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<issue_start>username_0: I'm doing undergrad research with a team, advised by a professor. I have a good relationship with this professor, but told us after the research started that he would be first author. I was at first just excited to do research, but the more I think about it, the more I think this isn't right.
1. His contribution was the original idea- not a fleshed out idea that we just implemented, but a very general "try this approach," a push in the right direction. Taking this approach, mind you, would be obvious to anyone well versed in the field (as I have learned), and within this approach, there are thousands of different avenues we could go to try achieving the results we want.
2. We have spent months doing research, and we have weekly-ish meetings, in which he asks us questions about what we're doing (we explain how our work, because it is our own creation) and he reminds us to write down everything we do. This has been his contribution for the duration of the project.
3. We are expected to write the entire paper ourselves- which he will then edit.
I have a meeting with him (one on one) in the near future and I would really like to bring this up, because first authorship would be huge for me or anyone on my team, whereas he already has an academic career. But I am only a first year, and he has expressed interest in doing future research with me.
**My question is**: do I have any leverage in this argument? Can I present this as a deal breaker for me for future projects? Is there any other way to denote who actually did the work that I can push for here? I'm not sure if he wants to make it seem like he did the work or if that's just "what we do" in my department for undergrad research. I don't want to ruin my relationship with this professor, but I also don't want to feel like my team and I are being taken advantage of.
**Responses to questions**:
* My field is applied computer science
* I think it would make sense for either my friend or me to be first author (I don't think having to make this choice would lead to problems)
* I have no objection to co-first-authorship, but it would have to be me and my friend, not one of us plus the professor.<issue_comment>username_1: The idea was his. He guided you throughout, giving ideas ("try this"). He seems to clearly have been the "team leader" from what you say. In the absence of any dramatically different information or analysis, I suggest that you let this go. You get a publication. It isn't a doctoral thesis. You gained knowledge that will help you later. Lots of good things here.
And, in general, fighting with advisors is a poor career move.
But, in future projects, especially when the idea for the research comes from you, settle the question of first authorship at the start. Or, just decline to participate, citing other commitments.
In fact, even in this case, it was settled at (or near) the start. And if there were many participants, it may not be clear that anyone else has a better claim.
Depending you your field, this is a typical thing. Even when the PI is listed last on a paper, many (not all) people assume that it was the PI that "really" did the work.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: Although username_1's advice to let this go is practical, and I agree that would be perfectly fine, I think you have a second option here. Namely, if you are careful, you can bring up your concern with the advisor. However, if you do this, you shouldn't phrase it as an accusation or a claim that someone else should be first author; that would be unnecessarily antagonistic and probably would not help your case.
Instead, you could phrase it as a question. Say that you would like to understand how authorship order is determined better. Although you assume that the author order has already been agreed upon for this particular paper, as a starting researcher you are curious about the etiquette of authorship. You can ask if it is common for the PI to be first author in your area. Depending on how receptive he is, you can ask other questions.
If you follow this approach, then probably one of two things will happen:
* First, he could become defensive and dismissive. This is more likely if he is really being unethical. In this case, username_1 is probably right that your best bet is to let this go for now. Sadly, these things happen; author order isn't always determined correctly, and that can be either due to honest error or due to dishonesty. You could always talk to another professor or mentor for moral support and to assess how to proceed (particularly for future projects), but probably for this one accepting the order is not such a big deal in the grand scheme of things.
* Second, he could be helpful and receptive. Maybe he will explain that he is usually first author on his papers. Perhaps he has a good reason for this. For example, in some fields, that is accepted, while in others that is pretty condemned (I don't know what is the case for your field). But he could also have some personal justification for why to go against the convention. I would not agree with him, but perhaps if he explains this then it would make it easier for you to understand.
Whatever you decide, try to see the bigger picture that authorship is not always obvious, and this professor will be judged for his own actions by colleagues and the community in the future; it's to some extent out of your hands. Good luck.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: I agree with @username_1 that you should let this go and not bring it up. Even in a veiled-yet-transparent way, as @6005 suggested (I don't see any way you could bring that up, now, in a way that doesn't create needless conflict with the person helping you through your early career).
I'm fortunate to be in a field (econ) where the order of authorship is always alphabetical, so this doesn't come up. But even here, there's a fairly famous story of a firmly-established, well-known professor telling one of his grad students something like: *"This is great work, and will for sure get published. It was sufficiently your own that you can publish it with yourself as the only author. If you do so, it will go to a good journal. Now, if you want to put my name on it also, then it will surely be published by the best journal in the field. The choice is entirely yours."*
The story goes that the student opted to put his advisers name on, and sure enough, was published in the top journal.
My point here is that, rightly or wrongly, you shouldn't think of authorship as strictly merit based. Right now, despite everything you wrote, it strikes me as utterly normal that the professor overseeing undergraduate researchers would be the first author. Instead of fretting over it, be very happy that you're getting authorship as an undergrad (maybe that's normal in your field; in my that's incredibly rare), and then think toward the future.
Regardless, congrats on having a professor who is this interested in doing research with someone who is still early in their undergraduate career! It certainly speaks well to your work so far.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: I agree with the other answers that you don't have much leverage to negotiate authorship with your advisor and should not try. But I wanted to answer this part of the question:
>
> Can I present this as a deal breaker for me for future projects?
>
>
>
The deal is already broken. No presenting is required. Assuming you work in a field where author order is important, the supervisor's behaviour is exploitative. You should not work with them on future projects if you have an alternative.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_5: Some Elsevier journals are using the [CRediT](https://www.elsevier.com/authors/journal-authors/policies-and-ethics/credit-author-statement) (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) author statement. It clarifies what the authors did, but does not help with the order of the author names.
Maybe you can add such a section near the acknowledgment section. If you like the idea, talk to your advisor about it. Be aware, that it's a new approach and might be unknown to your advisor.
Citing from the CRediT homepage:
>
> CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) was introduced with the intention
> of recognizing individual author contributions, reducing authorship
> disputes and facilitating collaboration. The idea came about following
> a 2012 collaborative workshop led by Harvard University and the
> Wellcome Trust, with input from researchers, the International
> Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and publishers, including
> Elsevier, represented by Cell Press.
>
>
> CRediT offers authors the opportunity to share an accurate and
> detailed description of their diverse contributions to the published
> work.
>
>
> The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that the
> descriptions are accurate and agreed by all authors. The role(s) of
> all authors should be listed, using the relevant above categories.
> Authors may have contributed in multiple roles. CRediT in no way
> changes the journal’s criteria to qualify for authorship. CRediT
> statements should be provided during the submission process and will
> appear above the acknowledgement section of the published paper as
> shown further below.
>
>
>
[list of potential roles]
>
> **Sample CRediT author statement**
>
> **<NAME>**: Conceptualization,
> Methodology, Software **<NAME>**.: Data curation, Writing- Original
> draft preparation. **<NAME>**: Visualization, Investigation. **<NAME>**:
> Supervision.: **<NAME>**: Software, Validation.: **<NAME>**: Writing-
> Reviewing and Editing,
>
>
>
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_6: You state that you are an undergraduate, and that you have a good relationship with the professor. Based on these points, I'd urge you to regard this as an opportunity to learn, and maybe to deepen a relationship with somebody more senior in your field, instead of viewing it as an opportunity to build your resume.
I would advise that you *do* discuss it with your adviser. Not as a negotiation, but with an inquisitive approach. Be upfront that in an ideal world, you would like to be the first author. Make the case, as you have here -- but don't dwell on it overly -- (a) why you think that would be fair, and (b) why it would be advantageous.
But spend more energy on asking questions (which I'll pull and reframe from your question). Keep your mind as open as you can to the answers.
1. How would he describe the contribution he, you, and others have made to the project? How significant does he feel his expertise is? How does he perceive the quantity and quality of work of the various participants?
2. How might it be helpful to him, in his career, to be listed as first author?
3. What will the editing process look like, and how will it add value to the final product? Does he expect to be just tweaking grammar and spelling, or will he also be looking for substantive critique of how you present the project?
4. What might a negotiation look like at this point? Is he open to arguments that somebody else should be listed as first author? If so, what kinds of arguments would be persuasive? What might he consider irrelevant?
5. How does he view the ethics of the decision, considering these points -- and presumably other points that you haven't brought up?
6. As your career moves forward, how would he advise you to approach first authorship in future situations?
If you can get some good answers to questions like this from somebody in your field, it might help your career more than simply getting first authorship on this paper.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_7: You should consider the following:
-The importance of the paper to your professor may be dependent on their appointment. For instance, if they are an assistant professor and tenure track, this may be beneficial for their tenure package (in addition to grant money, teaching load, teaching scores...). You may be unaware that if a professor is tenure track, they have typically 7 years to obtain tenure to promote to an associate professor, or tenured professor. If that does not occur, then they will be released from their job. If they are an associate professor, this is less important, as at least their appointment is not on the line.
-Don't underestimate the amount of time that it will take for your advisor to perform the editing, which can take longer than just writing the paper themselves. In addition, you will need the expertise of your advisor to help craft a paper that will make it through peer review successfully, with hopefully minimal editing.
If you do not feel like there is a good return on your time in writing the paper, then you have done enough work to legitimately be included on the paper (and get a good recommendation if things are left on good terms). However, there is a reasonable chance that the paper may never be written, depending on how busy your advisor is. Alternatively, you could write the paper as a second author, and relay to your advisor that you really enjoyed this project and would like to be primary on the next project. This would be the ideal scenario if you are looking at graduate school, as the relationship between you and the advisor would have been mutually beneficial and would result in a presumably strong letter of recommendation.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_8: ### Make a play for alphabetically/arbitrarily listed names.
I agree with @username_1's [answer](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/147970/7319) and mostly-agree with @username_9ymousPhysicist's [supplement](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/147989/7319): The advisor's conduct is inappropriate: If you were his equal(s), he would be in the right to expect first authorship; but as an advisor, he should take the step back. But the bottom line is that he has a legitimate claim to first-authorship, and circumstances are not such that you can or should apply leverage.
Having said that... I have a potential practical suggestion. The chances of it working depend on the field you're in, but it most probably will not be perceived as antagonistic.
If you can secure the agreement of all other named authors, approach the advisor together, and tell him that you would like author naming to be alphabetical, rather than by supposed order of contribution, with a footnote to that effect.
There are several (sub)fields in academia where this is actually the norm - and I believe other fields should adopt this as well. If you agree - use this opportunity. It has the positive byproduct of your advisor not being "meaningfully first".
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_9: You might not realize it but your supervisor might have known in advance what will work and how it will work. When he says "try this" this is frequently a way to pretend that he doesn't know so as to stimulate the undergrads to work (it's is very discouraging to work on something that is sure to work out, there is no excitement then). However the "try this" is often built on years of experience, and he might know very well how this project is going to go, what works and what doesn't. It might have looked like he didn't do much work, but there might be a lot experience behind it that you are discounting. Generally speaking imagine that your supervisor did not exist, would that project be possible, would it surface at all? Imagine now that you never contributed to that project, would it exist? If the answer is NO and YES then clearly he should be first author.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_10: I have experience with both possibilities at two different occasions, with two different people:
1. I came up for my rights. This started a conflict. It ruined our working relationship.
2. I did not come up for my rights. Several years later this still hurts: the paper was mine and the person stole it.
With hindsight I prefer option 2: ask yourself the question what you have to gain with conflict. The more senior person almost certainly has thought about the order of authors and *has* already made a decision. If you fight it, you will always risk more than you will gain.
One really helpful thing for me was to investigate what I could gain: in the first situation I did not gain anything. In the second situation I gained a lot: I learned very rapidly whom I could trust. I will always be careful with that person, but I did not invest emotionally in the conflict. If you want to fight back: write a solo-authored paper.
One lesson learned: *before* I start researching and writing a paper, I ask all people involved what their view on authorship is. That view can be changed during the writing process, but that way I create some safety.
I know there are already good answers to this question, but I wanted to throw this out there in case anyone needed to hear it.
Upvotes: 0
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<issue_start>username_0: Amid the pandemic, a test that has traditionally been in-class is now planned to be held as follows:
1. The examiner starts a Zoom conference.
2. The students join the conference from their homes, turning their webcams and microphones on.
3. The examiner sends the students a link to a Google form. The form comprises of test tasks and questions and is to be filled out with answers.
4. The students open the form and fill it out, keeping their webcams and microphones on. The examiner and his assistants watch the students via Zoom in an attempt to ensure than no cheating takes place. The students are not allowed to use any books or materials or get help from other people. A warning has been issued that if any kind of cheating is noticed, the cheater will face dire consequences. The entire session will be video recorded by the examiner.
5. The students submit the form, and that's it. The form will be closed at the end of the test.
It appears to me that it's very easy to get away with cheating on the test. A student can simply give the link to a friend and ask him or her to secretly fill out the form and submit it on behalf of the student. Alternatively, a student can ask a friend to sit nearby, just outside the camera's field of view, and help pass the test. Also, a student can easily cheat by using Internet resources, but this way of cheating will not be very helpful for this particular test, so my main concern is about the easiness of getting help from others.
I wouldn't even consider cheating, and I wouldn't care whether others cheated, but the grading system for this test is relative, and the test is important. The purpose of the test is to measure how good the students are relative to each other, and the results will be used to divide the students into small groups so that each group comprises of students of approximately the same level of knowledge. Then each group will be taught in accordance with the abilities of its students. The test won't count towards my final grade, but I want to end up being in a group of good students, and I don't want to end up being behind a heap of students who will simply elect to cheat, although I have no idea as to how many actually will.
Knowledge-wise, I think I am better than an overwhelming majority of the students who are to sit the test, so my first instinct was to openly raise my concerns in an attempt to change the way the test is conducted, but I'm afraid I will achieve nothing but a reputation of a student who openly questions the integrity of fellow students. Knowing the examiner personally, I'm afraid he will strongly dislike my suggestion that he make extra effort to organize the test in a different way (e.g., by separately interviewing each student). Moreover, it well may be not even in his power to change the procedure. I talked to a couple of coursemates, and they were not enthusiastic to personally participate in any action about how the test is conducted.
What would you advise me to do?
* Should I cheat? A senior friend of mine encourages me to accept his help with the test. He is prepared to fill out the form and submit it on my behalf or, if I wish, to sit nearby and give hints. He doesn't want me to fall victim of cheating by others. I'm weighing ethical factors and also trying to figure out whether there's any chance I might accidentally get caught.
* What else could I do to address this?
I would be grateful for advice and, in particular, for pointing out anything I may be overlooking in this situation.
---
UPDATE: I'd like to explain why it is important to end up in a good group. In a better group, you get a better instructor, a better and more stimulating environment, and an opportunity to make social connections with better students. The practice here is that best groups get best instructors. Whom would you give the best English teacher - a group of lazy students or a group of students highly passionate about the English language? And the environment does matter. If you are in a group of good students, you will invariably become like them. Students take this test very seriously, and I do expect that some will cheat. And I don't want my place in a good group to be stolen by a cheater.<issue_comment>username_1: I would advise two things. First, take the exam honestly. But also complain to the university and the professor that you find the conditions to be conducive to cheating and you question the fairness and validity of the exam under these conditions.
But you have to do the second part early, perhaps now, before the test is given and certainly before you are given any grades. Then there can be no claim that you are grumbling because of a bad grade.
Use the same arguments you use here. Zoom itself isn't secure and the "observations" provided by it are very possibly insufficient to prevent cheating.
I would also object, myself, on privacy grounds, that no one has a right to video (and record) you in your home. If any of the students aren't legal adults, then it might even be illegal in some places to do so. But I'm very serious about my own privacy. You may have a different standard.
If they require you to actually register with zoom I would object on privacy grounds also, in that some of your private information is being given to a commercial entity.
If others also complain prior to the exam it will carry more weight, of course.
A poorly designed system shouldn't be used to disadvantage anyone.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_2: This is a question to the programme leader.
Frankly in a scenario where cheating is just waiting for an invitation, relative marking is grossly inappropriate. It is not just giving cheaters an unfair advantage, it gives the honest ones an unfair disadvantage.
Ask for guarantees that cheating by others will not directly disadvantage you.
Upvotes: 7 <issue_comment>username_3: I agree with @username_2.
My professor did something similar. **The difference being he did not monitor us via webcam**, and told us to simply sign a statement affirming we would not cheat.
**I did not cheat, and suffered badly.** I scored nearly the lowest grade in the entire class. I scored above average on exams before COVID-19. My assumption is that the grade was artificially inflated by cheating.
**However, I would recommend not cheating, because somewhere along the chain of command someone will correct this.** If you had an A average, like myself, before the exam, and you scored well below average on the online exam that is cause for suspicion. You can bring this up to your professor or department. Eventually you'll stumble upon someone who is rational along the chain of command. Student who were doing poorly then suddenly made A's would also be an abnormally to cite.
**In summary, if you had an A before this exam, and did oddly poor after, you can likely easily make a case for yourself.** The easiest solution to advocate for would be for them to throw that grade out.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_4: If most students cheat and the grading is done in a relative way, then this disqualifies the test as a fair test. You should then cheat, as it's the instructor's responsibility to implement a fair system, it's not your duty to have to suffer the consequences of a broken system.
It's not any different from facing justice in a country where defendants bribe police officers, prosecutors and judges to get acquitted. Suppose you are arrested, e.g. by a corrupt police officer expecting a bribe. Would you then pay the bribe to get off or try to win, only to face more problems down the line when having to deal with corrupt prosecutors and judges?
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_5: No, don’t cheat.
Here are some random thoughts why; some are perhaps more philosophical than the other comments/answers Ive seen so far:
live with courage and integrity. it takes courage to live with the consequences of other people taking advantage of the system.
when you are a student, you feel that the class or the test is high stakes or of vast importance, it will determine your entire future, or your future happiness, and failing or doing poorly is the end of the world. As I’ve aged/matured, I’ve encounter many failures and disappointments have come to make peace with them (easier said than done). but i also see that people who have had more success are not necessarily happier and have their own problems.
You might never end up seeing it yourself, but the people who cheat - it will catch up to them sooner or later. (This has happened in my classes - students have gotten away with cheating on a few exams, and then eventually (perhaps in classes year or two later) I find out they dont know anything and they end up failing. Of course many students have gotten away unnoticed.
I think most professors know that online tests are very easy to cheat on and there’s very little we can do (even with the system you described etc) - heck, we can’t even control cheating in in person tests.
Professors can be sneaky. They can put questions that they don’t expect students to solve, then if some students do, they can come back and ask the student to explain their answer. Maybe they are able to monitor IP addresses of where answers are being submitted. That being said, it’s impossible for the professor to make any foolproof system, except perhaps one-on-one oral exams, which for very large classes is not practical.
the senior “friend” who volunteered to help you cheat will then have the ability to blackmail you. i advise you to stop being friends with him (no need to explicitly have a conversation ending the friendship, just stop frequently communicating with him). friends can really influence ones behavior, and when you have friends who behave badly, you can end up behaving badly. even though he is acting in a way to help you in the short term, being dishonest is a huge red flag. run away. i recently dumped a close friend who had some bad habits that i ended up joining in on occasion even though i didnt really want to, and even still it was very hard for me to terminate the friendship. but i am feeling so much better now that she is mostly out of my life.
life is so much easier living honestly. in the long run, you’ll sleep better at night.
students who cheat are mostly cheating themselves. (added in response to a comment that the previous sentence is not true: they are cheating themselves of learning the material, of the feedback on their level of mastery that exams provide)
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_6: Unless I'm missing something, from what you've described, you could have google running alongside Zoom and no one would notice you were looking up answers on your browser. If that is true, then you need to point this out to the tutor. That will presumably be enough that they won't run the exam in this format.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_7: The answer really depends on the consequences of a lower relative mark.
### If the mark counts towards your degree, final school exam grade, ability to pass the year, or other long-term consequences, then consider formally escalating this within your school or university.
Your teacher should be receptive to ideas of ways in which their exam can be cheated. If they aren't, your school or university should have an appeals process. Whether you involve this process now, or whether you involve this process when all your classmates get unexpectedly higher results, that's something you need to think about. If you're under 18, you may need to talk to your parents about this, because they may be the ones who would need to raise it with the school.
### If the mark doesn't count towards your long-term result, and there are no other real consequences, then don't sweat it.
Yes, you may be graded lower than your classmates on this exam. Perhaps you finish the year a few places down the class from where you expected to be. But if it doesn't make any long-term difference to the outcome of your education and grades, then it doesn't really matter. You know that you played fair. And more than that, the work you've done this year will benefit you next year, where your classmates who relied on cheating will fall further behind you.
Based on your name, I would make the assumption that you're in Japan. And based on that assumption, I would certainly mention this to your parents as soon as you can. A lower grade achieved honourably is better than a higher grade achieved dishonourably.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_8: Unfairness Prevails
===================
Suppose you are working for a large corporation, and your team is assigned a project. Many of your coworkers could cheat and take shortcuts to appear to produce more output, and the manager would not necessarily notice. Furthermore the manager is inclined to give bonuses and promotions based on each team member's output. Should you: A) do your work honestly, like a sucker, knowing full well that many of your coworkers are going to game the system to make it look like they did much more work? or B) claw your way to the top by pulling every cheat you think your coworkers will try, and then some?
