with "vitae" on my website.
Today, though, the professor of a class I'm taking asked me why I had the word "Vitae" (on its own, without "Curriculum") on the menu of my website, suggesting that "Vita" might be more appropriate. I looked around this website to try to get some clarification and noticed not only that there didn't seem to be anything on this topic but also that some people use both spellings in the same sentence (e.g., ["A 'vita' is just a short term for a *curriculum vitae*"](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/34510/whats-in-a-vita/34513#34513)).
So, is it "vitae"? "Vita"? "Vita" when the word is on its own but "vitae" when it's "curriculum vitae"? Also, is there any reason (based in Latin or something else) for these distinctions?<issue_comment>username_1: ***Vita*** means life. ***Vitae*** is the genitive (possessive) form, of life. ***Curriculum*** means something like course. So ***Curriculum vitae*** means the course of one's life, and makes good sense. ***Vita*** by itself also makes good sense, though it's perhaps less accurate as a description of the document in question. Neither ***curriculum vita*** nor ***vitae*** without ***curriculum*** makes sense.
Addition, suggested by <NAME>: All the words in ***bold italic*** are Latin.
Upvotes: 8 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: "Vita" is an American English term, synonymous with "Curriculum vitae".
If your web site targets only Americans, then "Vita" is fine as a label. If you wish to appeal to an international audience, you'd be better to call it a "CV".
The phrase "Curriculum vita" is an error, and makes no sense. That's what the speaker at the workshop was telling you.
About the pluralisation - my instinct would have been to give "vitas" as the plural of "vita" (on the grounds that if it doesn't mean "life", it's not Latin, and therefore shouldn't get a Latin-sounding plural). However, Merriam-Webster gives the plural as "vitae". Since Merriam-Webster is a greater authority on American English than I am, I defer to its judgement. I am not a native speaker of American English.
The origin of this term appears to be the Latin "vita", meaning "life". Just to clarify the variations on this term in Latin ...
```
life = vita
life's = vitae
life's course = curriculum vitae
life's courses = curricula vitae
lives = vitae
lives' = vitarum
lives' courses = curricula vitarum
```
If I have multiple CVs on my computer, which I use when I apply for different types of job, these are "curricula vitae", because only one life is involved.
If I have multiple CVs on my desk, because I am about to interview several applicants for a job, these are "curricula vitarum", because they are the courses of several lives.
**Update**
In response to someone asking me to support my claim that "vita" is an American English term.
"Vita" is found in Merriam-Webster, which is the canonical dictionary of American English. It is *not* found in the Oxford English Dictionary, which is the canonical dictionary of Commonwealth English (the edition I checked was published in 1971).
Most tellingly though, it is found in [Oxford's online dictionary](https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/vita), where it is labelled as US.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: The others have already explained the latin, but if you're still looking for what short word to put in your menu instead of "Vitae", I'd like to suggest just 'CV'.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: Also, I would like to add that most people doesn't construct the correct plural form for "Curriculum vitae". While they write "Curriculums" the correct construction for more than one CV is "Curricula vitarum"
Upvotes: 1
|
2016/09/22
| 1,070
| 4,862
|
<issue_start>username_0: I work on both in the area of pure Computer Science and in the area of Computational Chemistry/Biology.
Till now I have submitted papers to well known venues(journals) of both these fields. I don't understand the following situations after paper submission in both these fields:
* Submitted papers in non-CS journals follow a quick review procedure i.e. submission - editor assignment - reviewer invited - under review - review completed - [...] *Turnaround : 3 months*
* But, for pure CS Journals, every step is late except the first step which is obvious. *Turnaround: 10-12 months*
What can we infer given such situations in peer review world?