I hate to break it to you, but the above scenario is much less hypothetical than we would like to admit. The world is not fair. Sometimes, people will cheat and get away with it. Sometimes that will affect you directly. At some point, you will be asked to put a literal price on your morals and values. This process has already begun, before you have entered the workplace in earnest. You must decide what price you will set, because nobody else can set that price for you.
Choose Your Destiny
===================
What you will find is that while you cannot catch and expose every cheat in the world, nor can you avoid every situation in which you are asked to pay that price for your morals and ethics, you can decide which of those cheats you choose to continue working with, and which you will avoid. With diligence, you can find like-minded folks who will not put you in those no-win situations, and can prosper.
At the end of the day, a hiring manager or Ph.D adviser will want to see what you know and what you can do--not just what grades you achieved. If you end up with an unfair black mark on your academic record, don't think of it as a personal failure or injustice of the universe. Think of it as a test for those who would judge you. if they are so shallow that they would dismiss you on the basis of such a small thing, then they are surely not the kind of people you really want to work with/for.
This is a test of your professor, too. If the grades really turn out to be wildly unfair, then challenge your professor: "I believe the outcome of this test indicates rampant cheating, and I believe if you spend a few minutes talking with some of the anomalous high test scorers about the relevant material, you will find that my accusation is not without merit." If the professor brushes you off, then you are free to make a personal judgment about that person. Accept that some people do not care so much for integrity and are just there to collect a paycheck. This, too, is a bitter lesson that we must all learn at some point.
What Doesn't Kill You...
========================
On the other hand, a little adversity makes you stronger. Nobody can say definitively why more than half of "unicorns" are [founded by immigrants](https://www.forbes.com/sites/stuartanderson/2018/10/25/55-of-americas-billion-dollar-startups-have-immigrant-founder/#47ece4048ee8), but I don't think anyone will say: "Obviously, it's because they have it so easy." On the contrary, second- and third-generation immigrants do worse than their first-generation ancestors, quite likely because they *do* "have it easy" relative to struggling to make it in a new country. Obviously, a *lot* of adversity can weigh you down with an unescapable burden. Hence, why folks in the bottom quintile struggle to get out of it.
Yes, this is a fancy way of saying that suffering some headwind might give you some fire which helps propel you past your cheating classmates in the long game. Instead of wasting your energy holding grudges and simmering with resentment, channel it into getting so good that no amount of cheating will hold you back. What you learn in your classes, and how you learn it is far more important to your future than what grade you get.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_9: Suppose it's permissible to cheat if you think others are cheating.
If everyone followed this rule, if anyone had any doubt that anyone else was cheating (you seem to be saying because it's possible to cheat, it's logical to assume that someone will), everyone will cheat (to avoid getting a worse score than the "original" cheaters).
Everyone will get an A (except those without the means to cheat-- what about them?), so examinations will be pointless (and unfair to those who cannot cheat) unless the instructor can make it absolutely impossible to cheat, which isn't always practical, as is the case for your class now.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_10: As far as I understand, this "exam" is not graded. It is a performance test to allocate students into groups according to their needs and abilities. Even from a purely egoistic perspective, cheating would thus be ill-advised, because it is in each student's rational interest to end up in a group that is a good fit, i.e. that is neither over- nor under-challenging.
There may be some students who mistake the test for an exam and try to cheat their way into a "stronger" group, although the stronger group would be worse for them. If that is so, the average group will in fact be "weaker" than the test results suggest. Yet there may also be students who understand the nature of the test and willingly perform worse than they could, because they prefer to be among the strongest in a weak group (big fish in a small pond).
Both scenarios may cancel each other out, but both are also completely hypothetical. My advice is not to sweat it and just answer the questions honestly.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_11: First of all. Don't cheat, and study more than you'd usually would to compensate for any unfairness.
Second, while a complaint is well in place before the test even takes place, as suggested by username_1, keep in mind a few things:
1. This is a temporary fix for a temporary problem. Because people simply didn't do tests this way, there is hardly any field-proven cheating methods. Meaning, people don't really know their chances of getting caught, and a severe punishment is on it's way to cheaters. Hence, this should deter a generalized cheating behavior for the short term. Meanwhile, the school should find other methods of preventing cheating.
2. There are tests where it's easier and those where it's barely feasible to cheat. The teachers should likely design the test so cheating is pointless. A question such as "1+2+3+...+99+100=?" is simple to cheat. But a question like "write a code that performs X action" has known methods for finding copied solutions. Further, giving little time for the answer to be conceived, making it open ended or adding variations like "chose an example you like" make it hard to adapt something you know little about, but allows identifying the students who know what they're doing. Have some faith that the test will be adapted to this reality and that there are tools to tell cheaters from honest students, even if those tools are fallible. Keep in mind this might not be the case for the next test you'll be taking, but should be increasingly more prevalent as these remote tests continue.
3. I'm betting that despite any normalization that may be required by the university, most likely the grading system will be calibrated such that every student passes the course, unless someone really deserved failing. So, if you want to be a top student (and people inclined to cheat are hardly aiming at being top students, but rather just being lazy), then you should study hard and prepare well (as you always should). This should be enough to grant you a satisfactory grade for your goals and sacrifices, even if not the best one you'll get through the programme.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_12: I would not cheat, as I take classes to learn things, and I tend to take my voluntary agreements and academic relationships seriously, and cheating would be violating my agreements and relationships.
As for getting selected into a group with the "best students", I would prefer the outcome I would expect from not cheating, especially **if** the cheaters **really** have a great score advantage. That way, **given enough honest students, I'd tend to expect to place into a group of honest students near my knowledge level. If I cheated and got an inflated score, I'd expect to be grouped with cheaters,** which I wouldn't want.
I'd also let my instructor know about any concerns I had.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_13: You have to decide yourself to cheat or not to cheat. Make sure that your risk assessment is right.
Instead of passing the entire test to someone else, you can simply communicate with a friend through some internet communicator when in doubt in case of a particular question. Moreover, you could use remote desktop software such as Team Viewer to solve the test together with your friend. Or even you could solve the test yourself and then ask your friend to correct your faulty answers.
Beware that the instructors during the test may ask you to share your screen with them through zoom to inspect if you are not cheating that way. That is also the reason why passing the entire test to someone else is risky. Also it may be impossible for both you and your friend to log in to the test, or even you could log in twice with the same credentials, but that could lead to the detection of your fraud.
Upvotes: -1
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<issue_start>username_0: I've reached out to a few professors and received responses.
I'm pretty used to going to interviews for industry jobs but this is new and I feel like I have no idea what I should talk about. I'm a second year cs student.
So far, i've read 2 or 3 of their most recent research works and have a good idea of what they want to do in the future. I also have a pretty general understanding of their fields although some areas do seem to be out of my league.
What are good questions to ask a professor about their research?
Are there common mistakes students make when approaching an interview such as this one?
How do these interviews typically go?<issue_comment>username_1: From my experience, the academic setting is more relaxed on the interview. The interview I had for my GRA position had very few knowledge based questions. They want to see that you are **highly enthusiastic** about your domain of research, and that you're **eager to learn**.
**If you have industry experience that is a huge plus!** It shows you can actually work. I think one of the biggest fears of the lab director is a GRA/RA that is not able to accomplish much, i.e. losses motivation. Your industry interview will be more nit-picky about experience in a specific domain.
Being a GRA/RA is not like a course where you are told what to learn and when to learn it. **You will be challenged to motivate yourself to solve research problems on your own time.** It can be harder than industry in some ways, because you are given more conceptual work with no 9:00am to 5:00pm schedule to keep you active and focused.
I would focus more on **touting your academic accomplishments**. This assures them that you can **handle a full course-load and research concurrentl**y. I told them that I could not see myself working anywhere else, and that this line of research is the most meaningful thing I could be doing with my life. I didn't have to prepare that, because I meant it.
If you really what to know what the interview is like you can: (1) look online on Glassdoor or Reddit, (2) ask someone who is already in the lab what the interview is like.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: This answer may be too late for you personally, but I hope others might benefit. Let me focus on the questions you might ask.
First: What would I learn from this experience? (What am I most likely to learn?). This places you as a student.
Second: What do you think I can contribute to this project? This assumes they have read your CV.
Third: What skills and background would be most useful in this project? Then be willing to honestly say whether you have those skills, and if not, how willing you are to get them.
You are a student, not a professional. That should be recognized. You aren't (or shouldn't be) expected to know everything. The process is still an educational one.
Don't oversell yourself, especially with bs.
Upvotes: 1
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<issue_start>username_0: I am co-authoring a physics manuscript with some students and colleagues. The results in this has been obtained by means of a grant to which multiple people have participated.Because the main research project reported in the grant proved to be too hard, we switched to a backup project, which is the subject of the paper.
One of the authors just asked me to include as an author one of the persons who contributed to the grant writing, even though this person made no scientific contribution to the paper, because of the subject switch above.
Is it fair and honest to include this person?
I am asking because if I feel like this is not fair, but if I refuse, this would put me in a difficult situation with the colleague who asked, potentially ruining our future collaborations with him. What should I do?<issue_comment>username_1: I think (hope) that most people in academia would consider it improper to include, as an "author", anyone who didn't contribute to the content of the paper. There are some exceptional cases that are questionable, but this one seems pretty clear.
But the paper might properly include an acknowledgement section naming the person and thanking them for their help in obtaining funding for the project.
But I recommend not degrading the meaning of *authorship* by naming others.
---
Note that some of the exceptions, such as including a PI as an author, are justified, at least in part, because the PI, in addition to funding and running a lab/project also contributes general guidance and conceptual background to the work that goes on there. They have a continuous presence that impacts all the work in the lab. And some consider this to be improper, also. But it is highly variable by field.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: It's kind of tough to call, but anytime you reject this kind of "demand" there might be social and political friction and the risk of gathering enmity or passing as arrogant. The fact you have extra people on the paper who only slightly contributed to the ideas is not uncommon expecially as a junior author/researcher.
But then, what does having an extra author on *your* paper really cost you ?
I think you have to balance the two issues, and ponder who is asking you to add that author, if it's your direct supervisor, it might be easier to go along with it, maybe make the point that the *next* paper you will be more clear ahead of redaction of who is going to be authoring the paper; and that if that particular co-author is not helpful, he will not be part of it.
People in academia stay around a long time (so gathering enmity is bad), and writing grant responses is a lot of work that involves identifying a relevant subject and saying you will go for it, so it is helpful research-wise, and if your grant stems from that initial proposal, you *do* have a moral debt in a sense with regards to that guy's contribution.
So maybe talk it out with your advisor, tell him/her you don't feel it's fair, but if they kind of insist, don't be too hard on it, extra authors are not truly detracting from you imo. And solve/prepare the issue beforehand for the next paper.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: Some journals and scholary societies have formally established criteria of what "authorship" is supposed to mean. For instance, in computer science, IEEE has such criteria [here](https://journals.ieeeauthorcenter.ieee.org/become-an-ieee-journal-author/publishing-ethics/definition-of-authorship/), and they say pretty clearly that you need more than just having contributed to securing the funding, and that adding an author that does not match the criteria is "a breach of publishing ethics".
So if want to bring up the topic, a stronger and somewhat less confrontational way to fight back is to find the authorship definition given by the venue where you are submitting the paper, the scholarly society or publisher to which it is attached, or some prominent scholarly society of your field. Just look at the criteria and see whether that additional person matches them or not. If not, you can say that you are worried about not respecting these ethical guidelines.
Upvotes: 4
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<issue_start>username_0: I'm a grad student, and over the weekend, received two review requests from very good journals in my field, one of which I have already reviewed for.
I declined one because it was out of my area, but it made me wonder if, all else being equal I should prioritize reviewing for a journal I haven't yet, or if it doesn't matter.
I have often seen CVs in my field list journals reviewed for, as well as a number of reviews, so it is information that is out there and valued<issue_comment>username_1: * Multiple reviews for a journal indicates that you are a trustworthy
reviewer.
* Reviews for various journals indicates that you are known across your
discipline.
Thus, both seem to be positive signals (for different traits). No need to prioritize one aspect over the other.
(By the way, you can have such peer review activities verified at *[Publons](https://publons.com/)*, which may be better than just listing them on your CV.)
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I am assuming you are not in a field with professional editors - that editors of journals are generally professors.
In this situation, journals aren't really entities that you have reputations with. You have reputations with the *editors* of the journals. These are the *people* who could have an impact on your career.
Good editors remember who writes timely and useful reviews for them - they have to in order to continue to pick good reviewers. It's natural that their impressions of their reviewers carry over when they need to make decisions on whom to choose for other purposes.
So, assuming you are going to be a good reviewer, prioritize reviewing for the editors you want to impress.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: There is no downside in accepting to review an article from any reputable journal: a good review can *only* improve the quality of the submission and of the journal.
It is equally essential to decline if one is not comfortable with the manuscript, or one does not have the time to do an adequate job at the review, precisely because a bad review for any reason and for any journal may allow marginal or poor manuscripts to be published.
Upvotes: -1
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<issue_start>username_0: A few weeks ago I told my college professor that I'm depressed. She said I can go to her at anytime if I need help.
Then my psychologist kicked me out, because I didn't want to tell her the details of sexual abuse.
Can I ask my prof to help me find a therapist? Or would it be awkward or a burden for her? I really like her, and it felt really good when she offered her help. I just don't know if she truly meant that I can ask her for help, or just said it...<issue_comment>username_1: As long as you recognize that the prof isn't a mental health professional and don't expect her to go beyond her expertise, it would be fine to ask her for help. Especially if what you want is help in finding a proper therapist.
Professors (many, at least) try to be helpful and supportive in such situations, even though solutions are beyond them.
But it is probably a mistake to overload your relationship with her with personal issues. Separating the personal from the professional is normally the right course.
However, your university may also have an office that provides personal support and might also be helpful in finding a compatible advisor.
Finally, if sexual abuse is an issue, then you should think about other avenues so that it stops. Again, the university may be able to help if it is related to actions taken there.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: **Mentees**
Many professors tell their students to go to them for help. They regard their students as their mentees. Mostly they think that they will help the students regarding their studies.
Now this is your personal problem. Politely remind her that she told you to go to her for help and then ask if she could recommend a good psychologist. What ever she answers, take it a final.
Upvotes: 1
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<issue_start>username_0: My understanding of major corrections in PhD dissertation is that there can be entire chapters to add to the presented dissertation. However for me it's very hard to understand how much these changes might actually impact the thesis.
Specifically to my situation, I negotiated with my supervisor to limit certain contents that I'm not interested in adding to my dissertation. Apparently he agreed.*(1)*
However, I'm afraid that these contents can pop up again after the viva, in the form of "major corrections" to the dissertation. In that case, I guess, I will have no chance to negotiate again and I can just accept them or quit the PhD, probably in the worst moment possible. *(2)* So, can I anticipate this to happen? How can I make sure that "major corrections" will not be used to turn my research to the personal will of the supervisor?
Moreover, since I saw that "minor corrections" could just be revised by the internal committee, I'm afraid that this can happen as well as in the case of "major corrections". But, maybe in this case the corrections cannot be that radical to change the direction of my research. Is this actually possible?
*notes*
*(1)* these contents have been forced to me by manipulative moves and have nothing to do with the thesis itself. I added some of them as a compromise to make my supervisor happy enough. I'm rejecting these contents because of the manipulation and because of my personal ethic.
*(2)* I would not rely too much in the other components of the committee , since they are all under the influence of my supervisor<issue_comment>username_1: From this and your other questions, I think you want a fight you can never win. If I remember correctly, you have actually already moved to a different institution and it is just a question of finishing your degree so that you can move on with your career.
When a king has life and death power over you and makes a demand, the only response is "Yes, your majesty". And you say it with a smile. Even that may not be sufficient, but any other response has a guaranteed outcome.
I suggest that you write the thesis in such a way that the advisor will accept it. Even, dare I suggest, accept it gladly. Fair it is not. But, you will get to live for another day.
I don't know exactly how your viva will work or whether you get a chance to respond to any objections made. I hope so. And make the required changes to please the "court". But if not, and the deck is stacked, don't present them with an excuse to condemn you.
If the situation were otherwise with your advisor being on your side and major revisions suggestions made at the viva (in the public session, not written comments later), I would respond to the reviewers that we (my advisor and myself) considered those and rejected them already for the reasons...
But that doesn't seem like the situation here. Bowing before a tyrant isn't pleasant. But, perhaps the "madness of the king" will be obvious to others.
I suspect that, having seen the worst of academic advising, you have some incentive to do a better job of it yourself, provided that you get the chance. Get past this hurdle, however you must. Good luck with it.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I have to say I agree with username_1. Easier just to accept in the end that you have to please the people with the power. Particularly if your supervisor, and your whole thesis committee/examers agree. More than that - adding stuff you think is unneccesary to appease some outside assessor is the daily bread and butter of academia, where reviewers are always asking for things the author thinks is unreasonable.
I'm still not sure what system you are working in, but the way you talk about viva's and thesis corrections makes me think you are in the UK or a similar system. Note that while in the US, I don't think corrections following the defense are common, in the UK almost all candidates are asked to make correction before being awarded the degree.
Corrections at my university come in three flavours. You can read the details here:
<https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/polopoly_fs/1.435461!/file/Guidance_Notes_for_Examiners.pdf>
Your univeresity should have something similar.
The extracts for minor/major/rewrite are below. Note in all cases the phrase "**to the satisfaction of the examiner(s)**". The examiner decides how relevant the corrections are. The examienrs decide if you have done enough. There is **no** negotiation. Usually one of them is nominated to make the decision. Usually the internal for minor or simple major corrections, both the internal and external examiners for more substantial corrections. Once you are at this point, you more or less have to do what the examienrs say if you want your degree. You might have a case if the corrections required of you are outside the bounds of the grade (i.e. if they asked for new reserach, but called it major, rather than rewrite), and there is an appeals process. But I have *never* heard of a university over turning the judgement of an examiner.
>
> **That the degree be awarded once specified minor corrections have been completed to the satisfaction of the examiner(s)**
>
>
> This option may be chosen where the examiners are satisfied that the thesis meets the requirements for the award of the degree, but where there are minor weaknesses or editorial errors that must be rectified before they can recommend the award of the degree. The nature and extent of the required corrections must be genuinely minor in nature such that they can reasonably be completed within a period of three calendar months from the date the candidate receives notification of the required corrections from the examiners.
>
>
> The candidate will be expected to make the corrections without undertaking any further original research. The examiners are responsible for providing the candidate with the details of the required corrections and must stipulate which of the examiners will be responsible for approving the corrections prior to formal recommendation of the degree.
>
>
> **That the degree be awarded once specified major corrections have been completed to the satisfaction of the examiner(s)**
>
>
> This option may be chosen where the examiners are satisfied that the thesis has the potential to merit the award of the degree for which it has been submitted, but does not yet satisfy the requirements for award and contains deficiencies that are in excess of editorial or presentational corrections. This may involve re-writing sections, correcting calculations or clarifying arguments, but should not require the candidate to undertake any further original research. The candidate will be granted 6 months to complete the required corrections from the date the candidate receives notification of the required corrections from the examiners.
>
>
> The examiners are responsible for providing the candidate with the details of the required corrections and must stipulate which of the examiners will be responsible for approving the corrections prior to formal recommendation of the degree.
>
>
> **That the degree be not now awarded, but that the candidate be allowed to submit a revised thesis after such modification of form or content as the examiners may prescribe, WITH/WITHOUT oral re-examination**
>
>
> This option may be chosen where the examiners do not feel able to make a recommendation for the award of the degree at this time. The thesis requires substantial corrections in order to meet the requirements for the degree, but the examiners feel that the candidate is capable of revising the thesis, to their satisfaction, within one year.
>
>
> The candidate is required to formally submit a revised thesis within one year and the examiners must indicate whether the candidate must undergo a further oral examination. Examiners are asked to consider whether an oral re-examination would help the candidate to justify the additions or alterations that are to be made to the thesis. Where the examiners’ original recommendation specifies that a further oral examination is required, this should take place, regardless of the outcome of the examiners’ preliminary assessment of the resubmitted thesis. The examiners should provide the candidate with full written details of the required revisions to the thesis, normally within two weeks of the oral examination. The same examiners will normally re-examine the candidate.
>
>
>
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]
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<issue_start>username_0: We are running a journal club online due to the current COVID-19 situation. The students have to pick a paper and present it online to teachers and their peers. However, I would like to make the experience a bit more formative for the students. The main thing that is missing is an interaction among the presenters and the other students.
Do you have any advice on how to get the students to ask questions to their peers?
EDIT: This Journal club is part of a master's degree course and there is an evaluation of the journal club. However, we only evaluate the students for their presentations.
I found [this question](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/56053/how-can-i-encourage-students-to-ask-questions-in-class) that is somehow related but not exactly what I am looking for.
Thanks!<issue_comment>username_1: I have taken part in two journal club formats that work well for maximizing student involvement, although whether they would lend themsevles well to assesement, I don't know.
In both cases the idea is to force everyone to read the paper, and engage with it, and minimise the workload for person "presenting". In neither case is there any powerpoints, or pre-rehearsed talking. The presentor is more of a facilitator.
Structure one: Figures presented at random
------------------------------------------
In this structure the person who picked the paper gives a *brief* introduction to the paper and why they picked it (no more than say 5 minutes). They then present the first figure.
Subsequent figures/tables are then presented by people selected at random (we roll a die). When I say "presented" I often mean "leads a discussion" - as there might be things in the figure the person chosen doesn't understand, has questions about, particularly since they didn't pcik the paper.
I find that this forces everyone to read and engage with the paper, but it doesn't force the discussion to go beyond what is in the figures.
Structure two: Everyone must ask a question
-------------------------------------------
Again the paper selector introduces the paper briefly. We then go round the room and everyone has to say one thing they liked about the paper, one thing they didn't like, and one question/discussion point. The paper selector writes down the discussion points/questions, prioritises them and the leads a discussion with this as the agenda.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: This might not be what you're thinking of, but **make the papers presented comprehensible**. If people can understand what the authors did, why the results matter, and how to place those results in the context of the rest of the field, it would be *hugely* conducive to asking questions. On the other hand if people don't understand a word, one won't even be able to form a question in the first place.
Example: [this *Nature* paper](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1766-2). This is the abstract:
>
> All stellar-mass black holes have hitherto been identified by X-rays emitted from gas that is accreting onto the black hole from a companion star. These systems are all binaries with a black-hole mass that is less than 30 times that of the Sun. Theory predicts, however, that X-ray-emitting systems form a minority of the total population of star–black-hole binaries. When the black hole is not accreting gas, it can be found through radial-velocity measurements of the motion of the companion star. Here we report radial-velocity measurements taken over two years of the Galactic B-type star, LB-1. We find that the motion of the B star and an accompanying Hα emission line require the presence of a dark companion with a mass of 68 +11/−13 solar masses, which can only be a black hole. The long orbital period of 78.9 days shows that this is a wide binary system. Gravitational-wave experiments have detected black holes of similar mass, but the formation of such massive ones in a high-metallicity environment would be extremely challenging within current stellar evolution theories.
>
>
>
As far as scientific papers go, this one is pretty understandable to the non-expert. Nonetheless, if you're not an astrophysicist, much of this will be Greek. It says the black hole was found "through radial-velocity measurements of the motion of the companion star". Do you know how this measurement works? If not, the rest of the abstract quickly becomes confusing. Does it matter that the companion star is a B-star? What is a B-star anyway, or "Hα emission line"?
If the presenter neglects to clarify these question and instead spends time on sentences like (from the methods section of the paper) "We performed a rotational and instrumental convolution of the original theoretical libraries to v sin i = 10 km/s and FWHM = 0.1 A" then audience comprehension is basically done for and they might as well look at their mobile phones for the rest of the presentation.
Instead try something like, "The authors find the black hole by using radial-velocity measurements. In case people don't know what this is, this is how it works ...". Once everyone understands how the measurement works, then one can go into more details. The exact "rotational and instrumental convolution of the original theoretical libraries" is still only going to be interesting to the expert, but one can emphasize the conclusions more interesting to a general audience: that black holes of this mass are not expected to form in a high-metallicity environment (the word "metallicity" might also need explanation), and their presence breaks current stellar evolution theories. One can then talk about how it breaks stellar evolution, explore some alternative explanations, and so on. In fact, based only on what I've written, you might already be able to think of a couple: 1) lots of small black holes merging, or 2) black hole formed in a "low-metallicity environment" (whatever that is) and moved to where we found it. Why these explanations don't work then become legitimate questions you can ask during Q&A.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: One way to get students to do things that you want them to do and are valuable when they do them is to actually require it. Simple concept.
Since the papers are supposed to be read in advance, but few people do, perhaps, you want to use a bit of stick to goad them on.
One simple solution to both problems is as follows. Suppose that there are five papers to be reviewed in a session. One individual is responsible for presenting each of the five, of course. But require that all the students, prior to the session submit at least one question to you directly on at least three of the five papers.
It might be too much to require questions on all the papers, so I suggest only some, rather than all.
You can use the submitted questions in various ways. You could ask them yourself during the session, naming the originator or not. You could ask the originator to ask their question. You could also present those questions to the speaker a bit before the session.
Getting the questions directly and in advance gives you an opportunity to comment back on the quality of the questions. This could be either privately or in a session in which you generally discuss the sorts of questions that are most valuable to ask about papers in your field.
One possible flaw is that some of the papers don't get covered with the above scheme. In that case you could assign, say, one of the three papers to each student. They then need to provide at least one question for that paper and at least one for the remaining two.
I've assumed that someone is in charge of the session, such as a professor. If that is not the case, one participant can be chosen to "lead" each session and manage the questions. Leadership can rotate. And for a volunteer group, make this part of the charter that people agree to when they join.
I don't know how this would scale. I've assumed a pretty small group. But I think such clubs are going to be small scale in any case.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_4: My graduate courses had a "participation" mark. The trick was that it was vague; it required that students participate in discussions, but there was no concrete criteria. Thus the students set the relative bar. I.e. if one student asks three questions, but most asked none then a few will try to be middle ground and ask at least one question. Really the grade was a free 10% for everyone unless you were defiantly against speaking in class so it was not a stressful situation.
Upvotes: 0
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<issue_start>username_0: I've just been invited, for the first time, to review an article. The request was somewhat of a surprise to me, as I'm still a PhD student and I'd always thought that reviewers were generally PhD graduates. Judging by the article's abstract, I am moderately familiar with the subject area, as my master's thesis was on a similar topic. The article would appear in an online journal and would be relatively short (6-8 pages). I assume that my review would be anonymous.
I'm unsure whether to accept the invitation as I'm quite busy with my research.
If I agree to review the paper, what will be expected of me? How much time can I expect this to take?<issue_comment>username_1: Reviewing peer articles is part of a researcher's job, it's good you get to review an article, the fact you built your master's thesis on it probably means you *can* have a relevant opinion.
A review typically takes half a day in my experience, could be more depending on how familiar you are with the material, and you were probably given this review by a senior colleague that is part of the PC and will read your review before it goes to the actual journal.
Just read it slowly, note your "small comments" on the fly (typos, language etc separately) and then try to give an overall view of whether you liked the paper (e.g. an easy way is to make a small 2/3 line summary of each section as you understood it) and the gist of it as you see it. A review isn't much more than that. Being constructive in criticisms is a good practice
So, imho this is part of the job, and you should take the time to do it. It is experience building to review other people's papers.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: If you have never published a paper and gone through peer review as a first author I would strongly discourage you from peer reviewing solo. Even if your technical and field knowledge is excellent, you should be supervised by someone experienced at the process.
If you have an advisor who can mentor your peer review, and would agree to do so, this would be an excellent opportunity to involve them.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: For a scientific, experimental paper, a peer reviewer should consider these issues:
* Are the topic and results appropriate for the journal? If not, there is little point in reviewing other aspects of the paper as it is sure to be rejected.
* Is there a hypothesis?
* Are the methods complete?
* Were appropriate control experiments performed?
* Are there conclusions?
* Are the conclusions motivated appropriately?
* Do the methods support the conclusions?
* Are the graphs/illustrations readable and do they convey useful information?
* Is the data that should be presented as graphs actually in the graphs?
* Is the research ethical?
* Is the research placed in context with the literature?
* Is information taken from references accurate, or at least plausible?
* Are the results likely to be reproducible?
* Is the writing intelligible?
* Do the title, abstract, and introduction describe the paper effectively?
The answers should all be yes.
In my experience many reviewers also identify typos in the paper. I only do that if the typos are in technical information or make the paper incomprehensible. Most journals pay a copyeditor whose job it is to correct ordinary spelling and grammar errors.
The reviewer needs to write a report. The report includes numerical ratings on scales provided by the journal. The report should:
* Summarize the paper in a few sentences, clearly identifying that the reviewer read the correct paper.
* Identify the main strengths of the paper. Sadly this can, at times, be hard.
* Identify the main weaknesses of the paper. If the paper needs revision, then all weaknesses which need correction should be listed.
* Each weakness should be numbered and its location in the paper should be specified. This is to assist the editor and future reviewers in checking to see if the revisions were made.
* Recommend an action the editor can take.
The reviewer is not responsible for telling the authors how to improve their paper.
There is no way to predict how long a review will take until you have read the paper. It varies widely.
If the reviewer has a conflict of interest, this must be disclosed to the editor. Example conflicts of interest are:
* Reviewer works for the same organization as an author.
* Reviewer might make or loose money if the article is published.
* Reviewer is friends with an author.
* Reviewer has published work or applied for funding with an author.
* Reviewer considers an author to be a family member.
* An author has offered the reviewer a bribe.
* Reviewer intends to publish a paper addressing the same hypothesis.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]
|
2020/04/21
| 366
| 1,520
|
<issue_start>username_0: I have a professor currently that I have previously had in a class on a different subject. Would it be appropriate to email them with a link to an article I found that relates to the previous class' subject (but not to the current one)? There are no longer office hours due to school moving online, but I'm unsure if an email would be considered a waste of time because it would essentially just be sharing an article that she may have already read.<issue_comment>username_1: I see no problem with this. It is possible that the professor will be interested. We can't read everything, after all, so may have missed it. And the fact that it relates to something other than the current class is of no importance.
>
> Hi <NAME>. I just came across this article related to last semester's course and thought you might be interested. ...
>
>
>
Short, sweet, informative.
In fact, even if it isn't related to any course, it might be of interest.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I assume you mean something related to academics rather than a completely random meme/cat video.
If so: yes, it’s totally appropriate. Discussing cool research topics with students, especially when it’s free from the context of grading, is one of the most fun aspects of a professor’s work. I absolutely love it when students email me links like that.
And if the professor thinks it’s a waste of time, they’ll reply with a curt thanks and ignore the link, or simply ignore your email altogether.
Upvotes: 3
|
2020/04/22
| 1,104
| 4,541
|
<issue_start>username_0: There have been a number of questions asked here, such as [this question](https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/31807/60607), or [this question](https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/23364/60607). The first question asked about how to find the authors of peer reviews. The second discussed the benefits of anonymity of peer review. However, I have been unable to find a question address the antecedent issue: why is peer review anonymous?
What are the historical reasons behind this practice? Was peer review always anonymous? What are the benefits behind anonymous peer reviews? Has the academic community learned from previous experiences that anonymous peer review is the best sort of process?
It also seems like a few journals as analyzed in [this article (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-08250-2)](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-08250-2) performed open peer review with a sizable proportion of authorship of peer reviews also providing their identities (8.1%). In this paper the authors suggested that anonymity protects individuals from retaliation. It would seem to me that if all of a sudden all peer review were public, attempts at retaliation would be easy to identify and address. However, with the current state of the review process, one could sometimes guess at the author of a negative review and secretly retaliate. How has the academic community overall arrived at general acceptance of anonymous peer review?<issue_comment>username_1: Without scratching below the surface it seems anonymous peer review is the only way to maintain standards of quality and honesty. Not everyone who is a qualified reviewer is going to be 100% comfortable being openly critical of their peers' work; if the integrity of the results suffers even slightly over time due to that it is reason enough. On the flip side, the reviewers without any qualms about brutal honesty will see less difference btwn sugar coating and tactful delivery, which may result in an unfavorable imbalance towards more harshly toned reviews on average, and thus potentially more discouragement than encouragement to the reviewees.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: The big reason for anonymous peer review is to allow the reviewers to speak their mind without fear of the authors taking revenge. Even if it's easy to identify, retaliation can happen: it's already decently common for authors to get angry when their paper is rejected for reasons they do not agree with ([example](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/122486/how-to-force-a-journal-to-address-an-associate-editors-scientific-misconduct)). Even if the authors don't retaliate this obviously, future relations with the reviewer can easily be strained: for example, say the author and reviewer communicate several times and eventually the author decides that the reviewer's an idiot and submits elsewhere. If the author later finds themselves reviewing the reviewer's grant proposal, it will be hard for the author to remain objective.
Another issue with non-anonymous peer review is, the signature of a senior person as a reviewer can carry the implied threat of "do what I say or I will crush you". The consequences can be unpleasant for the authors, especially if they're junior. [Example](https://www.quantamagazine.org/a-self-aware-fish-raises-doubts-about-a-cognitive-test-20181212/).
Yet another issue with non-anonymous peer review is that it's not clearly advantageous. There is [no strong evidence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_peer_review#Advantages_and_disadvantages) that open peer review improves review quality (or makes it worse for that matter). Instead there was an immediate negative effect in that more people decline to review. If it's the case that there's no advantage, then implementing a fix seems rather unnecessary.
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: If I review some professor's science paper and it's poorly controlled garbage, I either accept it anyway or I have a new enemy. Now I have to deal with the fact that submitting papers to all the journals that they're editors for will go poorly for me, and submitting grants that they'd be part of study sections for will be a waste of time for me.
Even people who don't have to worry about their own careers need to worry about this, because big name scientists fight by trashing each others' students' careers. Do you really want to have some promising junior scientist who worked for you get repeatedly shit on because you reviewed a paper?
Upvotes: 4
|
2020/04/22
| 1,285
| 5,629
|
<issue_start>username_0: In a Statistics related class, Whenever I do a group project, my group members don't know how to do anything as much as I do, and if it's a big group such a 5 person group, one person may help me write. The other person doesn't have any original ideas and will do some small tasks I tell them to do, and the rest don't know how to program.
I end up doing most of the work because I don't want to receive a bad grade, and I put everything in the project report. The professor doesn't really care about a fair division of labor, and on the day before presentations everyone ends up reading my project report, and especially the two people who did nothing just memorize what I said, then since the professor says everyone has to speak during the presentation, they end up stealing my lines, and I end up divide my work and sharing credit for it and throw it to charity.
How do I mitigate my group members plagiarizing off me and taking advantage of me?
This doesn't happen when I work with people who actually understand what they're doing in class, and it's not a big deal when a project isn't worth 40 percent of the grade.
The only benefit is that I know how to code everything, and they don't but the professor doesn't check who coded what or care. They don't seem to care or they don't know how to code and can't help themselves help me.
The problem is in an introductory freshman graduate course, I don't know who's capable of doing good work, and I can only seek the "smart" people as I gain knowledge of who's capable and not capable.
The professor is clueless and expects that everyone is capable of either coding well or having original Innovative ideas. But that isn't true. Some people neither are original nor code well. He expects us to play nice with each other.
Since I end up doing all the work, by presentation day, I'm also too exhausted to present well, and I can't shake things up, and I thought about quitting the group and doing things on my own, but should I do that? The people in my group are close and might conspire against me.
Option one: send the professor an e-mail privately telling him I did everything but per his instructions we have to split up the presentation and everyone pretends they did a fair amount.<issue_comment>username_1: If you got to choose your own group and it's late into the term then you might be out of luck because the professor will likely say that you should have addressed this problem earlier.
If you were put into a group or chose to be with unfamiliar students early on you should talk to the professor and bring logs showing that you are pulling more than your share of the workload. You can ask to be graded on an individual basis because of the lack of contribution by your peers. Some professors are terrible at their job and may tell you that they grade the group as a whole as a life lesson or some crap because really they do not want to be troubled with separate grading schemes. In that case you may want to escalate this problem further, but I wouldn't. As someone in your exact shoes in undergrad that didn't know anyone going in, I can tell you that your group members are entirely content with getting crappy passing grades and there's nothing you can do about that. You should just work through it and make sure to rest well and have stricter time management. Choosing to present on your own will reflect poorly on you because you will appear to not be able to work in a group. The professor and your peers may look at you in a bad light.
I did the entire projects myself until I was fortunate enough to meet other hard-working students in later years. That not only prepared me extremely well for my exams, but helped with multi-tasking and time management skills. As a bonus your clueless peers will miss out on those benefits.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: May I suggest an alternate point of view? Is it possible that you are grabbing the reins of the project and trying to control it too tightly?
I bring this up because you mention a couple of times that you are the only one who knows how to program. From my own experience I know that when experienced programmers are compelled to work with inexperienced programmers there is a strong temptation to seize control of the project in order to make sure it is done well. You have to keep in mind though that this is an educational exercise. The goal is not the completion of the project per se, but that the students learn the material by participating in the project. You may be assuring a higher quality result by taking control of the project, but you may be interfering with your fellow students learning the material. It may be time for them to learn how to program.
This may be doubly difficult because it sounds like you are more motivated than your fellow students. I expect that you knew exactly what needed to be done and wanted to come to grips with it, while your fellow students may have been "Yeah sure, whatever". Consider this an opportunity to learn how to engage and motivate your co-workers. You are going to be working on "group projects" most of the rest of your career, so this is an important skill to cultivate.
Of course on top of this is your natural concern about the project grade. I don't know how to ensure that your desire for a top grade doesn't conflict with the needs of your fellow students to get hands on experience or vice versa. I can only suggest that in the worst cases where one of your fellows is simply sitting back with folded arms, you may need to discuss the situation with the professor.
Upvotes: 2
|
2020/04/22
| 790
| 3,443
|
<issue_start>username_0: I recently applied for a master’s program and I fulfill all their requirements. In addition, the application fee was around 100 USD that had to be paid in advance. I got the following answer today:
>
> I would like to thank you for considering XXX for your graduate study. We have very
> carefully reviewed and evaluated your application to the Master of Science in YYY program for the Fall 2020 semester and I regret to inform you that the
> Admission Committee has declined your application for admission.
> We hope that you will pursue all of your other options for continuing your education and
> achieve academic success in another graduate program.
> Best wishes for success in achieving your academic and professional goals.
> Sincerely,
>
>
>
Is this normal that they do not provide at least a very brief explanation on why they refuse my application, since I fulfilled all the requirements?
Now, how to appeal, i.e. I do not know why they refuse me so I do not know what I should tell them.<issue_comment>username_1: Yes, that's totally normal. For example, my department typically gets 150-200 applications for the PhD program every spring, but we only accept ~20 students. That is a process that is exceedingly time consuming already as is. It is simply not reasonable to write up an explanation why the other 130-180 students were not accepted.
That's no different than for most job applications: The company you sent your application to will simply say "Sorry, we didn't choose you because we found someone who is better qualified", rather than giving you feedback where exactly they found your application lacking.
As for appeal -- I don't think any university has a process for this, but pretend for a moment that there were: What do you think would happen? The university made a determination that you were not as well qualified as someone else. You can appeal a decision if you think that a process was not followed, e.g., if your application had arrived in time but was rejected because the department (erroneously) claimed that it was late. But your question does not contain any indication that you have any evidence to this effect. On the other hand, you can't appeal a rejection because you weren't as well qualified as some other candidate -- your "appeal" in that case ought to be to get more experience and more education so that on your next try, you are better qualified.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: There likely is no appeals process, and if there was, it would likely not work out in your favor unless there were some major error (on their part) with the handling of your application package.
In short, they don't owe explanation. In fact, you might be every bit as qualified as applicants who were accepted, and they flipped a coin to avoid overloading their program with students.
Of course, things are different if you feel you were not offered admission based upon some *illegal* decision making process, such as discrimination (in some countries), but then your process would involve lawyers.
Your best course of action is probably to speak with a trusted mentor about how to make your application package look more attractive.
There is also the possibility that your application package is simply not competitive, and you might need to adjust your expectations (we have no way of knowing, but the possibility should certainly be considered).
Upvotes: 4
|
2020/04/22
| 1,582
| 5,899
|
<issue_start>username_0: What would be the best option for an EU citizen to study for a bachelor's degree (in any developed country: UK, EU, USA, AU, NZ, Japan, China etc.), without having the money to pay for fees, bills, accomodation etc.? Is there a study program, university or institution that provides funding through scholarships, financial aid or other means, and/or some kind of job position so that I can earn the money needed while studying?
After contacting many institutions I still haven't got a positive answer regarding such possibility. I have also read about need blind admissions, but these are very few USA colleges, with extremely low admission rates and other requirements.
Is it the only option available to just try enroll in one of these universities that have low fees, and then do your best to get a job in the city where the university is, and if you can't find any drop out and go back?
---
**Update**
@xLeitix said that:
>
> "[...] funded study places basically only exist for the PhD level."
>
>
>
While learning about the early life of [Jane Goodall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Goodall), I have read from [this](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Goodall#Africa) paragraph that:
>
> [Louis] Leakey arranged funding, and in 1962 he sent Goodall, who had no
> degree, to the University of Cambridge. She went to Newnham College,
> Cambridge, and obtained a PhD in ethology. She became the eighth
> person to be allowed to study for a PhD there without first having
> obtained a BA or BSc. Her thesis was completed in 1965 [...]
>
>
>
Therefore she was able to get a PhD in 3 years, at Cambridge, without prior degree and on top of that without having to worry about money. Is this possible only if you manage to get in contact with someone at the level of [Louis Leakey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Leakey)? How can I skip all other degrees and just go for a PhD like Dr. Goodall, so that I can get funding like @xLeitix said?<issue_comment>username_1: In your circumstances, your best bet is likely to study in your home country. Many EU countries have stipends or student loan schemes targeted at qualifying local students that could otherwise not afford higher education. If you are willing to work next to studying, the world is basically your oyster anyway - many/most institutions in Europe allow students to work next to their studies even if the program is nominally full-time (of course the university does not look for a job for you, that would have to be your responsibility).