Note: *I am talking about majority of journals in both these mentioned fields.*<issue_comment>username_1: In computer science, unlike in the majority of other academic fields, most research is published as articles in conference proceedings, and conferences do follow a quick review process. I imagine that the pressure on journals to provide a quick review process is thus less strong.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: The time for peer review is a highly complex variable and it depends on many factors: the ideas explored in the paper by the authors, the time for review and the focus of the referee, the dynamics of the journal editorial board. For example in physics(APS) the time for a review round may vary from 1 week to 2 3 months, or even longer. Hence, the time for publishing vary from one month to one year, or more. In mathematics, for example, the review time is even longer, and it is natural that the referee reports are received in a time frame from 1 month to one year. From all these, we see that the review time is a complex variable where the authors have minor effects and one cannot change much. The best thing an author can do is to write a clear manuscript that would be natural to read/referee. Hence, the review time is not an important aspect to consider, what is more important is the idea and the novelty of the paper, and the quality of the review process, which is linked to the prestige of the journal. For conference proceedings, the review time is shorter that the journals, where a strong review is made. For sure, the strength of the review highly depends on the editorial board and the referees.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: The time to a decision in Computer Science depends on:
* The editor assigning an associate editors (at an IEEE journal, this is about 1-3 days).
* The associate editor reading the article and starting to search for reviewers. The first is about 1-3 days. Finding the reviewers is the difficult thing and it is becoming more difficult. (1) Potential reviewers do not want to review. Sometimes this is because they have reviewed a lot, sometimes they only review for the top conference in their field, sometimes they are just free riders (that benefit from peer reviewing but do not review themselves). (2) Potential reviewers have left the place where they graduated and are not forwarding email. Universities and companies do not see a need to maintain accounts for graduates and ex-employees and even if they allow people to forward, the forwarding becomes complicated after a few moves. These reviewers never answer. (3) Potential reviewers actually give a good answer. Most of these will accept the review.
* The associate editor goes through a few rounds of inviting reviewers. You cannot really invite more than ten people to review because then more than three might accept. But for a IEEE journal, maybe one in ten reviewers asked will accept if they do not know the associate editor. Journal rules prohibit asking people at the same place as the reviewer or asking the same people for more than a few reviews. They now also do not allow the associate editor or sometimes another associate editor to review in order to strengthen the quality of the peer review process.
* The paper is under review once the first reviewer has agreed.
* Associate editor informs senior editor that they are doing their best with finding reviewers to the paper.
* Finally, enough potential reviewers have accepted to review.
* After the deadline passes, associate editor gives extensions to reviewers.
* Finally all reviews are in. Associate editor now does the meta-review for the senior editor. This can take a week as the associate editor needs to reread the paper and read the reviews.
* Senior editor comes to a decision. Very often a revision with additional reviews.
Summary: Peer-reviewing is broken. The bottleneck is in finding reviewers. Too many academics and industry people are free-riders, largely because there is no good reward structure. There are some people trying to change it, but for example, industry does in general NOT reward reviewing. Contact information is difficult to obtain.
Upvotes: 1
|
2016/09/22
| 394
| 1,765
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am a PhD student and my supervisor has asked me to make some significant contributions to a book which he is trying to publish.
He has asked me to proofread the book (English is my native language but is not his) but has also asked if I could effectively rewrite some sections to improve the communication and structure of the book.
I am happy to do the work but would like to agree beforehand how my contribution should be recognised. As I will not be contributing any technical knowledge to the book I feel that co-authorship is not appropriate, especially as the book will be aimed at experts in the area so the content is more important than the communication. However, I would expect more than, say, a mention in an acknowledgements section.
Does there exist some sort of compromise between co-authorship and an acknowledgement which would better reflect my contribution?<issue_comment>username_1: Sometimes the cover gives only the book's title and the name of the principal author but the title page says:
THEORY OF PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
by <NAME>
with contributions from
<NAME>
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: There could be an acknowledgment - a sincere gratitude for the important contribution of .... - spelling out your contribution. You are not an author of any kind because all the writing you are doing is merely rewriting his work. The most you should expect is a very kind and sincere acknowledgment. If you are not comfortable with that you are likely asking for more than you are contributing and you should not do the work because you'll become resentful. The tendency of all humans is to over-estimate our contribution to almost everything.
Upvotes: 2
|
2016/09/22
| 1,283
| 5,686
|
<issue_start>username_0: How should instructors deal with the fact that the students who know the least are precisely the ones who think they know everything?
**NOTE:** This question is not and never was intended to be primarily about mathematics instruction, but was intended to be equally applicable to all subjects to which it can be applied (which probably means all subjects). It has been edited by seemingly many people. I hope I've now expunged the most offensive edits from it. The examples below are about mathematics for the obvious reason. **END OF SPECIAL NOTE**
Someone takes high-school math courses in which all that is required of them is that they learn algorithms for solving assigned problems, and they think that learning those is what learning math consists of (in other words, they learned no math) and since they always worked hard and got straight "A+"s, they think they're really good at math. Then they say they're entitled to take a course requiring only learning technical skills and algorithms and not requiring them to understand anything, and they think it's outrageous that an instructor would think there's something more that should be required of them. You can't get more ignorant of mathematics than to think that learning procedures to follow mechanically in solving assigned problems is what learning mathematics consists of (or at least you probably can't get more ignorant than that and still get admitted to a university), nor more arrogant than to think that an instructor needs instruction from people who think that.
High-school courses in which students effectively learn (without being told so) that learning mathematics consists of learning procedures to apply mechanically to solve assigned problems are the result of official decrees that everybody must learn mathematics. So ignorance of mathematics results from decrees intended to have the opposite effect.
In one case a student wrote on a test something like "Are you kidding? u-substitution? We shouldn't see that until next semester!" An entirely inexperienced person would have laughed out loud at a student mistakenly thinking under the circumstances that they were being asked to use the technique informally called "u-substitution", and moreover the class had been told in advance that that particular problem would be there. And sometimes they're not angry (as in the example in my previous comment) but they neglect a topic of which they are completely ignorant because they think they already know everything about it.<issue_comment>username_1: You're going to not come over as very likable if you're the one who always corrects the same student. But you can put this task onto other students. For example, if problem student A (again) provides his or her opinion on a topic, ask the rest of the class what they think. The other students will do your task in correcting A. Of course, you ought to also ask the class about opinions brought forward by others, which is generally good class design anyway.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I think this is an important issue, and wrestling with it has informed a lot of what I do as a community college lecturer in mathematics. Helping students make the transition from the BS they get in many K-12 programs, and getting to share *real math* with them for the first time, is a great challenge and responsibility.
What gets me a surprising amount of traction is to address this explicitly, as the first thing on my syllabus. Top goal: **"Read and write math properly with variables."** I verbally quiz them on this on day two. I touch back on it almost every day. I explicate how I'll be grading for this on tests, and show grading examples from old tests. Why? The professional writing (a) provides a shared language, (b) allows them to read any math book, (c) serves as an explanation to other students and colleagues, and (d) makes it easy to find and fix errors and disputes.
Example interaction from yesterday (day 9 of the fall semester): One student has garbled the writing of a polynomial multiplication; I point this out, and she does the "But I got the right answer" bit. I ask, "But what's the number one goal for the course?". She says, "I don't know" (which even she can tell is not a good response), and almost all the rest of the class calls out, "Reading and writing math properly".
So this makes the expectation very clear, and by talking about it as item #1, I get the majority of the class on my side, and the community standard (peer pressure) works greatly in my favor. There aren't many silver bullets in teaching, but I'm delighted at how effectively this one works for me.
(P.S.: While the above is math-specific, I think the basic idea of setting a reading/writing/justifying "top goal" can work in many classes. E.g., in my C++ programming course I start with a quote from <NAME>, "Design and programming are human activities; forget that and all is lost", and then likewise emphasize making one's code readable to other programmers via a common style. As <NAME> writes in *What the Best College Teachers Do*, "Finally, the best educators often teach students how to read the materials..." [Ch. 4]).
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: Some students can be extremely proud (or arrogant), especially if they have been straight A students their whole lives. You may be better off explaining to them that there is a huge gap between the math they have learned in K-12 and the point where college starts off. Effectively suggesting that there are things they need to learn in addition to what they already know instead of implying that they didn't learn anything.
Upvotes: 2
|