In your circumstances, moving to a *different* country to study will be a lot more challenging. Student loan schemes and stipends are often not available to foreign students, and funded study places basically only exist for the PhD level.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: It's possible. At the Bachelor's level, your best option is to be really good and thereby qualify for scholarships. [Example at the university level](https://sfs.mit.edu/undergraduate-students/).
>
> At MIT, we admit the most talented students in the world through need-blind admissions. Once admitted, we meet your full financial need for all four years of your undergraduate career.
>
>
>
So once admitted, you're on easy street. Of course, to actually get admitted into MIT is very hard.
Various governments and/or organizations might also offer scholarships, although not all of them go to 100% of the costs. [Example in the EU](https://ec.europa.eu/education/study-in-europe/planning-studies/scholarships-costs_en), [example in New Zealand](https://www.studyinnewzealand.govt.nz/how-to-apply/scholarship/search-results).
In all examples you can expect that although the money is there, actually getting it will be very competitive.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Getting into the best school you can afford, I think, is a worthwhile investment. If you strongly believe that the schools in your home country do not offer what you need, then just keep trying.
Here are my recommendations: Some universities are more interested in international students than others, so, try to look up these types of institutions. Consider doing your degree online. This would save you from the burden of having to relocate. If you need to earn money in school, consider learning an in-demand skill that allows you to earn money while working remotely. If you do this, make sure you are capable of earning money before you relocate.
Do not try to relocate to another country, drop out and go back. That is simply not an option. It is a complete waste of your time, money, and mental/emotional resources. It may even damage your reputation. If you feel that you would be at significant risk of dropping out of a foreign university, you need to reevaluate your plan.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: In Finland you can get the same support as natives if you are in the country for some other purpose than studying, such as working. For more information, see Kela's (Kansaneläkelaitos) website: <https://www.kela.fi/web/en/financial-aid-for-students-eligibility>
In Denmark it is possible to get the same support as native students get; see <https://www.su.dk/english/su-as-a-foreign-citizen/>. The most relevant method is likely <https://www.su.dk/english/su-as-a-foreign-citizen/equal-status-according-to-eu-law/you-work-in-denmark/you-are-a-worker-or-a-self-employed-person-under-eu-law/>, which stipulates:
>
> As a general rule, we expect that you as a minimum work 10 – 12 hours a week. Since the decisive point according to case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union is that the employment has lasted for a certain period of time, we also expect that you, as a starting point, have employment to this extent every week for a continuous period of 10 weeks.
>
>
>
I would suggest checking out other Nordic countries, too.
Upvotes: 2
|
2020/04/22
| 1,247
| 4,934
|
<issue_start>username_0: In December of this year (2020) I'll graduate with an MA in Applied Linguistics from a US university (via distance learning/online). I have been living and working as a full-time teacher at a bilingual school in Germany since 2012 and specialize in bilingual education (English/German) with a focus on the subjects of History and English. After graduating, I would like to pursue a PhD in a related field (linguistics) at a university in Germany with the career intention of conducting research and lecturing/instructing at a university. I have seen a lot of German universities host paid PhD research projects with very interesting topics, which seems like a direction to pursue, but I am not sure if the pay will be enough to support my family. I am the main provider for my wife and son (3 y.o.) and we won't be able to financially handle a huge cut to my current salary (about 4,000 Euro gross/*brutto* per month).
As to my questions, I am looking for some advice about the potential career-path. Does it make sense for an American to pursue a German PhD with a BA and MA degree from the US? Financially, would it be possible to continue to support my family while pursuing a PhD in Germany? Is it worth it at my age (35 y.o.) to pursue a PhD?
If the information helps, I plan on staying in Germany permanently as my wife is German, I do not want to continue teaching at the secondary school level, and I am fluent in German. Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated!<issue_comment>username_1: You can compute your prospective salary yourself: <http://oeffentlicher-dienst.info/c/t/rechner/tv-l/allg?id=tv-l-2020>
Typically, TV-E13 but only 50% or 65% depending who funds your position. Whether that is enough is up to you and your wife. A career at the German university is a high risk gamble, and it take quite a while before you know whether you make it or not. If it does not work out, then you will have invested a lot of time in a career that did not work out.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: There are many aspects of your question for which I also am curious about. I just want to point out that the numerical difference in your net salary might not mean that much depending on the city. I know for a fact that the old west German capital Bonn is way more cheaper than the current capital Berlin. Also, even though your net income might be lower, you might get a lot more benefits (cheaper healthcare, scholarships through DAAD, possible child payments or unemployement for your SO?). I believe the 300ish euro termly fee that every university student pays has perks such as public transport (and even maybe cheap dining hall benefits). I have seen in some phd program webpages that mention some benefits for students with kids.
What I am getting to is the living conditions for a student in Germany and for a student in US is very different (or possibly for any other country).
**Update**: I have obtained some figures.
DAAD offers long term scholarships. They usually pay around 850 euros + benefits. These benefits include:
* Child benefit (about 200 euros per month)
* Marital benefit (about 270 euros as long as your SO makes less than 450 euros)
* rent subsidy (up to 250 euros\*, conditions apply, roughly you are subsidized for anything reasonable above 25% of your income)
* health insurance for you and your dependants
* some amount of language course for you and your dependants
I also believe you can still work part time under conditions.
\*this amount is actually for single scholarship holders. Conditions are different for scholarship holders with family but those don't include a designated maximum upper limit.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: I would reach out to some professors in your field at nearby universities and discuss the local prospects with them. As mentioned in another answer, non-technical PhD positions are usually only half positions. However, if you currently have a full-time job, do look into reducing to part-time work. That can at least pay the rent (and health insurance) and see if you can get a half position (that will, of course, expect you to work full time as well). Getting a professorship will involve a lot of luck, so you need to ask yourself why you are doing this: To be a Herr Dr.? No. Because you have a passion for research? Yes. To get a permanent position? No.
It is also possible to submit a dissertation to a German university without having a position, that is, one that you wrote in your "free time", if your job leaves you enough. That way, if it is really a passion for research that is driving you, you can pursue that PhD without financial problems. Some universities now have coursework required, but that is even possible to obtain at a distance university such as the Fernuni Hagen and then have the credits accepted at another university. Ask around, it's a jungle of red tape!
Upvotes: 1
|
2020/04/23
| 1,300
| 5,728
|
<issue_start>username_0: like many others I'm here to ask for advice about switching groups. I'm a third year PhD in physics. I have been working in my current lab for about a year. Prior to that, I worked on another project with a different professor for about 2 years. I want to leave my current group because I realize this area is not my passion. Good thing is there's a professor from math department who wants to work with me on a project, and I absolutely want to work with him. But I'm not sure how to tell my current advisor that I want leave.
I must say that my current advisor is an excellent advisor in all aspects. He is supportive (both academically and financially); he is absolutely smart and has deep understanding of the field. He cares about his students' overall progress and growth. In addition, the group dynamics is great. I have zero things to complain about. The only thing making me want to leave is that I realize I have absolutely no interest in this area.
His financial support (RA) to me has one more month before it expires, and he is willing to extend it for the summer. But I do not want to stay for another two months, since it does not fit my academic development and I don't think it's ethical to take his money and not willing to work productively. I don't know how to tell him my decision. I definitely don't want to be ungrateful or disrespectful, because I very much appreciate his support in the past year.
Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much for the help.<issue_comment>username_1: Wow! a really tough situation. On one hand you have the opportunity to continue to be supported by someone whom cares and believes in you. On the other you want to be free to make decisions about your own life without anyone taking it personal. In life people take things personal! Yes, it's not professional but when someone puts time and resources into you they want you to remain committed despite your reservations.
Yes you could leave your group and go for something you're more passionate about, but would you get the same type of deal? People talk to each other even if they seem like they don't. Would your new group look at you as a "trader" if they found out you had support and turned your back on your previous team because it got a little rough? Drama, folks love it, thrive off of it and will at your expense. I would say have a heart to heart with your current team let them know of your intentions while remaining politically correct and discuss with the new professor about your reservations to leave your old team but you can be more committed to this new challenge.
Do what's in you, try and be prepared if things don't work out the way you want. Live with whatever you may regret.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: If your advisor is a great as you describe then they will understand your situation and be willing to either work with you to help you enjoy your current field more, or be happy for you to go into an area where you are more passionate.
It is to no advantage to a good supervisor (who is looking out for your best interest) to have you work in an area that you dislike. But, they may have a broader perspective and want to talk to you about that. Things like: What caused things to change? Is there anything that they can do to help improve things? They may see that you have strong potential that you can't see as clearly - which could be influencing your desire to leave the field. (Or not, I have no idea - but a good advisor may want to talk to you about these things.)
So, my advice is just to be direct and honest. Set up a meeting as soon as is appropriate and don't be afraid to have the discussion.
I left a professor that was funding me during my PhD and she was great about it - no hard feelings. And, I have no hard feelings about students who have, in the end, decided not to work with me.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: In academia, like in any other professional environment, we appreciate people who are interested and passionate about their job. But we also appreciate responsible people who get the things done.
Research projects require considerable resource, and PhD projects are not an exception. Your contributions via doing the RA work does not fully cover the cost of research - your PI and your University contribute most of it by maintaining the lab, the office environment, and probably by paying your stipend. However, it is you and only you who can complete your PhD project. And it is you who are responsible for it.
Please analyse your feelings and motivations. After two years in, you feel that you lost interest to the topic. How did you realise when it happened? What would you feel if you had to stay on course for another day? week? month? year? until completion? Which timeline here really starts to hurt and why is that?
Are you sure that what you feel is not an anxiety induced by your fear to complete your thesis and make it public, exposing your work to the external world, where it can be met with criticism (or praise)? Perhaps, you may need someone to help you better understand you feelings and motivations.
Academic professional work consists almost entirely of publication deadlines, milestones where our research projects must be completed and results must be made public. At the same time, we never can fully predict or anticipate the results of research. Living and working with this uncertainty is a part of academic experience. You won't be able to escape this part by moving to another group. There are no easy solutions here, and perhaps the easiest is to embrace responsibility for the resources and trust put into you and to get your work done.
Upvotes: 2
|
2020/04/23
| 932
| 3,522
|
<issue_start>username_0: In an academic paper, I have written "There are **three main** arguments for why X is not Z."
I have then discussed them like this:
>
> "First, .... (of medium length)
>
> The second argument is that ... (a bit long)
>
> The third and most important argument is that ... (longer)" \*\*
>
>
>
\*\* I did not simply use "First,... Second,... Third..." because there is some distance between the arguments. For example, the second argument is two pages long. I think writing "The third and most important argument ..." reminds the reader what these arguments are for.
---
Now I have realized that I have to make one more argument. And I want to start with "A fourth argument is that ..." after the third one.
Is it a problem that I stated in the beginning that I will give "three main arguments", but I give four? I don't want to say "**four main** arguments".
The three main arguments are widely discussed by experts in the field. The fourth argument is something that has only been pointed out (in two lines) by one author. The Thing is, my supervisor likes this fourth argument and thinks I should include it in my paper. That is why I want to mention it. I don't want to say that it is trivial because it can become important sometime in the future - just that it is not a main argument (or widely discussed) for why X is not Z.
What is the best way to introduce the fourth argument after the third while maintaining that the first three are the main arguments?<issue_comment>username_1: Introduce all four reasons in the introduction and use them as a structuring device for your presentation. You may set the fourth reason apart, if you want to highlight it as different from the first three, like so:
>
> Conventional wisdom holds that in order to effectively flab widgets,
> one needs to consider three factors: First, ... Second, ... Third,
> .... However, as detailed in section X of this contribution, a
> fourth factor is no less important: namely, the effectiveness of the flabbing process depends largely on the type of widget concerned.
>
>
>
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> I did not simply use "First,... Second,... Third..." because there is some distance between the arguments.
>
>
>
I suggest that you open with:
`There are three main arguments for why X is not Z: A, B, and C.`
Then, rather than *First, .... (of medium length)
The second argument is that ... (a bit long)
The third and most important argument is that ... (longer)*, you can use `A`, `B`, and `C` as section/subsection/paragraph headers.
>
> Now I have realized that I have to make one more argument. And I want to start with "A fourth argument is that ..." after the third one. Is it a problem that I stated in the beginning that I will give "three main arguments" but I give four? I don't want to say "four main arguments".
>
>
>
That's a problem, just write `There are four main arguments for why X is not Z: A, B, C, and D.` and use `D` as a heading.
>
> The three main arguments are widely discussed by experts in the field. The fourth argument is something that has only been pointed out (in two lines) by one author.
>
>
>
You could revise the opening as:
`The literature agrees upon three arguments for why X is not Z: A, B, and C [1,2,3,4,5].`
And follow that with:
`A fourth argument has also been identified: D [6].`
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: "There are four arguments for why X is not Z."
Upvotes: 2
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2020/04/23
| 1,336
| 5,466
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<issue_start>username_0: I've had absolutely no luck with job hunting. After months of applications, I've only gotten two interviews (both last year, before the pandemic), and the jobs I got interviews for weren't even vaguely engineering jobs (one was just CAD doodling, the other was basically tier 3 customer service)
I understand most people have honours degrees, so the fact that I can't say I have a 2.1 or whatever is an obvious red flag.
Is there any future down this path? Is this really such a huge red flag for employers that there's nothing I can realisitically do to make myself employable in my field? Is there even a grad programme that would take me so that there's a chance I could get a degree that doesn't seem so worthless?<issue_comment>username_1: Keep going, Keep going, Keep going...
Some of my friends got jobs within days of graduating, others 18 months later (like me).
Widen your scope, many fields need or use engineers and some surprising opportunities exist, you might find a school will be interested as you have design skills, drawing skills, mathematics skills etc One friend got as job in an insurance company working on evaluating risk - you have to understand the processes and equipment in use to evaluate risk...
So, chin up, all I can say is "tough times" but you **do** have skills.
And I graduated with a degree in engineering so I know the fight.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: It sounds like you're under the impression that fancy degree = job. **That is incorrect**. Fancy degree is nice and all but it's only the first cut. You will need to back your degree up with actual job search skills as well as technical skills.
For the former, this isn't the right Stack Exchange (use [The Workplace](https://workplace.stackexchange.com/)). Read up on all the CV-writing, cover-letter writing, interviewing techniques, etc, that are necessary to get hired. Also be sure to make use of your alma mater's career center, if they have one. They'll have not just job listings, they will usually have counselors who will help polish your CV.
For the latter, I hope you didn't slack off during the degree because there's no substitute for it. If the interviewer asks, "here are two vectors, what is their sum?" you need to be able to answer because if you can't, then the rest of your CV is called into question. Make sure you know the basic coursework, and if you can keep up-to-date with the latest news in the field, even better.
Job searches are not easy. Unfortunately, you'll have to help yourself, because society doesn't owe you a job and nobody else will be able to help you pass the interview. On the other hand, they can be done: after 8 months I'm pretty sure many of your cohort will have found a job, and if they can do it, you can too.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: I sift and interview candidates in a related engineering field. We've started receiving CVs with names and any reference to age (or gender) redacted. This often including university names. Ostensibly this is to reduce unconscious bias, but it does remove much of the relevant information on which to sift. I wouldn't be surprised if we started redacting grades too. They're not always present and I'm not sure I'd spot the difference between a BSc (Hons) and an ordinary degree at sift unless it was spelled out to me clearly as 'third class'. To be honest, we mainly use a degree as a quick filter for academic aptitude. We don't exclude anyone without, but they have to work much harder to evidence from work experience that they meet the bar.
I'm generally recruiting for a pool rather than a role so I'm not often looking for a single best candidate, but a set of people that would add to the team. Ultimately I want to get the best of the set, but it's not quite as dog-eat-dog as only choosing those with first class degrees - experience, demeaner and how well they would fit in have as much to play once you've proved you can attain a degree.
It's a difficult environment right now with COVID-19, but keep at it:
* Apply for jobs at larger firms - they're more likely to be recruiting for more than just the one role. You don't then need to be top-dog, just in the set.
* If you interview well and get offered something that doesn't feel like a perfect fit, take it. It's always easier to find a job when you've already got one - internal opportunities to move sideways or upwards; less pressure to find something quickly. It always looks better on your CV having had a job, than having nothing. If someone has been out of work for some time, I always question 'why?'. You will build up experience whatever you do. Go pick fruit and veg in our farm fields if it comes to it - you'll get a Good Samaritan story to tell at interview if nothing else.
* Ultimately, your degree is worth the paper it's written on, but it's simply a ticket into the game. The knowledge you gained from the degree in your technical specialism, and the knowledge of how to learn is much more valuable. Your 'ticket' in the form of your certificate proves that.
* Make the most of your time while under 'lockdown': tidy up your CV; research companies you want to apply to once the economy kicks back in (I assume many, like us, have paused recruitment for now); volunteer to help other locally (great for a 'personal statement'); take some (free) online courses (e.g. Coursera) to continue to learn and build your skills.
Good luck.
Upvotes: 1
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2020/04/23
| 1,570
| 6,220
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<issue_start>username_0: I'm a student in the US, about to graduate with a BS in zoology. I've just been invited to join [Phi Beta Kappa](https://www.pbk.org/) and am trying to find some more up-to-date discussions of whether or not it's worth it and I see a lot of conflicting opinions/information.
It costs $99 for me to join, which some have said reflects poorly on the society, while others say PBK is super prestigious and eye-catching. I've seen some saying it has gotten them positions, and others say its meaningless or they even look down on people who include it on their resumes.
I'll most likely go to grad school eventually and have no intentions currently to do any work/study outside of the US (I've seen many folks from outside the US saying they see honor societies and have a negative reaction because of Greek Life). Anyone have thoughts on this?<issue_comment>username_1: Include it. [Phi Beta Kappa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phi_Beta_Kappa) isn't a part of the [Animal House](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_House) culture. It is an honor, bestowed by the faculty and only those respected by the faculty are considered.
If someone confuses it with the [Dekes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_Kappa_Epsilon) it is their ignorance. The faculty who will review your applications know what it means, maybe even in Europe though comments here make me wonder. So, if you want to apply in Europe, explain that it is an honor society.
For those offended by this answer, note that PBK is **not** a fraternity. It has no initiation rites. It is purely and simply an invitation only honor society.
---
Disclaimer, neither a Deke, nor a PBK. No disrespect intended for either institution.
---
Caveat: Perhaps, for applications to any European institution you will need to make the nature of PBK blindingly obvious if you include it. The impression here, from comments and other answers, is that too many Europeans may make too many incorrect assumptions about Greek letter societies, assuming that all are only for drunks and such. And you may not get a chance to follow up. Sad.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I am looking at this from a European perspective.
Also I focus on the perception and not whether this is accurate, which does not matter that much – whether you like it or not.
You can neither expect readers to research this detail of your CV to fully understand it nor to suppress subconscious bias by the impression they get from items they do not fully understand.
As confirmed by some of the comments by other European members here, the vast majority of information of US Greek-letter societies that trickle over to Europe is about drug abuse, sexual misconduct, dehumanising initiation rituals, and nepotism. Therefore mentioning a membership in such an organisation (without any further explanation) risks leaving a bad impression. At the very least I would try to mitigate the risk by explicitly denoting it as an honour society – which can only have so much effect since that’s not a protected term.
Also, while a little Internet research suffices to debunk the worst associations, it does not leave the best impression:
* It’s surprisingly difficult to find a recent independent characterisation on this society. You mainly find self-representation and Wikipedia (which is currently dominated by self-representation). The best you can find with reasonable effort are [two](https://www.nytimes.com/1996/05/26/nyregion/phi-beta-kappa-key-being-turned-down-by-many-honorees.html) [articles](https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2005/11/04/Phi-beta-what-Students-saying-no-to-elite-honor-society/stories/200511040225) from 1996 and 2005, respectively, about declining membership and recognition, in which the society leaves a rather entitled impression. Also, this very question and others on this site are already amongst the first things you find. This somewhat suggests that the society has since evaporated into meaninglessness.
* The society’s main activity appears to be selecting and recruiting new members and documenting their achievements, which strikes me as awkwardly circular. There a few awards, scholarships, and fellowships, but these seem secondary.
* The primary selection criterion seems to be grades, scholarly achievements, and learning another language, which should be featured on your CV anyway. It seems like a society that charges mountains to put a golden badge on them stating their height (analogy stolen from [Leonard Cohen](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/oct/14/leonard-cohen-giving-nobel-to-bob-dylan-like-pinning-medal-on-everest)). Thus, listing membership appears to be somewhat redundant.
Mind that this is just an impression (after all the difficulty of finding information from reliable sources is one of the things that form this impression), but at the very least it suggests a considerable marketing failure.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: Save your money. At best it's meaningless and at worse it associates you with all the negative connotations of Greek society and none of the benefits (such as the social life and a network of close friends and contacts you get to know over the many years at school).
I say it's meaningless because **everything that it purports to represent** - a high GPA, the acclaim of faculty, academic achievement - **can be fully represented without it**. Simply including your transcript or reporting your GPA, including letters of recommendation from faculty, and reporting on publications, research awards, and so on, covers every base.
Therefore, the only remaining piece of information that joining it tells me is that you respond to phishing-like emails to collect a hundred bucks.
And frankly, I've been a faculty member at two American departments, one of which was selective and the other of which was highly selective (in the top ten most selective in the US), and I had no idea you supposedly get access to this through faculty nomination. There's been a lot of answers focusing on Europeans who wouldn't know that it's supposedly a good thing, but I've been in the US academic system basically my whole life, and I also don't know that.
Upvotes: 2
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2020/04/24
| 1,247
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<issue_start>username_0: I am about to begin my final year as an undergraduate/masters student in mathematics (my school lets us pursue both degrees concurrently), and I will be applying to pure math PhD programs in the fall. I didn't decide to take the PhD route until somewhat recently, so I am trying to learn as much about the process as possible in a short amount of time.
This being said, I know that in many fields, it is expected that you apply to a PhD program after talking to a researcher at that program who you plan to conduct research with if accepted. For example, it is basically impossible to get into an anthropology PhD program studying archaeology if an archaeologist at that program hasn't already guaranteed you a research position in their lab. **Is this kind of relationship important for math PhD programs?** I have done a lot of online research about applying to PhDs, but I haven't heard much about needing a connection like this prior to applying to math programs.<issue_comment>username_1: The question in your title is not the same as the one in the body. :)
>
> I know that in many fields, it is expected that you apply to a PhD program after talking to a researcher at that program who you plan to conduct research with if accepted...Is this kind of relationship important for math PhD programs?
>
>
>
Although this kind of relationship can certainly help, it's not a prerequisite at math programs as far as I am aware. Most students are admitted on their merits, not on prior connections.
---
*Note: The answer starting from this point is probably less applicable to math than other fields -- see comments by <NAME> and <NAME>.*
---
**However:**
>
> How important is it to have a PhD advisor in mind when applying to PhD programs?
>
>
>
Not only is it important, it is critical. Probably the most important factor in doing a successful PhD is a good advisor. That means an advisor who (1) matches your interests, (2) is actively publishing and working with students, and (3) who you work well with. All three criteria are quite important, but at this point you would probably mainly be thinking about (1) and (2).
Accordingly, when you are researching programs to apply to, generally you want to look for the set of potential advisors (or research groups) at each program. Typically, you would then list these advisors explicitly in your cover letter (and your application may be sent to one of their desks at some point to see if they want you).
The ideal program has multiple possible advisors that you can see yourself working with (in case one of those doesn't work for currently unforeseen reasons). Keep in mind that the precise details of how students are matched with advisors depends on the program.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: This is a case where there are very large differences between disciplines and also large differences between countries. In this answer, I address the situation in mathematics vs. laboratory sciences in the US.
In mathematics, in the US, most graduate students are supported as teaching assistants rather than as research assistants. The research assistantships that do exist are usually given to more advanced Ph.D. students.
In the science disciplines in the US, where most students are supported as RA's it makes little sense to admit a student to a program unless one of the faculty is willing to support that student as an RA. Since faculty want to get the most out of their graduate students they are very selective and put a lot of effort into training the students in the particular work needed in their lab. As RA's, graduate students are skilled and valued employees that contribute significantly to research. This is particularly important in disciplines with lots of fieldwork or lab bench work.
What makes a graduate student attractive as an RA candidate is not always just their academic background. Particular skill sets (programming and data analysis, or scuba diving, or mountaineering) can make a student attractive for certain RA positions. For one project that I collaborated on, graduate student RA's collected rock samples at altitudes of 18,000 feet above sea level in Peru. I've worked with other graduate students that did fieldwork in Antarctica.
At most universities in the US, first-year graduate students in mathematics are expected to take graduate courses, work as TA's, and start to look for a research advisor. There's no rush to start on research because the students are supported as TA's and because they typically need one or two years of course work before they can do anything useful in research. Furthermore, most graduate students in mathematics contribute little or nothing to the advisor's research.
As a result, graduate admissions committees in math usually work to admit the strongest available students without much thought about who the advisor will be. Since these students will be working as TA's, there may also be some emphasis on recruiting students with the communication skills and personality to be effective TA's.
Note that mathematics departments with research groups in different areas of mathematics will often times allocate x TA slots to research group A and y TA slots to research group B. This helps to spread the students out among the research groups. It's based on the student having some idea of the general area of research that they want to pursue but not on whether a particular advisor wants the student.
Upvotes: 3
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2020/04/24
| 727
| 3,031
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<issue_start>username_0: I have been told by the editor that the paper does not have original contribution to literature development.
However the framework is derived from the past literature with complete citations and acknowledgements. There is no plagiarism.
The context of study, place and framework is new.
I am unable to understand how to write the literature convincingly that it's a original contribution.
P.S.: I don't know anyone who would like to see the paper and provide suggestions for improvement.<issue_comment>username_1: Very likely this has been done before, either exactly or nearly exactly, and you simply are unaware of it.
If you’re keen to argue your point, start by *politely* asking the editor if she or he could provide you with citation details of works duplicated by your manuscript as you are obviously interested in the topic.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> PS: I don't know anyone who would like to see the paper and provide suggestions for improvement.
>
>
>
I'm afriad this is your biggest problem, and somewhat of a red flag. Are you an undergraduate or graduate student? Do you have a research advisor who is active in your field? Why is there no one who can read it? It sounds like either:
* This is independent work that you are doing as a student without a mentor, or
* You are working in a very isolated program without feedback from professors and mentors.
Either way, this is a bad sign. If there is no one to read the paper and provide suggestions, it is very unlikely that you will be able publish successfully. It is just very difficult to produce a publication-worthy paper without mentorship, and more generally, feedback on what you are doing.
>
> I have been told by the editor that the paper does not have original contribution to literature development.
>
>
>
This sounds to me like a generic message that just avoids saying exactly what is wrong with your paper. For example, perhaps the editor desk-rejected your paper because they didn't feel it met the standard of quality for a good academic contribution. It is hard for us to tell without further context. Keep in mind that what counts as an "original contribution" does vary a lot by subfield, but your problem might be something else entirely.
>
> However the framework is derived from the past literature with complete citations and acknowledgements. There is no plagiarism.
>
>
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This is necessary but not sufficient for your paper to be an original contribution.
>
> The context of study, place and framework is new.
>
>
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It sounds like it is new in *your* judgment, but not in the editor's judgment.
>
> I am unable to understand how to write the literature convincingly that it's a original contribution.
>
>
>
It's not just writing the literature (related work), but structuring the entire paper, and perhaps doing the research itself. Ultimately, you will not be able to proceed without feedback from an established professor who can give you good advice.
Upvotes: 1
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2020/04/24
| 950
| 3,749
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<issue_start>username_0: According to the German education system, applicants are evaluated on the basis of their immediate previous academics grades. For instance, if someone wants to do an MA, his bachelor grades are examined. Similarly, if someone wants to do a BA, his highschool grades are examined.
Now, the problem with this system is: If someone has poor grades in both high school and bachelor's, there is no way he can be admitted into the MA.
How can someone get around this issue?<issue_comment>username_1: There is no general rule.
Read the admission rules of the universities you are interested in. In some cases, there are ways to make up for not optimal grades by doing extra admission tests.
But if the grades are way below average, it is unlikely that you get admission to a master program.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: In general, this is not correct.
* There is no direct equivalent high school in the German school system. The closest to high-school graduation is an [abitur](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abitur#In_Germany).
This is called *Hochschulreife¹* (suitability for academic education) for a reason.
Common interpretation of §12 of the German constitution is:
If you have an abitur, you may only be excluded from studying due to place restrictions, in which case the restriction is primarily based on your abitur grade (numerus clausus), but can be bypassed by waiting and other qualifications.
The latter primarily applies to some subjects like medicine.
There is a plethora of bachelor’s programmes that have no restriction at all (besides requiring an abitur).
* Admission to a master’s programme also is not grade-based in general. You will probably always have a restriction on the content of your bachelor’s degree though.
With a quick search, I found a programme that automatically admits all graduates from the respective bachelor’s programme at the same university and has no grade-based restrictions for others.
That being said, you will probably find more grade restrictions for master’s than for bachelor’s programmes for the following reason:
On the one hand, bachelor’s programmes are subject-specific in Germany and occur in a similar setting than master’s programmes².
Thus your degree in a bachelor’s programme is a good predictor of your success in a master’s programme of the same subject.
Moreover, most grade thresholds are comparably lenient in light of the common grade inflation.
If your bachelor’s grade does not suffice for admission to a master’s programme, this usually means that you barely made it through your bachelor’s.
In that case it is reasonable to assume that a respective master’s programme is not the right place for you.
On the other hand, since the abitur is not subject-specific, it is not a good predictor of your capability of studying certain fields.
For example, I have seen students with an excellent abitur (particularly the math section) giving up studying math, because they were bad at proofs and this hardly played a role for them before university.
By contrast, somebody with a bad abitur may excel at studying math.
You may also want to read the [Wikipedia article on academic admission procedures in Germany](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Germany#Admissions_procedure).
---
¹ *Hochschule:* university or other institution of academic education. There are no equivalents to colleges in the US/UK. *Reife:* maturity, suitability. Combining these two, *Hochschulreife* translates to *suitability for academic education.*
² The separation of bachelor’s and master’s is only around twenty years old in Germany. Most current bachelor’s and master’s programmes originate from a single big programme (Diplom) being split.
Upvotes: 4
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2020/04/24
| 816
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<issue_start>username_0: I am talking with a professor to apply to a postdoc program. I sent a cold email earlier this week and we have exchanged a few emails.
In his last email he sent me some papers to read.
The thing is, I might end up sending my answer on Saturday, after I read the papers. Is this a problem? Should I just send it and wait until Monday for his answer? Maybe send it but include an apology for writing during the weekend? Or should I just wait until Monday to send it?
I usually text everyone during the weekend including my advisor, but I'm not sure if it might be considered rude, and as I do not know the person yet I want to be as careful as possible with etiquette.
Thank you.<issue_comment>username_1: **Email is a form of [asynchronous communication](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asynchronous_communication): it doesn't matter when mail is sent, it can be read whenever pleases the recipient.**
High-ranking professionals should not sacrifice their operational efficiency to avoid the possibility of lower-ranking professionals feeling stressed, overwhelmed, etc. by out-of-hours emails. High-ranking professionals should make lower-ranking professionals aware of work-life balance. Managers and subordinates should discuss expectations.
Technology can help. Email should never raise notifications. (They're too numerous and interfere with flows.) Messaging apps can be segregated: Some for work, others for home. (Signal at work, WhatsApp at home, for instance.) Work apps should only raise notifications during set hours.
**Only individuals can establish their own, "best" work-life balance.**
Upvotes: 8 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: When you are emailing someone with more authority than yourself (as is the case here), I don't see any problem with doing it outside business hours, provided that you don't ask for an urgent reply and don't blame them for not replying during that time. Of course, sending these emails might communicate some side information about yourself (e.g., that you work during week-ends), but this could be interpreted either way ("passionate about your work" vs "poor/unconventional organization") so I wouldn't overthink it. But don't worry about the effect on the recipient -- if they can't answer during the week-end or don't want to be bombarded with emails at that time, they won't have trouble disconnecting.
By contrast, when you are emailing someone and you are the one who has authority, you should consider the risk that emailing outside business hours could be interpreted as an implicit request to read work email outside of business hours, e.g., "I'm working off-hours so you should do it too". If this is a risk, then it can be a good idea to explicitly say in your email or email signature something like "This message does not require a reply outside of working hours" or otherwise clarifying with your subordinates what your expectations are. But that's clearly not the situation here.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: There is an option to "[schedule send](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/9214606?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en)" an email.
If you are afraid you might forget it or **miss some information if you wait till the next weekday**, write an email at that moment and "schedule send" at first hours of next weekday.
If you want to add some information, you can also do that before the scheduled time. This helped me a lot.
Upvotes: 3
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2020/04/24
| 1,947
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<issue_start>username_0: France has a mechanism, named [CIFRE](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/133145/is-there-an-equivalent-in-another-country-of-the-french-cifre), by which a PhD student can be employed by a private company while working on their thesis. This is done in relation with a university or institute, which awards the degree. This is interesting for the student, as they are paid as a junior engineer and have an almost guaranteed industry position at the end.
I may have such an opportunity in the next year or two, in the field of machine learning/computer vision. I work well with my potential advisor and current team, and it's even more interesting in my case, as my past grades and school would not look very good on a PhD application.
If I choose to stay in that company at the end, I'm sure there won't be a problem. But I am not sure of what I will want a few years from now. I would like to keep the door to an academic career open, in case the thesis goes well, and I definitely want to keep good career options in the rest of Europe as well.
Problem
=======
I have sometimes read that this kind of theses is only a good option if one wants to get better career prospects in the same company, and that CIFRE PhD students don't publish enough to be competitive in academia. I have also read that this could be compensated later by doing a good post-doc. These are just random opinions from forum posts, so I don't know what to make of them.
Part of the problem is that the company is small (though successful), the R&D team is very small (though they do interesting research), and I don't know if I would spend most of my time at the company or how many opportunities I would have of collaborating with people at the institute (a quite good one in France, known abroad).
Note that I might be able to get good recommendations, both from researchers who advised a small research project of mine, and from another in my current company. My grades also improved quite a lot near in my last semester, and I have a good justifications for the older ones. I could thus try to apply to "regular" PhD programs abroad, though I'm not sure how much these recommendations can compensate for old bad results.
Question
========
How should I decide if an industry thesis is the right fit for me? If someone knows about this specific kind of industry theses and their career prospects, I would like to hear about it too.<issue_comment>username_1: I guess it would depend on your field but I don't think it hurts your chances. I know at least three people who did a CIFRE PhD and who then got a permanent faculty position a few years after their PhD (this was in applied math and physics). Given how bad the academic job market has been recently, I'd say that this is a pretty good indicator that they were competitive.
On a different note, many French companies have a bad tendency of assuming that applicants with a PhD are out of touch with reality and not fit for "actual jobs" (although this is slowly evolving), so having done your PhD in a "real company" would give an advantage should you choose to not continue in academia after your PhD. You don't have to stay in the company where you did your PhD.
How much of your time you spend at the company and how much time at the research institute will be part of your contract. Usually it's around 50-50. You will definitely work with the researchers of the research institute; that's the whole point.
There is also the obvious question of money. You can easily get a 30-40% higher salary as a CIFRE PhD student than as a non-CIFRE one. For some people it does not matter, for some people it does. I guess it's something to keep in mind, at least.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: From personal experience, and from an academic perspective, CIFRE theses are a mixed bag. In some cases the company is essentially not involved at all in the thesis (e.g., they have no clue how to get involved, and are just doing it for tax optimization purposes, to keep a link with the university/school, or even out of courtesy to them or in exchange for other favors) and then the CIFRE thesis is basically funding for a normal PhD thesis with a company involved on paper (and then you'd better have good supervision on the academic side, like for a normal thesis). In other cases, the company sees the CIFRE mechanism as a way to get access to cheap qualified labor, and overload the student with work which is not always in their best interest (e.g., not publishable), at the expense of their doctoral work.
The expectations around the mechanism are also very different from student to student. Sometimes the student really wants to work at a company, and just wants a PhD to improve their career prospects. Sometimes the student really wants to do academic research, and this is mostly a way to secure funding (which might even be proposed by the academic advisor in they are collaborating already with the company). Sometimes there's real scientific value in a mixed project involving both academia and a company: that's the ideal case, but pretty rare. Sometimes the student is someone from industry which is already used to a high (aka, non-academic) salary and a corresponding cost of living, and the CIFRE mechanism is one way for them to do a PhD without giving up on their current salary. And of course sometimes the reason is that the student is not ready to choose between an academic or industrial career and wants to do something "in the middle" to keep as many options open as possible.
I don't know so much about this mechanism but from what I've heard, I would recommend:
* Discussing with the academic advisor and company advisor to clarify expectations: are they thinking that they would work together with you, or that you would spend your time between them, which kind of ratio, does the company have precise tasks for you that would be useful to them, which role would they take, etc.?
* Being wary about PhD topics that crucially require input from the company (e.g., if your PhD is about analyzing company data, but the company isn't really committed to working with you on this, you could be stuck)
* Probably making sure that you like what the company is doing and would like working with them, even for non-research stuff; or at least clarifying that you won't have to spend too much time on this if you don't want to.
* Choosing your academic advisor and topic carefully, unless you really plan to do most of your work at the company and don't intend to continue in academia afterwards.
Good luck!
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: In addition to username_2's otherwise complete answer, the more likely problem for an academic career after a CIFRE PhD would be a lack of teaching experience.
Academic research positions in France fall broadly into two categories, non-teaching at CNRS and research organizations (CEA, INRIA etc.) and teaching at universities/schools. If you fail to do any teaching at all during your PhD, you will have a very hard time being recruited for the latter. (I would assume your prospects for the former are not changed, and will mostly depend on your publications.)
Most academic PhD positions (in France) include some teaching for a yearly average of about half a day per week (your mileage may vary depending on the time you spend preparing classes, grading assignments etc.). CIFRE positions do not. Some companies may frown upon CIFRE students performing teaching; it may be harder to get in contact with the admin staff at the university to get assignments; but more importantly the practical details can be harder to arrange. In my case, the CIFRE company required on-premise presence from 9:30 to 16:30 (4:30 pm), and was located 45min away from the closest university where I could have taught anything; it would have been near-impossible to arrange for a teaching slot in those conditions.
If you care about keeping the teaching positions route open (I did not), you should discuss with your prospective PhD advisors about how to arrange such a teaching assignment upfront.
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<issue_start>username_0: I can't be sure, but my instinct tells me that I am about to step in a minefield. I want to seek your advice on how to handle the situation. Here is the brief story:
The background: my PhD thesis is almost ready for submission and I am now working on turning it into several publishable papers. I have identified a few potentially suitable outlets, with one of them a special issue in a prestigious journal in our field edited by my advisor's ex-student (who he has been close with and has influences on). One of the essays in my thesis fits perfectly the scope of the special issue that has a deadline 3 weeks. I want to revise my essay to fit the requirements and submit to the special issue, but my advisor has been trying to stop me using three reasons: (1). It takes a long time to write a paper for a top journal and I wouldn't be able to make it; (2). The journal usually publishes highly technical papers and my multidisciplinary mix-method paper does not at all fit methodologically (actually, the special issue calls openly for these types of papers); and (3). If I rush to submit my paper, it'd certainly be rejected and if I then revise and re-submit it to other less prestigious journals, I'd likely run into the same reviewers and be seen very badly in this community. When I told him that I felt comfortable meeting the submission deadline, that I understood the possibility of getting rejected and would take it as a learning experiences, and quoted the section of the "call for paper" that shows my method actually fits the scope, he seemed to lose his temper, became quite upset, and sent me a message saying something like "it doesn't work this way" and another journal (similar level of prestige, but he does not publish there often, and it is edited by other scholars) would be a better fit. His arguments obviously are not convincing to me.
More background: I sent him this essay 6 months ago and he seemed to start working towards this direction since then. Actually, the idea of that special issue might be from him (he as a highly influential academic in this field organized a workshop soon after with many people from different disciplines coming to talk about this topic, and he mentioned back then that he'd write a few papers based on the workshop, probably planning to publish in this special issue). And I also asked for his advice on selecting journals for the other four papers from my thesis, he pointed me to those lower-ranked journals which I think is not a fair evaluation of my work (I have received very positive feedback on my thesis from other academics in our field), neither a good-willed gesture an advisor would show to his students. So I now have the strange feeling that he might be trying to slow down my progress as a young and promising scholar in the same are. He is seen as a world renowned so-called "guru" in this field. I am also concerned that he might have already used my ideas (interesting and new) in the essay that I sent him 6 months ago to write his papers and might have already submitted them to the same special issue.
My question: what should I do now? I feel it is a right thing to do to submit to the special issue. But I am afraid that might expose him if he'd done something unethical (he is about to retire and it is certainly not the most graceful way to go). I am also afraid that he might sabotage my job search for tenure-track positions as he will be one of the two key references for me. However, I also feel strongly about standing up for what I believe is right, and not to tolerate unethical behaviors around me. I think tolerating such exploitation (if it actually exists) would only reinforce such behaviors and empower these human sharks.
Please share your thoughts and offer your advice. Thank you in advance.<issue_comment>username_1: In essence, you're peddling in conspiracy theories: You're claiming some dark motive in your adviser's response for which you have no real proof. You also claim that he might sabotage you, without actually having any concrete evidence nor do you show any reason why he might do so. Moreover, your adviser actually gave you three quite sensible reasons why he thinks that your current plan isn't good that you dismiss out of hand.
Here's the thing about life: If (i) someone says something that actually makes sense, then (ii) that's usually what is actually the case. In your case, I very much believe every reason your adviser gives you: It *genuinely is hard* to write a paper in 3 weeks; I'm going to claim that it's impossible. If he says that the journal generally published a different kind of paper, that's something that can be checked by why not just believe an experienced researcher and author? And finally, if the community is small, you *do* risk running into the same reviewers and your adviser is correct that there is a stigma attached to having reviewed someone's half-finished manuscript. Nearly every other statement by your adviser in your question also seems totally reasonable to me.
So I see no good reason to believe any of your conspiracy theories. I think you fundamentally need to adjust your assumptions about people indeed meaning A when they are saying A.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I am inclined to agree with Wolfgang on this in general. However, it can sometimes happen that senior scholars don’t fully appreciate the career stage of being a junior scholar. Here, it may make sense for you to try for the best journal you can and risk getting rejected as not a good fit. I think there is a distinction between getting rejected for fit and quality. It is not clear if this is being fully considered.
You might try negotiating in one of two ways: you could propose that you spend a week working toward the deadline and see if you get far enough that he agrees you will be able to produce a quality manuscript. And/or you could propose sending it to some third party for a “friendly review” and recommendation on which of the journals to try for. Basically, I would recommend you get to work (rather than make accusations) and the “winner” of this argument will become self-revealing.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: I see no reason to think that anything unethical is happening here. I'm not saying you are definately wrong, these things do happen, but I see no reason to think this is the likely explaination. Unless you have other evidence, i'd be very careful about saying anything to anyone else about these accusations, as you risk turning what is now a slightly irritable difference of opinions into a major breakdown of your relationship with an importnant source of support.
I agree with others. If this journal really is a "top" journal, there is no way you can write a paper in 3 weeks. I say it takes at least 3 months to pull a paper together for a glam journal.
For the fit, I guess it would be possible to do a pre-submission enquirey as to fit. Paritcularly if you already have some professional connection to the editor in charge.
Re-review is a real problem. You don't want to just chuck something in on the off-chance as at best you are burning the people best qualified to judge the work as potential reviewers.
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<issue_start>username_0: A biomedical research area is led worldwide by a certain research group in a particular famous university. They are very productive and advanced, with numerous postgraduate students worldwide, with whom they keep cooperating after their PhDs are finished. They also cooperate with other important universities that have entered their research area. They were basically the pioneers in their area, and put in the public domain some data that is a reference in the field.
Anyone submitting a paper in the same research area will:
1. Use their vast data set (public domain).
2. Have reviewers assigned that belong to, or have belonged to this group.
I accuse these reviewers of systematically rejecting the manuscripts they review, in order to:
1. Bulldoze other groups' advances in the field, thus keeping their dominance.
2. Get their own postgrads working on the ideas of the papers they are reviewing, where a strategy of taking too long to review (and reject) the papers fits well.
What can I do, in order to overcome this predicament?
Of course most of the magazines allow for the authors to list a set of people they would prefer not having as reviewers, but in this case this group contains many researchers, scattered around the world, and there seems to exist a great level of cooperative work and well established alliances.<issue_comment>username_1: The vast majority of scientists are ethical people. To claim that *every single one* in that group is unethical to the point that they gratuitously reject other people's papers does not comport with my view on my fellow scientists.
My approach to getting papers rejected is to make an honest assessment of why the paper was criticized, and then to set out to write better papers. Statistically, journals reject about 2/3 of all papers, so having a world view of "My paper was just not well enough written" is at least not incompatible with empirical evidence, and I find that a far easier perspective on life than to have to assume that all of my colleagues are unethical people.
All of this isn't to say that it never happens that someone behaves unethically -- it almost certainly does -- but that the assumption that everyone does is probably wrong and, moreover, that *it's not productive* to think that way because there is nothing you could do about your fate if that were so. A growth mindset in which you take setbacks as an opportunity to learn and do better -- regardless of the reasons for the setback -- is, in the long run, a more productive approach.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> What can the manuscript proponents do, in order to overcome this predicament?
>
>
>
Publish preprints to claim priority for your ideas.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: There is a good reason to have a high bar to clear for work that isn't in line with the currently accepted scientific standard for a field. This behavior is not inherently unethical. It does, however, suck for people trying to get into a field. It is magnified by the pyramid effect that occurs when an entire subfield is incestuously related through a single major lab. Everyone from that group gets the benefit of the doubt on their work and you don't.
The way in is to find a sympathetic editor and get them to load a reviewer pool with people who are not from the monolith and will give you a fair shake. This is what networking at conferences is for, and doing so is your PI's job. You are not at the career stage where this nonsense is your problem. It isn't the fault of you or your work. It's the fault of your PI to have given you this project in this field they don't have a footprint in and no plan on how to fix that. They've been doing this long enough that they should have known how the science world works.
Upvotes: 2
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<issue_start>username_0: I'm from Europe, for context.
Very soon I will graduate with a Computer Science Master's degree. I have a paper as a first author at one not-so-famous conference, but I also have a paper at a [NeurlIPS](https://nips.cc/) conference as the last author.
After my master's degree, I would like to go into the industry for 5-10 years and then later on pursue a PhD. Assume that I won't publish anything in the period of 5-10 years when I will be in the industry.
We thus get to my question: **Can I do a PhD after being out of academia for 5-10 years?**
I know that I most likely won't be accepted to a prestigious university like Berkley or Harvard, but, that doesn't seem to matter that much, [if I will produce quality work](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/142189/if-i-take-a-phd-from-a-not-so-well-standing-university-will-i-be-less-respected).
What do you think?<issue_comment>username_1: You get no guarantees five or ten years in advance. You can try, of course. But what you do in those years and what happens in the world and in academia makes for too much uncertainty.
Others have done this in the past, of course, but, again, that gives no assurance about the future.
One of the things that will change in the interim is that your income expectations will probably change. Will you want to go back to being a poorly paid doctoral student after bringing in the big money for a while?
If you want to make this happen you will need to make smart decisions constantly to keep the dream alive.
But doing the doctorate immediately provides a much less risky path.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: Yes you can. Absolutely. You'd be very qualified and the industry experience will not be held against you.
But, you probably won't. Not because you wouldn't be able to get into grad school but because you no longer want to do a PhD.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Why would you want to do the PhD?
I don't ask this question to be nasty, but you really do need to know why you want to do it. I am currently working for a PhD in subjects that I have not studied or practised for 50 years (yes! 5-oh).
I could not have afforded to interrupt my reasonably successful professional career to take on academic research that would not have enhanced my subsequent career, but, in my case, having ended my professional career I was free to pursue my academic interests.
I know why I am doing it, and am very happy with that choice, but the crucial thing is to be really clear with yourself about your motives.
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<issue_start>username_0: All the sciences come across as merciless to me. If you make even one statement that turns out to be false, it seems you have no chance of recovering your career. I have heard of plenty of stories of accomplished scientists and academics losing their credentials after making claims that were either rejected from the start or later disproven. I have never heard one story of someone 'redeeming' themselves and gaining respect in any intellectual field. This all makes it look like even so much as a simple mistake can destroy your career forever.
So tell me, is there any route for someone who at some point in their lives supported conspiracy theories or something else obviously false can take to regain respect? I've noticed a lot of psychologists claiming that conspiracy theories are hopeless and impossible to 'cure'. Are the sciences just completely intolerant of imperfection or do they express some mercy?<issue_comment>username_1: You can make honest mistakes, and that is fine. You can do everything right, but based on later data your conclusion could be wrong. This is perfectly fine to. What is really problematic is cheating, either plagiarism or making up data. That is a career killer, and so it should be.
As to pseudoscience or conspiracy theories, it depends on when you supported them and how. If you did that in your teens, then it will raise some eyebrows, but that is in all likelihood all that happens. If you supported them when you should have known better, well then you should have known better...
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: There is a difference between making a scientific mistake if you are trying to honestly follow the evidence and pure intellectual dishonesty. Pushing conspiracy theories is hardly valid science but somehow 'mistaken'.
Lots of people make scientific mistakes and are honest enough to admit it and accept scientific evidence when it emerges.
Lots of other people push (what they call) "theories" with no evidence, but with some sort of political, economic, or societal agenda.
Mistakes don't need "forgiveness". A person just admits that their science was flawed. Perhaps a non-representative sample. But pushing things without valid evidence because of some agenda does require that the person seek forgiveness as they can do great evil. Should we inject Clorox to "cure" covid-19? Evidence? People die for such stupidity. Forgiveness may be slow in coming.
Follow the science and don't worry too much about the fact that mistakes do occur. But you need due diligence in your scientific pursuits. Sloppiness isn't a virtue. You can't just expect to be honored if you are sloppy.
That said, there have been a few people who have "seen the light" after a period of misadventure. They may be able to find a road back to respectability. Some have done, but it is a hard road.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: Let me answer this by turning it around: just because somebody *hasn't* supported obvious bunk doesn't mean they are even vaguely right.
One of the beauties of science is that, at the end of the day, the people don't matter to the validity of the material. As long as a document presents a clear argument, you can evaluate it for yourself, no matter whether it was presented by a known crackpot or a heroically revered elder.
That means that somebody can be ridiculously wrong in one area---even to the degree of crazy conspiracy theories---and still well respected in another, through the magic of mental compartmentalization and cognitive dissonance.
I had a direct experience of this as a young graduate student: one of the early conferences that I attended was a complex systems meeting with a *very* loose policy for acceptance: you basically had to be sane to give a talk, but even crazies could join the poster session. I was all charged up from earlier listening to keynotes from seriously famous luminaries, when I walked into the poster session and met a respected mathematician with a poster explaining the connection between fractals and peace, supported by poems pleading for one to use the hypotenuse and not the legs of the triangle for the sake of peace. Complete gibberish. This person, however, is apparently a well-respected researcher in their own field---they just go off and let their crazy flag fly in certain other places.
That said, if you know that somebody has gone to crazy-town, you certainly would be well advised to examine their arguments and citations quite carefully. Still, at the end of the day, the only truly unrecoverable stain is falsification, because then people can no longer evaluate your arguments without wondering whether the data is simply fictional.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_4: Nobody cares if you make wrong claims, only if you make fraudulent claims. Wrong is part of science. Fraud and pseudoscience nonsense isn't.
As for the effect, it depends on how well-placed the scientist is when the nonsense hits the fan. Many professors will be able to handle committing a moderate amount of fraud because they know people. It's not good for a career, but it's only really hard on early career researchers.
It's hard to prove fraud at all. It took like 3 years and a ton of work from dozens of people to get <NAME> force-retired from Cornell and his entire stupid career was fraud (and he was dumb enough to blow the whistle on himself by accident). We all have to put up with <NAME> being in the news for his idiotic racist nonsense even though he hasn't been a scientist for 20 years.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_5: Pseudoscience and conspiracy theories are one thing, but your opening paragraph reveals a much deeper worry...
>
> All the sciences come across as merciless to me. If you make even one statement that turns out to be false, it seems you have no chance of recovering your career. I have heard of plenty of stories of accomplished scientists and academics losing their credentials after making claims that were either rejected from the start or later disproven. I have never heard one story of someone 'redeeming' themselves and gaining respect in any intellectual field. This all makes it look like even so much as a simple mistake can destroy your career forever.
>
>
>
...which is false. Check out the [doing the right thing](https://retractionwatch.com/category/by-reason-for-retraction/doing-the-right-thing/) category on [RetractionWatch](https://retractionwatch.com/). For example,
1. [“I was shocked. I felt physically ill.” And still, she corrected the record.](https://retractionwatch.com/2020/03/26/i-was-shocked-i-felt-physically-ill-and-still-she-corrected-the-record/)
>
> Strand tells Retraction Watch that the response to her self-lustration has been:
>
>
>
> >
> > incredibly heartening. I didn’t know what kind of reaction this would get, and it has been great to see such support. I wanted to share the story so people could see that admitting a mistake doesn’t necessarily end your career; it’s an added benefit that now people can see the outpouring of support for transparency. This experience would have been less trying if I’d had models of what might happen and how the scientific community would respond. Although this has been a difficult experience, I’ll be very glad if it makes it easier for someone else to do the right thing in the future.
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
2. [“Commendable”: Researchers retract a paper when they find gene sequence errors](https://retractionwatch.com/2019/12/17/commendable-researchers-retract-a-paper-when-they-find-gene-sequence-errors/)
>
> <NAME>, the editor of Virus Evolution, praised both the authors and the researchers who generated the original data and then corrected the sequences:
>
>
>
> >
> > [T]heir openness and responsiveness was commendable.
> >
> >
> > GenBank seqs do occasionally get updated. But it’s perhaps unusual that the seq changes led to such substantial alterations to the conclusions of the paper.
> >
> >
> > My take is that the benefits of genomic data sharing vastly outweigh the occasional costs, such as this. Everyone acted in good faith and the system self corrected quickly.
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
3. [“This is how science works:” Error leads to recall of paper linking Jon Stewart and election results](https://retractionwatch.com/2019/05/14/this-is-how-science-works-error-leads-to-recall-of-paper-linking-jon-stewart-and-election-results/)
>
> As the Twitter feed reflects, Porter and Wood received praise for their handling of the mistake. Here’s a response from one follower, <NAME>:
>
>
>
> >
> > Seeing this is the best moment of my day so far. It seems that everyone involved in this has has done themselves proud. I wish this kind of thing were routine.
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_6: Not my field but a high profile example of an academic mess-up is that of an economic study that turned out to be [faulty because](https://www.theverge.com/2013/4/17/4234136/excel-calculation-error-infamous-economic-study) the authors made an mistake in MS Excel.
And it was not just an academic mistake either because the study was used to base policy on.
As far as i can find on scholar.google.com, the authors are still publishing. Probably their reputation took a dent but it was not the end of two careers.
And it should not be as it was an honest mistake.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_7: No, not until they have been checked and shown to be credible many times in the future. No-one should be accepted as totally credible-ie check the source and the science behind the claim.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_8: Yes, but it will be much harder for him.
In science, you should judge a source by objective criteria and not by authority (who is the author). This means when someone who talks a lot of nonsense writes a good article, this article can be a good source.
But most people will not bother to evaluate an article in depth, when they already know that the author supported pseudoscience and other nonsense in the past.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_9: Due to the difficulty of science there are unfortunately many examples of people who made substantial contributions in one field and then threatened to undermine their reputation (or actually undermined it) by espousing nonsense in some other field.
Jordan made fundamental contributions to QFT and quantum mechanics whilst also spouting theories of geology which were nonsensical.
Broca is known for his discoveries in anatomy and also spouted racist nonsense in his pseudoscientific work on anthropology.
<NAME> famously invented the Heimlich manoeuvre and then undermined his reputation by promoting a treatment called malariatherapy, in which people were intentionally infected with low doses of malaria in the belief that it would cure them of cancer and AIDs. His reputation was so undermined that the American Red Cross now apparently refers to the manoeuvre as the 'abdominal thrust'.
Also the infamous example of <NAME> who did Nobel Prize-winning work on chemistry and then went on to promote pseudoscientific views on the disease-curing properties of large doses of vitamin C.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_10: Genetics, computer science, black holes and extraterrestrial intelligence were all called "pseudoscience" in various places at various times of the history of science. I think it should not be "forbidden topics" in research that ruin the honor if just mentioned.
The only activity that ruins the reputation of the researcher is the intentional falsification of the experimental results. If the work does not follow scientific method in general, the reviewer should care. Publishing something strange in a non scientific press is not a science but just a hobby activities of the researcher and normally should not impact much the reputation.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_11: I would like to provide a counter example showing that belief in crazy ideas doesn't always mean the end of your career. I did my PhD research in the Stanford Biochemistry Department, which was home to [<NAME>ornberg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Kornberg); Nobel laureate for his discovery of DNA Polymerase. In his later career, he became obsessed with inorganic phosphate, which he felt was the [key to understanding the origins of life](https://www.pnas.org/content/101/46/16085). His evidence for this was far from convincing and every year when the faculty would introduce their research to new grad students, you could see all the other faculty cringe as he would introduce his lab.
Despite his eccentric views he was still well respected and frequently asked to speak at other universities. When he did, he refused to talk about anything other than inorganic phosphate and if anyone tried to get him to talk about DNA Polymerase, he would call it a "former distraction" and refuse to talk about it any further. This meant he didn't get a ton of repeat speaking engagements, but he still gave lectures, still was an active researcher in the Biochemistry Department, and still found students willing to research in his lab to have a Nobel laureate on their CV.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_12: I think we have to distinguish between what what we mean by reputation and credentials:
Science doesn't really rely on creditentials or reputation. At least in thoery, papers etc are judge on the merits of the material contained within them, not on the identity of the person submitting them (granted, big names are sometimes given an easier ride, but the problem here is that its too easy for big names, not that its too hard for everyone else).
All science is only an approximation to the truth and any paper will be proved wrong in some aspect, given enough time.
Make a mistake, or support a crazy theory - you will still be able to publish, apply for grants, teach students (as long as your crazy theory doesn't give the impression of wanting to make students unsafe).
But that is science. Scientists also enjoy a certain reputation and authority outside the actaul performing of experiments. They might be asked to weigh in on policy decisions, or speak to the media, or ask to give speeches or write books for the public. They might be asked to move into the senior management of a university to be a head of department, or a dean, or a president etc.
Here supporting pseduo-science, or making serious miskates in your scientific work probabaly does do lasting and difficult to recover from damage.
The difference is, in the first case your authority to make a claim rests on the data, while in the second case you are deriving your authority from your reputation.
Upvotes: 1
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<issue_start>username_0: I openly admit that I am financial illiterate and for most of my life neither know about nor cared about investing. I am currently doing research in a field that is tangentially, but not exactly related to financial mathematics (say physics: a lot of Brownian motions and what not going on).
What has gotten me interested is over time is that I've met many people (who are much younger than me, like 19 years old right out of highschool) who are investing in stocks WHILE doing research. In fact, they appear to know a lot more than I do, which makes me feel a bit self-conscious and inadequate.
What has prevented me from doing the same:
1. Basically no family member or close connections who can guide me. Not born with a silver spoon.
2. Research is a lot of work and requires dedicated focus. Can't imagine rushing a deadline while managing my assets.
3. I literally have not taken a single course in finance, and assumed it would be easy given my extensive graduate school level math background. But I have no idea where to get started.
4. No money. This is one of the key reason. I am your typical 20s something scholarship-living graduate student in North America. If I am investing anything it is my TA stipend or my scholarship itself (which I will need to pay back at the end of the semester). I literally do not have any other income source and cannot even take a hit of a few hundred dollars.
1, 2, 3 I can fix, but I am worried about 4.
**Is there any advice on stock investments during your grad school for people who have tried their hands, especially if you were living as a low-paid graduate student like me?**
**Is it possible to achieve a balance between research, life and managing your finances?**<issue_comment>username_1: Over long time periods the stock market tends upward but with fairly (or even extremely wide) fluctuations. If you get into the market as a young person, your investments will likely grow over the long term. But risky investments, or meme driven investments are contraindicated.
If you have a modest amount of funds that you don't need and are unlikely to need in the foreseeable future, something like "indexed funds" can be a good, safe, investment. They won't make you rich, but you will build a nest egg that you can add to throughout your life.
But it is helpful to have a financial advisor. And you need to know whether they have a "fiduciary" relationship with you. If so, they have to agree that any changes made to your portfolio are made in your interest, not their own. There are dishonest brokers who will "churn" your account to generate fees, and you never seem to advance.
Depending on where you are, real estate may be an even better deal. Like stocks, real-estate tends to appreciate over a long term. If you are in a reasonable housing market buying a house early can save you rent and build equity. But you also need to be aware of real-estate taxes in many places.
But, think long term, not get-rich-quick.
---
Advice from a master:
Don't gamble; take all your savings and buy some good stock and hold it till it goes up, then sell it. If it don't go up, don't buy it.
-- <NAME>
Upvotes: 1 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Don't even think about investing until you've saved an emergency fund enough to cover at least 3 to 6 months (and perhaps a year) of living expenses.
Due to exponential growth, investing earlier does have huge advantages, but for PhDs in many fields you make more than enough after PhD that you will be able to invest enough to retire comfortably even if you save nothing before you get your PhD, so there's no reason to be stressed about this until you graduate. And you may need your emergency fund for the time between graduation and your first job. Once you have your first job out of graduate school and have saved an emergency fund then you can think about this.
Upvotes: 2
|
2020/04/24
| 554
| 2,277
|
<issue_start>username_0: For a project, I noticed really around an hour or so before my deadline was due that some of my graphs lacked units when I labeled the axes. In the interest of time, I decided to add units to the plots manually using photoshop. The deadline has now passed, and I’m worried if this is considered academic misconduct or something. The data I used complies with the labels I gave the graphs manually, and I haven’t done anything to change my data in any way with the image editing program other than to simply add the units of some of the labels. The only thing I’ve done is to write the axes labels myself instead of telling Python to.
I can’t find any policy on this on my university website. Should I be worried? Could this be considered falsification of data or some other form of academic misconduct), even if the units I’m adding are literally the appropriate units?<issue_comment>username_1: My interpretation of the question is:
>
> I was told it is unethical to photoshop my data. Is it ethical to use Photoshop software to make a graph?
>
>
>
The choice of software used is completely irrelevant to the ethics of any scientific image. You can use python, Photoshop, or crayon. If the image is drawn correctly, it is okay.
If the contents of the image is false, that is never okay. It is much worse if it is deliberately false. When people say it is unethical to photoshop, they mean that it is unethical to lie. They do not mean you cannot make truthful images using the Photoshop brand software.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: It depends on the nature of the assignment. If the assignment required you to use Python to produce these plots, and you were being evaluated by how well you used Python, then yes, altering the output later in Photoshop *and not disclosing such* could be considered academic misconduct. Based on the comments to your post, it sounds like you *did* disclose this to your professor, in which case you haven't committed misconduct.
If the assignment was just to produce plots, but you weren't being evaluated on your proficiency using a specific software, then I would completely agree with [this other answer](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/148233/43984) that there is no issue here.
Upvotes: 2
|
2020/04/25
| 1,067
| 3,951
|
<issue_start>username_0: I have received a job offer for a full-time contract position at a college in the US. The offer says that my salary will be $70,000/year for nine months’ employment payable over a period of twelve months. I received my offer not long ago, and although I will most likely accept the job, I didn't want to ask immediately about salary issues because I didn't want my first interaction after receiving the offer to be about money.
Since I am not familiar with university payment/hiring practices, which one of the following options is the correct one:
a) I will be employed for 9 months, then my salary will be ($70,000\*9 months)/(12 months\*1/year) =
**$52,500/year**
And since it is paid over 12-months, then my monthly salary before taxes will be **$4,375/month**.
b) Or is it simply **$70,000/year** paid over 12 months, that is, **$5,833/month** before taxes.
The wording of this is confusing and even my (non-US based) accountant is confused about what the salary will be.
**Update:** 7 days after posting this question, I have confirmed that the salary is $70k/year.<issue_comment>username_1: In my experience it is always B
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: This is a common type of arrangement for US faculty jobs, and in my understanding exists to allow supplementary summer salary from other sources (e.g. grants). The stated figure is the actual salary, but it is paid throughout the year instead of only during the 9 months of the academic year where your duties take place.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: **Option B**.
Typically this confusing language reflects that you only have to teach for 9 months, and your salary is tied to your teaching responsibilities. So the university gives you $7777/month for 9 months and $0 for the other three. You can then supplement your income for the remaining three months. In particular, many research grants allow you to cover part or all of your own summer salary at your usual rate -- so if you win such a grant, you can actually gross $7777 every month and end up making a total of $93K per year.
In your case (perhaps because it's a teaching college and research grants are unusual?), they will "pay the salary over 12 months," which works out to $5833/month. This will save you the trouble of having to set money aside during the year and use it during the summer.
Note, your college may still require you to be "productive" over the summer (for certain values of "productive"). For that matter, they may provide the opportunity to take on additional paid work (i.e., teaching summer classes).
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_4: Not relevant to this question, but perhaps relevant to others that might come here.
In the UK, it would probably mean A: A university techer positon might be grade 7, which attracts a base salary of £32k a year, but some university teachers are only paid for 9 months of the year, so they are only paid £24k. But it make it easier for them to budget, the university will pay them £2k a month for 12 months. This also applies to high school teachers in the UK I think.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_5: I understand your reluctance to ask directly about salary. But I don't think it would be amiss to say that you were uncertain of the details of the offer, and could they please clarify exactly what it meant. There is absolutely nothing wrong or pushy about wanting to be completely clear on the terms.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_6: There's a lot of answers that go into much more detail, but the answer seems without a doubt, right here in your own question:
>
> "The offer says that my salary will be **$70,000/year** for nine
> months’ employment payable over a period of twelve months."
>
>
>
Therefore:
* You will be getting $70,000
* You will be working for 9 months
* But it will still take you 12 months to receive the full $70,000.
Congratulations on the job by the way!
Upvotes: 3
|
2020/04/25
| 1,684
| 6,850
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am an undergrad student and one of my professors is saying that we will be using Examity for the final exam.
I am concerned with downloading this software on my computer for various reasons, including security (a simple look at their [privacy policy](https://examity.com/product-privacy-policy/) is enough to warrant extreme suspicion) and privacy (although a weaker argument, it doesn't feel ok for someone to demand that they be able to watch me in my home). I also only have one computer with some files that are quite sensitive and risking this by being forced to download Examity is difficult for me to swallow.
In fact, my college (along with various others within our university) has emailed all the faculty (to the best of my knowledge) discouraging the use of Examity and other proctoring tools like this. Yet it has been 2 days since this email has gone out and my professor has not retracted the statement on the course website that we will be using Examity.
While I realize that the professor may have forgotten to take this notice down, I cannot seem to find the right words to ask her this while not seeming rude.
What actions can I take to confirm that she does not intend to use Examity? If she still intends to use it, what can I do?
UPDATE: I followed the below advice and emailed the prof detailing my concerns. A couple days after that, the professor withdrew the Examity requirements.<issue_comment>username_1: >
> Yet it has been 2 days since this email has gone out and my professor has not retracted the statement on the course website that we will be using Examity.
>
>
>
I think your concerns are reasonable. But I think you should give your professor a few more days to react. Keep in mind that professors may get thousands of emails.
You could write at a later date:
>
> Dear Prof.,
>
>
> I appreciate your efforts to promote exam integrity, but I prefer not to use Examity because I am concerned this company might take my private data. Dean Whatsit said using Examity is discouraged. May I take the exam without this software?
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
>
>
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: If you can suggest a solution to your professor rather than just a problem you might get a better outcome. Do some evidence gathering and then email your professor ccing any other relevant people involved in the administration of this exam stating that you have serious concerns about the integrity of Examity and give your reasons. Then suggest an alternative. I do not know if Moodle's safe exam browser would be preferable to you (<https://docs.moodle.org/38/en/Safe_exam_browser>)?
If you are worried about sensitive files on your computer then create a new user account and do all your professional work including this exam from that account. If you are really worried then get hold of a different computer with factory settings restored or where it doesn't matter if worst comes to worst and you get full on hacked (for which I guess the risk is quite low anyway, no?)
Ask your colleagues taking the exam if they are also concerned and, if some of them share your concerns, send the email from all of you or if you have a representative get them to send the email stating that it is on behalf of x number of concerned students.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: If you read my answer to [this question](https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/147884/40589) you will see that I don’t have a fanatically pro-privacy view about such things. I do understand where your professor is coming from. On the other hand, I don’t think your objections are unreasonable. In fact they seem reasonable enough that I think emailing the professor to ask about this is quite appropriate, although by no means guaranteed to produce the outcome you want.
Here is a suggested draft email.
>
> Dear Professor,
>
>
> I am writing about the exam next week. I understand that you plan to require students taking the exam to use Examity. Were you aware of the recent guidelines from our college [*insert links*] and several of the other colleges at our school [*insert links*] strongly discouraging the use of Examity? The issue is that this service is highly problematic from the point of view of privacy and computer security, and moreover, is widely believed to be ineffective as it can be easily defeated in any number of ways by would-be cheaters, as documented, for example, here [*add link*].
>
>
> Personally, I have several principled as well as practical objections to being required to install and run the Examity software on my home computer as a condition to being allowed to take the exam (I’d be happy to explain them in a follow-up email if that helps). Would you consider waiving this requirement or discussing an alternate arrangement that would allow me (and, ideally, all other students in the class) to take the exam without the use of this problematic service that even our campus administration disapproves of?
>
>
> Just to be clear, I am an honest student and have no desire or intention to cheat.
>
>
> Thanks,
>
>
> user760900
>
>
>
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: It's being noted in the comments that programs like this often have VM-detection. If that's the case, this likely won't work.
---
>
> If she still intends to use it, what can I do?
>
>
>
If in the end you are required to use the software, and there's no other reasonable path than to use it, consider setting up a Virtual Machine that you install the software on instead. It's basically a computer in software that is a completely separate entity from the host computer that it's running on. It can even be isolated so that it isn't able to communicate to other computers on the network, or the host computer that it's on.
You'd need two things:
* Software to host the virtual machine.
* An ISO of Windows (or whatever OS it requires)
For the first, I personally like [VMWare](https://www.vmware.com/). I get the Pro version free because of the school I'm enrolled in. Your school may have a similar program in place. There are likely free alternatives as well, or at least one that offers a trial period.
For the second, Microsoft offers up versions of Windows to be used for teaching/educational purposes. They can be downloaded [here](https://azureforeducation.microsoft.com/devtools) if your school is affiliated.
Install the Windows ISO onto the VM, run the standard Windows setup like you'd always do, and you'll have yourself a fresh, isolated computer that can be destroyed when you're done with it.
The major problem with this is there's a possibility that VMware will interfere with Examity's ability to access the webcam/other devices (if it requires such access). You'd want to test it ahead of time to ensure its working as expected.
Upvotes: 2
|
2020/04/25
| 445
| 1,864
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am a PhD student , and I am in my first year, started four months ago<issue_comment>username_1: I would suggest that the easier path is to work with your advisor to find a different problem, related or not. In some ways you are lucky to learn of this now, rather than in a year.
You haven't wasted four months, I hope, but rather have learned some things about research and about your field.
If the other work is recent then I would guess that there is other work going on on that topic, so that some minor change in direction or approach might also get scooped. Being in a hot field is pretty nice, but there is a lot of parallel work going on.
For other reasons it isn't unusual to take a while to find a suitable problem. I had that experience. I worked on one problem (math) that was so easy that I got theorems proved every day. Too easy, so no significance. Then I worked on a problem for a while for which no insight or advancement could be had. Too hard, so a long term investment at best. The third problem was the charm. Significant and do-able. But each problem taught me things, so the time and effort wasn't wasted.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: **Ask your advisor**. Your advisor:
* Is likely to be the person most familiar with the direction your thesis is supposed to take, and therefore able to advise on how to modify it
* Is likely to be much more experienced than you and therefore better-positioned to decide what to do next
* Is likely to care enough to provide you with that advice
* You can't do anything without your supervisor's approval anyway
It's possible you'll end up changing topics (since it's only been four months anyway), you might find that the previous work isn't exactly the same as yours, etc. But this is all speculation. Ask your advisor and figure it out from there.
Upvotes: 2
|
2020/04/25
| 439
| 1,835
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am working on some project, in which I would like to find articles where they use some computer code to treat data, and the used datasets and code is totally available (github, personal website, etc). So I go to Scopus, Google Scholar, ISI Web of Science, etc, but I do not find a good strategy for this purpose. I try to add keywords to the search like "code available" or "github", but it does not always yield accurate results. I also know that some journals force papers to give datasets and code, but do not know how to find these exact journals in my domain. So, what is the best strategy for finding articles that share code and datasets?<issue_comment>username_1: [paperswithcode.com](https://paperswithcode.com/).
It contains publications and the corresponding code.
Most top computer science conferences ask for relevant supplementary material, which includes code. Many papers (atleast in Computer Vision/Machine Learning) which are published in top venues contain links to the code as well.
Many professors also maintain public git repos, which contains the code for their publications. You can search on Github or go to the homepage of the professor to find the link.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: [zenodo.org](https://zenodo.org/) is a repository that enables one to index code hosted on Github. Most probably you would find a Zenodo DOI associated in the supplementary material. If not, I've seen some journals like [RSC Analyst](https://www.rsc.org/journals-books-databases/about-journals/analyst/), putting the link along with the research article on their site.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: [Journal of Statistical Software](https://www.jstatsoft.org/index) and [R Journal](https://journal.r-project.org/) both require replication materials for all papers.
Upvotes: 0
|
2020/04/25
| 698
| 2,788
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am in the process of writing my PhD thesis and it happens to be during the global pandemic crisis. My submission date was supposed to be June 2020 (we are in April 2020), but my supervisor has been kind enough to extend it to September 2020 due to the current circumstances so as to give me more time. However, I feel completely burnout, and I'm scared it will evolve into a depression.
I don't live in the country of my origin, so I am away from my family, support system and anything familiar. I also have a tendency to feel lonely and get stuck inside my head but I went to therapy when I first moved to where I am now and made so much progress. Normally, I have things under control, I go to the gym regularly, and hang out with friends on weekends, play basketball, go on hikes, maintain a relationship with my colleagues at the institute, and volunteer, which all help.
But since we are in quarantine, the isolation and the PhD stress are taking their toll on me, and I feeling super unmotivated, lonely, and defeated. I have extreme self-doubt and pretty much a negative outlook on my personal and professional life. I cry daily and I feel physically exhausted even though I have been getting enough rest and sleep. I try to write, but I can't concentrate. And the more I don't make any progress, the more anxious I become. This is in addition to the feeling of just wanting to be done with this phase and moving forward with other things in life. I feel stuck.
I don't know what to do, and I'm scared it would evolve into depression. What can I do before things spiral out of control?<issue_comment>username_1: [paperswithcode.com](https://paperswithcode.com/).
It contains publications and the corresponding code.
Most top computer science conferences ask for relevant supplementary material, which includes code. Many papers (atleast in Computer Vision/Machine Learning) which are published in top venues contain links to the code as well.
Many professors also maintain public git repos, which contains the code for their publications. You can search on Github or go to the homepage of the professor to find the link.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: [zenodo.org](https://zenodo.org/) is a repository that enables one to index code hosted on Github. Most probably you would find a Zenodo DOI associated in the supplementary material. If not, I've seen some journals like [RSC Analyst](https://www.rsc.org/journals-books-databases/about-journals/analyst/), putting the link along with the research article on their site.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: [Journal of Statistical Software](https://www.jstatsoft.org/index) and [R Journal](https://journal.r-project.org/) both require replication materials for all papers.
Upvotes: 0
|
2020/04/25
| 570
| 2,468
|
<issue_start>username_0: Consider an advanced, specialized, undergrad course. Students are divided into two sections. Each section is taught by a different professor. Both professors follow the same syllabus and textbook (or they are expected to do so to a lrage extent). Do you think they must provide the same exams (i.e. students of each section are given the same exam questions)? Or is it enough for the professors to coordinate and share views, suggestions, etc. and each one can have the freedom to write their own exam for their section? What is the policy in your University?<issue_comment>username_1: For advanced courses, I've never had such a policy imposed or used, but it likely happens. For first year courses, it is common for students to have the same exam, but to take it at the same time and be graded together by the (large set of) TAs. First year Calculus, for example.
But it might be a mistake to give the same exam to different groups at different times or days. It is an invitation to cheat. So, if such a policy were in place, it would seem to be a requirement that a common exam time be made. That may be possible and desirable. Coordination between professors is probably desirable, even if they each use their own questions and deviate a bit.
This is a US view, where grades overall are normally given for somewhat large ranges of achievement. It isn't desirable if a student can do well in one section but would do poorly in the same course taught by another professor. And even using the same exam is no guarantee of equal results if they are graded by people with different philosophies.
---
I'll also note that two such courses may not proceed in lock step for a variety of reasons, such as the teaching skill and/or philosophy of the professor or even differences in the ability of the students in the sections. Even with random selection of students to sections there can be differences and, in some situations, there can be large differences. So, some judgement is needed about how to conduct the exams.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: Is there a room where all candidates can sit the same exam?
Two different exams covering the same material with different questions to the same standard does happen.
In fact sometimes I have to do 3 exams for the same course due to room availability and numbers of students...
It is usually the grading criteria that makes the difference, at least that is what I find.
Upvotes: 0
|
2020/04/25
| 1,120
| 4,447
|
<issue_start>username_0: Suppose I'm doing some experimental work in an academic context. The essence of the results will likely be captured by documents such as conference/journal articles, technical reports, a M.Sc. or Ph.D. thesis, a monograph etc. For these kinds of artifacts, we have all sorts of avenues for long-term archiving and Internet availability: Journals have their own archives, universities make internal publications available (well, sometimes), and you can put copies on arXiv and/or sites like ResearchGate or Academia.edu (although the latter have their problems).
If you've produced software code - you can again use university-specific facilities, or platforms like BitbBucket, GitHub or SourceForge which recently revamped itself into relevance.
Where would you put raw data, though? Especially tabular data? You don't publish the (potentially large amounts) of it alongside your papers. You could put it as a file on your website, but this is limited-availability archiving/publications - it's like putting a link to a software source archive on your website. It's there, but people are much less likely to find it than if it were a repository on one of the platforms mentioned above.
So, my question is: Are there platforms for storing public data, in particular data obtained during academic/scientific work?
Notes:
* It doesn't quite matter if the data is accessible directly as though on an SQL database; or if you can browse it in a tabular fashion through some web interface. Those are nice options, but even something "primitive" as a CSV file in a standard-format URL is already passable.
* Same goes for versioning or revision-control support: Nice to have, not a deal-breaker for a potential answer here.
* Publications don't need to have a perma-link to the data, nor will it necessarily be archived before such publications. But again - it's a nice feature such a platform could have.
* [This question](https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/987/7319) is highly related - almost a dupe - if you look at the title, but the body asks different questions than I do. I don't want/need the data to count as a "paper" or a CV-worthy publication; I don't need/want peer-reviewing of the data as a condition for it being available to the public etc.<issue_comment>username_1: Do you know about zenodo which is a CERN initiative? It may be interesting for you <https://about.zenodo.org/>
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: One solution that seems to fit your criteria is the **[Open Science Framework](https://osf.io/)**
Here is a description of the project ([source](https://osf.io/4znzp/wiki/home/)):
>
> OSF is a free, open source web application that connects and supports
> the research workflow, enabling scientists to increase the efficiency
> and effectiveness of their research. Researchers use OSF to
> collaborate, document, archive, share, and register research projects,
> materials, and data. OSF is the flagship product of the non-profit
> Center for Open Science.
>
>
>
Regarding the specific criteria that you mentioned:
* "OSF has built-in version control for all files stored in your project, can render hundreds of different file types, and allows you to directly edit plain text files (including R and Python scripts) directly in the browser." ([source](https://help.osf.io/hc/en-us/articles/360019971574-Version-Control))
* "Each project and component can have its own set of files, allowing you to organize your files into categorial or hierarchical groups, like datasets or studies. Each file has a unique, persistent URL so that it can be cited or linked to individually." ([source](https://help.osf.io/hc/en-us/articles/360019930613-upload-files))
* "OSF is maintained and developed by the Center for Open Science (COS), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. COS is supported through grants from a variety of supporters, including federal agencies, private foundations, and commercial entities... COS established a $250,000 preservation fund for hosted data in the event that COS had to curtail or close its offices. If activated, the preservation fund will preserve and maintain read access to hosted data. This fund is sufficient for 50+ years of read access hosting at present costs. COS will incorporate growth of the preservation fund as part of its funding model as data storage scales..." ([source](https://help.osf.io/hc/en-us/articles/360019737894-FAQs))
Upvotes: 0
|
2020/04/25
| 472
| 2,127
|
<issue_start>username_0: Postdocs are considered on regular path for tenure track position. What about a candidate that did one postdoc and then moved to an associate research scientist position instead of a second postdoc? Are there any inherent bias against these candidates who applying for regular tenure-track positions? Do the faculty search committee evaluate them fairly ?<issue_comment>username_1: Candidates for tenure track jobs are typically assessed on the quality of their research outputs and on their contributions to education and academic administration. The particular career pathway should not play any role as long you do high-quality research and publish it in top tier journals in your field.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I don't see any reason based on what you have said to make any distinction between the two candidates. Not all post docs are a golden ticket.
How much research counts at all depends on the institution, with it being only somewhat important at prestigious teaching colleges and the end all at top research institutions. I'll assume you are seeking a job at a research sort of place, R1 or R2 in the US.
Depending on the field and specialty, people may have to depend on just counting things like papers and citations and looking at the reputation of journals and such. That might be the case if you were bringing something truly new to a department. But in other places, one or two of the faculty might actually read one or two of your papers, especially if you will be joining a specialized research seminar and especially so if you are joining a specialized lab with a clear focus. They will need to work with you and so need some sense about what you can do specifically.
Do they judge them fairly? That is a harder question. Apples often have to be compared to oranges (kumquats) and a judgement call is often made. Sometimes, I've seen the senior faculty do a bit of horse trading. I'll vote for Sue Supersmart this round, but want your support for someone for my group in the next. It can actually be much more cooperative than that sounds, actually.
Upvotes: 2
|
2020/04/26
| 1,881
| 8,291
|
<issue_start>username_0: This week I was accused of cheating on two online exams in two separate classes.
Both professors are claiming the lockdown browser recordings show "evidence" of me cheating. When I asked them what the evidence was and why I was being accused they stated that it is in the video and has been sent to the honor council for review. I did not have any extra papers, cell phone, iPads, etc. There was also a baby monitor in front of me because I have a baby at home and no one else was there to watch. We were allowed scratch paper and I used it heavily to the side of my desk but that is it.
I'm assuming my writing/reading what I wrote caused me to be out of frame for too long or I was looking down for too long. Is this enough to convict me of cheating? I am facing failed courses and expulsion.
### UPDATE
Regardless of my innocence. I now believe that my university is not giving me a fair due process.
This excerpts below are from the university handbook regarding academic dishonesty and a FL law that applies to all public universities.
>
> The student shall be provided with written notice of the violations against him/her in sufficient detail and in sufficient time to prepare for a hearing or meeting before an appropriate committee, hearing body, or designated University official;
>
>
> The University shall establish a minimum number of days in advance of the hearing or meeting to present the written notice of violations, but in no case will this notice be less than five (5) business days, except in cases of emergency hearings as specified below;
>
>
> The student and his/her advisor may inspect all of the information that will be presented against the student at least three (3) business days before the student disciplinary hearing or meeting, except in cases of emergency hearings where the student may inspect the information at least one (1) business day prior to the hearing.
>
>
>
I did not receive a letter outlining my offenses, I instead received an email stating that my hearing is on Thursday. That is 1 business day from my professors accusing me and 3 business days from notice of my hearing. I still have not been told what I did wrong and I am expected to defend myself.<issue_comment>username_1: First thing you may want to do now is to read and understand the policies of your university related to how academic misconduct cases are processed. You may receive support from Student Support or similarly called unit in your university.
Typically the process goes like this: professors suspect a group of students of academic misconduct and file forms to the relevant person (responsible for academic misconduct). They quickly go through and decide which cases to dismiss instantly, and which to pass on to the misconduct committee panel.
If your case goes to the panel, you will be asked to come and respond to the evidence. Normally, it is sufficient to provide a brief explanation like the one you provided in you question here. A sensible panel will then dismiss the case without a penalty.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Here is some general advice for when you are the subject of a an allegation of wrong-doing in the context of a university misconduct matter. Here is some [general advice on dealing with accusations of cheating/misconduct](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/159148/159149#159149).
Universities have procedures in place that create an orderly process for determining the nature of the allegation, obtaining relevant evidence, hearing the matter and making a determination. There is no sense in speculating on what it is that you are alleged to have done, or what the evidence of the allegation is, prior to being given this information in the formal process. Any misconduct process that comports with the requirements of due-process will provide you with a written statement of the allegation against you, and show you the evidence that supports that allegation. For a formal process of this kind, you should do the following:
* Read all the relevant university policies relating to the process you are involved in, and identify the requirement to provide you with the allegation made against you, and the relevant points where you are given the opportunity to respond to allegations. Make sure you are familiar with the process, so that you know what rights you have and what you are required to do.
* Ensure that you do not provide any statement or evidence unless and until you have been provided with a *written statement of the allegation* against you, clearly stating what you are alleged to have done wrong, and the evidence that supports this allegation. If you are asked to provide a statement or evidence prior to this, you should decline, and tell the relevant officials that you will respond after you have been provided with the statement of complaint against you. If you are called in for a meeting or hearing prior to receiving this statement, you should decline to attend. Alternatively, if you decide to attend, do not provide any information, and again simply state that you will respond after you have had an opportunity to review the written statement of complaint against you. (Also, do not respond contemporaneously in the meeting if they give you this statement; take at least a day to review and think about the matter.)
* As a general rule, stay calm and be patient enough to wait for the written statement of complaint and evidence to be presented to you, and do not make any preliminary attempt to speculate on what the allegation or evidence might be. Do not be goaded into making any statement or giving any evidence until you have read the complaint against you, and a description of the evidence, and had time to think about how you want to respond.
* Universities should have misconduct procedures that provide due process to the person accused of wrong-doing. Legal requirements for this differ according to the country and jurisdiction, and whether the university is private or public. (Public universities are generally bound by constitutional rules that are operative on the government.) For example, in US public universities, the defendent is generally entitled to notice of the allegations against them and a description of the evidence for those allegations (see e.g., *Dixon v. Alabama State Board of Education* 294 F.2d 150). In the event that your university either will not provide you with a written statement of the allegation, or expects you to provide pleadings or evidence prior to this, you should generally refuse, and put the university on notice that you expect lawful due-process.
* Finally, notwithstanding the importance of due process, it is my view that if you are accused of some misconduct that you have in fact done, you should have the honesty and integrity to admit to that misconduct and take the resulting penalty, even if the misconduct would not have been proven. This is a good way to develop good character and hold yourself accountable for your actions. Others may take a more legalistic view, and you should feel free to use your own judgment, but I would recommend this principle.
* **Regarding your update:** You need to calm down and take a deep breath. This situation falls directly within the scope of the above advice, and it is easy to handle. Since you have not been given the required written notice of the allegation, email the lead investigator and draw their attention to this requirement. Tell the investigator that you require written notice of the allegation and a description of the evidence, and that this should be provided to you at least five days in advance of the hearing. Tell the investigator in advance that you decline to attend the hearing, on the basis of lack of notice of the allegation against you.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: One should know that these "lockdown browser monitors" use a pretty loopy artificial intelligence to "determine" cheating behavior. I tested such a system in January, it was absolutely laughable what the system was reporting. Also, we managed to hack it in under 10 minutes. Your student council should be involved in deciding if such things should even be used, as they can produce both false positives and false negatives.
Upvotes: 1
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<issue_start>username_0: In Germany, is it possible for a PhD student to be co-supervisor of a master thesis?<issue_comment>username_1: By and large, **yes**.
The conditions for master thesis supervision are specified in the examination regulations of the considered department. Generally, there is a big variety between the regulations of different departments, so it's always worth having a look at them.
In all cases I'm aware of, PhD students can act as co-supervisors of master theses. Usually it's required that a professor is formally specified as the main advisor, both in the formal proposal and on the title page of the thesis document. The PhD student can be specified as an co-advisor on the title page.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: **Yes**, with some notes on terminology here (from a viewpoint of computer science, in case there are differences by discipline):
**Prüfer:** In Germany, the person who is formally in charge of the thesis on the university's side is typically called the "Prüfer" (literally: the "examiner"). This is usually a professor. They are the one who are logged as the official person supervising and grading the thesis in the exam office.
In practice, it is well possible the student never has any contact with the Prüfer except during the final presentation/defence.
**Betreuer:** Then, there typically is a "Betreuer" (literally: the "adviser" or "tutor"). They have likely had some influence on the thesis topic (if it wasn't them writing down the task description in the first place - to be greenlit by the "Prüfer"), will regularly be in touch with the student (e.g. by means of weekly status meetings), and has a deep understanding of the topic the student writes about.
This "Betreuer" may very often be a doctoral candidate whose own work (either their doctoral thesis research or some project their position is funded from) is in some way related to the Bachelor/Master thesis - as in, the Bachelor/Master thesis could be seen as a sub-project of the "Betreuer"'s topic, which the "Betreuer" may then be able to cite in their own work.
**Authority of the "Betreuer":** Behind the scenes, the "Betreuer" will write a brief report and grade suggestion for the "Prüfer" at the end of the thesis, often including not only aspects from the resulting thesis document, but also the general impression of the student's enhusiasm and skill level when it came to driving the Bachelor/Master thesis forward. Other than that, the "Betreuer" will take little "administrative" action on their own in that if anything goes wrong (student refuses to communicate, thesis task proves unsolvable, ...), they will usually consult with the "Prüfer" on how to proceed.
Upvotes: 4
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<issue_start>username_0: Let's say an associate professor of Math makes 120k per year USD in a United States university and takes an affiliate professor position in the Quantitative Biology department. Would they get additional salary for doing so, or is it simply more responsibility for no incremental salary, kind of like service work?<issue_comment>username_1: It is probably taken as part of their contracted teaching load, but as you don’t have the details of that contract you won’t know for sure.
We had a professor from the maths dept teaching in our engineering dept...
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: I have never heard of a joint appointment in a second department being tied to a salary increase. It’s possible that in some rare situations such an increase will be negotiated as part of the deal for a professor to take on a joint appointment, but generically, the answer to the title question is “no”.
On the other hand, the answer to “or is it simply more responsibility for no incremental salary, kind of like service work?” is also “no”. Being a joint appointee does not involve “more responsibility”, rather it’s more accurate to describe it as a shift in responsibilities. Professors without a joint appointment already have a full time job, so they cannot increase their responsibilities (at least in a formal sense, and to a large extent also in a practical sense). If a professor takes on a joint appointment in another department, it’s likely because the professor simply likes the idea of being involved in the other department because their interests are aligned with that move, in the sense that the professor wants to have collaborations with other people in that department, wants to advise students in that department, wants to teach courses offered by that department, or similar things. But they had a full time job before the change in appointments, and they have a full time job after the change in appointments, so the total amount of work they are expected to do overall does not change.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]
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<issue_start>username_0: There is a result R and teams T and U.
Team T submitted into a journal result R, but not on Arxiv. Team U then submitted result R to Arxiv, without knowing about the submission of Team T. Team U also submitted to a journal after publishing on Arxiv but got rejected. Now the paper of Team T is already published, but later than the Arxiv submission of Team U.
What should or can the Team U do?<issue_comment>username_1: I'm guessing here that the team T finished first and submitted. The fact that you (assuming "you" = U) didn't know about it doesn't give you priority. The paper might have been in the works and under review for a long time.
Team U seems to have been later even though their result was visible generally earlier. I doubt that a journal would want to retract based on an arXiv version by someone else. Almost certainly the journal editor and, possibly, reviewers saw T's work before the arXiv version of U.
Congratulate team T. See if there are opportunities for collaboration on future projects since you are on the same trajectory.
But this is one of the dangers of working on hot problems. There is likely to be other work going on simultaneously.
Get your follow-up paper submitted STAT.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: 1. Team U can genuinely claim the following in a future version of their article:
"After making our result publicly available on arXiv, we became aware of a similar result obtained in \cite{teamTresultPublishedPaper}."
2. Team U can congratulate team T and ask the following:
"Dear Team T, congratulation on your result R in journal J. As you may be aware, we have been working independently on a similar result as your recently published paper; our article was available on arXiv on Sept 2019. We were planning on acknowledging your independently obtained result in the next revision on our article, and we were wondering if you would agree to do the same." As pointed out in the comment, **this is potentially obnoxious, and might not have any benefits**.
3. Team U can submit to paper to the same journal that accepted team T's paper. "Dear Editor, we have noticed a recently published article by team T in your journal on result R. The same result was obtained independently by our team and made public on Sept 2019, a few months before team T's result was publicly available. We are wondering about the journal policy regarding publication of two papers that prove the same result, when the public record shows that the results were obtained independently and contemporaneously."
Alternatively, instead of asking the Editor on the possibility of such submissions, Team U may directly submit the article to the same journal with a cover letter asking to be considered.
4. If members of team T were referees for the paper of Team U (the paper that was eventually rejected), this may constitute a conflict of interest. If a reviewer reviews a paper that proves the same result as an article written by the reviewer not yet public but currently under review, the reviewer should at least declare this as a conflict of interest during the review. Of course, reviewers are anonymous so there is no way for team U to know. Team U may contact the Editor that rejected the journal, saying "Dear Editor, thanks for your consideration for our submission XXX that was rejected on $RejectDate. After the submission of our article to your journal, the same result was published and made public by Team U in OtherJournal. We are wondering if you could double check that no conflict of interest among the reviewers hindered the review process." **this is potentially obnoxious, and might not have any benefits**.
Beyond these, team U should try to have their result published. Team U can certainly claim the result in their CV, research statement etc.
There are numerous cases of independently obtained results in hot fields and many papers actually include a sentence as in 1. above. When that happens, curious readers and historians can lookup arXiv or other public repositories (e.g. PhD thesis, etc) to check the actual timeline.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: >
> What should or can the Team U do?
>
>
>
Team U should improve their paper and try to publish it again. Be sure to cite your competition. It would be an ethical obligation, even if their paper had also been rejected, because the citation will make it easier to understand your paper.
The value of being first to publish is exaggerated. An ethical journal will publish replication studies without regard to claims that the replication was developed first. Most authors will cite papers because they are helpful, without regard to which paper was first.
Disputes about priority are petty and best avoided.
The fact that both teams got the same result is very good for science.
Upvotes: 2
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<issue_start>username_0: I am targeting an IEEE publication that allows Traditional manuscript submission or Open Access (OA) manuscript submission. [The OA fee is $2,045.](https://signalprocessingsociety.org/publications-resources/ieee-signal-processing-letters/information-authors-spl)
1. If I decide not to pay the OA fee (ie, I go for Traditional manuscript submission), can I still put the **accepted** paper version on arXiv?
2. If 1. is positive, what are the benefits of choosing the OA submission? What can't you do with the Traditional submission that you can with the OA one?<issue_comment>username_1: **Non-legal answer:**
The journals (theoretically) are there to provide editorial services as well as manage peer-review.
As such, the final product, or "accepted paper version" as you put it, is a result of work of the original authors, as well as the editor and IEEE organization. These people own the copyright and so regulate the licensing. You can't just "put it on arXiv".
**Legally speaking:**
Consult your agreement with IEEE and potentially a copyright lawyer.
Here is what [IEEE has to say](https://www.ieee.org/content/dam/ieee-org/ieee/web/org/pubs/author_faq.pdf), and a quote:
>
> **Can an author post his manuscript on a preprint server such as TechRxiv or ArXiv?**
> Yes. The IEEE recognizes that many authors share their unpublished manuscripts on public
> sites. Once manuscripts have been accepted for publication by IEEE, an author is required to
> post an IEEE copyright notice on his preprint. Upon publication, the author must replace the
> preprint with either 1) the full citation to the IEEE work with Digital Object Identifiers (DOI)
> or a link to the paper’s abstract in IEEE Xplore, or 2) the accepted version only (not the IEEEpublished version), including the IEEE copyright notice and full citation, with a link to the
> final, published paper in IEEE Xplore.
>
>
>
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: Yes, you can (and open access has nothing to do with this).
[Source](https://journals.ieeeauthorcenter.ieee.org/become-an-ieee-journal-author/publishing-ethics/guidelines-and-policies/policy-posting-your-journal-article/)
>
> **Accepted article**
> Authors may share or post their accepted article in the following locations:
>
>
> * Author’s personal website
> * Author’s employer’s website
> * arXiv.org
> * TechRxiv.org
> * Funder’s repository\*
>
>
>
Note you have to include the IEEE copyright notice (given in the next section of the source).
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: About point 1: the author accepted manuscript (AAM) is something which is prepared independently from IEEE and before any copyright transfer paperwork is signed. So IEEE certainly cannot forbid you from posting the AAM on arXiv or elsewhere, if you do so before signing copyright transfer paperwork. What they can do (and often will do) is require you to sign copyright transfer agreements that are incompatible with what you have already done, with the risk that they won't publish the final version of the article if you don't comply.
Note that, in some cases, your employer or funding agency may in fact be requiring you to post the AAM online under a permissive license, notwithstanding any rules from the publisher. For instance, you may be covered by the [rights retention strategy](https://www.coalition-s.org/rights-retention-strategy/) if funded by a cOAlition S funder, you may be covered by [mandatory archiving policies](https://www.coalition-s.org/rights-retention-strategy/) from your employer, etc.
To elaborate a bit on this: the point of rights retention strategies is essentially to submit the article with boilerplace acknowledgements indicating that due to funder/institutional requirements the authors will be posting the AAM online under a permissive license (e.g., CC-BY); then post the AAM online (notwithstanding any publisher rules to the contrary); then require the publisher to accommodate this in subsequent copyright transfer agreement. The idea is that if researchers are required to do this by a critical mass of funding agencies and institutions, then publishers will have no choice to accommodate it.
About point 2: the "benefit" of IEEE gold open-access is that is allows you to make sure that the publisher version of the article, with the journal formatting and publisher changes, is available as open-access -- not just the AAM.
Upvotes: 0
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<issue_start>username_0: I am considering to create a wiki/blog for most of my study notes that I have made or taken digitally.
Also, for the handwritten and rough ones I am thinking about storing them in my GitHub repository.
Is this a good idea? How do professionals in academia and PhD students organise their notes?
Also, should I keep my notes publicly available?
Edit: The main purpose of keeping my notes public is to have them readily available and searchable of myself and my immediate peers in college. If that benefits someone else, I will be more than glad to have helped.
**Update regarding having a blog/wiki**: I was thinking about having stuff regarding my take on a certain topic or similar rather than just straightaway putting mugged up lecture notes. (as I mentioned in a comment)
So basically, as I go along a certain topic whatever interesting I find, I post
it. Also I will put in links to papers, books and other interesting literature on the topic that might be helpful while studying the topic. This seems easier to deal with and also serves as a way to track my current interests and/or workflow.<issue_comment>username_1: >
> Is this a good idea? How do professionals in academia and PhD students organise their notes?
>
>
>
Personally, I think this is a great idea. More routes for the sharing of knowledge do good for society as a whole. Often, notes taken by students become the definitive resource for other students.
Academics who have extensive material typed up in notes tend to present it in a low-tech way. In lieu of elaborate web design or a flashy interface, there's usually just a list of PDF files written in LaTeX, often on a site made from bare HTML. Here are some physics examples for inspiration:
* [<NAME>](http://lim.physics.ucdavis.edu/teaching/lecturenotes.html) has graduate Cambridge physics notes
* [<NAME>](http://pages.physics.cornell.edu/%7Eajd268/Notes.html) has particle physics notes
* [Flip Tanedo](https://www.physics.uci.edu/%7Etanedo/docs.html) also has particle physics notes
* [my personal site](https://username_1.github.io/#lectures) has general physics notes
And for math:
* [<NAME>](https://dec41.user.srcf.net/notes/) has general Cambridge math notes
* [<NAME>](https://math.berkeley.edu/%7Eqchu/) has general math notes
* [<NAME>](https://web.ma.utexas.edu/users/a.debray/lecture_notes/) has general math notes
* [<NAME>](https://web.evanchen.cc/napkin.html) has general math notes
All of these notes were taken as undergrad or grad students.
>
> Also, should I keep my notes publicly available?
>
>
>
I don't see why not. There are occasionally people who express fears that, if it becomes known that they made a single typo while an undergrad, their scientific career will be over. This is ridiculous!
Most people who see your notes won't read them, most of those who read them won't do so in enough detail to spot typos, most of those who spot typos won't be evaluating your career, and in the absurdly tiny chance that a professor thought it was worth their time to comb your personal notes for mistakes, any they found would be completely understandable.
---
**Edit:** I feel like I should address some of the objections posted.
The first is the notion that a student will just be adding "noise" unless their lecture notes are better than *all others available*. This is an impossible standard to meet, and not a useful one. More takes on a given subject can be useful, because they'll be pitched at different levels and from different perspectives. To see how unrealistic this standard is, note that you could apply the exact same reasoning to professors: why should they be permitted to teach anything at all, when better, publicly available notes, lecture videos, and books by other professors certainly already exist?
The second is that public notes could reveal secret information of military value, such as on "rocket navigation". While it's certainly true that secret information exists, it obviously isn't going to be taught in university classes!
The third is, in full, "*Who are you?*" I don't understand the content of this objection. Who are *you*?
The fourth is that taking notes could be stealing intellectual property. Of course, this could be a real possibility depending on the context, but in the fields I'm familiar with, it would be implausible. For example, suppose you learned Einstein's "train" thought experiment from a professor, establishing the relativity of simultaneity. There is no reasonable way one can call this the "property" of the professor. It's a simple and beautiful argument that has been passed down by oral tradition essentially unchanged since Einstein gave it. Again, one can see how ridiculous this argument is by repeating it: if you're stealing from the professor by learning and repeating the argument, then the professor is stealing from whoever taught them in undergrad! The only person one could plausibly say "owns" Einstein's thought experiment is Einstein himself, and we *do* acknowledge that ownership, because we refer to it by his name.
In fact, usually a professor's own lecture notes will themselves be "stolen" from a variety of sources. For example, they could use notes from previous versions of the course as a base. Very often, they will follow an existing textbook and only slightly tweak the presentation. This is fine: if everybody lecturing on relativity had to create their own novel explanations from scratch, universities would grind to a halt -- and the explanations would be much worse, too.
Admittedly, the concept of intellectual property could apply to specific novel things. For example, the professor may draw a diagram in a particular way, so perhaps a lawyer could say the professor "owns" the reproductions the students make. I've never seen a case where legal force has been applied this way. Feynman didn't copyright his diagrams, he showed their utility by demonstration. He gained in reputation by people learning and using his methods, not by suing anybody who tried.
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: This is maybe not a full answer, but I have some thoughts on that topic.
I never really published my handwritten notes that I took in class. My handwriting is quite good but I do not think that anyone would really look for those because they most likely contain flaws (not in mine specifically but in handwritten notes on the internet in general) and moreover, you usually cannot do any in-doc searches for some buzzwords, which is certainly something that students would like to have; this is at least a part in my usual worflow.
However, as a TA, I always put in a lot of effort to TeX all material with further examples and student-friendly explanations. I really enjoy doing this because I love working with LaTeX and TikZ and I feel there is really some demand for that. Textbooks can be quite expensive for students and often are not that well written. I think it also helps you, the writer, understanding the covered topics better when you try to explain them to others. In hindsight, I think it might have been valuable to turn my handwritten notes into LaTeX PDFs but this is of course very time-consuming.
Finally, I want to stress that I am in favor of publishing lecture notes as a free download but even then (as free material) they should satisfy certain minimal requirements, regarding quality. It is obvious that there always will be some flaws and this is absolutely fine as pointed out in [username_1's answer](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/148275/93780) (who by the way posted perfect examples of nicely written lecture notes). But uploading blurry photos of your notes with aweful letter spacing and with no baseline to find is not going to help anyone.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: >
> Is this a good idea?
>
>
>
Depends. It's certainly\* not a bad idea. The only drawback is that it takes some effort to get your notes online (only you know how little or much). So the question is: is it worth it to invest that effort to help other students? That depends on factors such as:
* How intelligible are your notes?
* How many other people study that subject (often just that particular course)?
* Are they going to find your lecture notes?
* Are there better online sources on the topic of the lecture?
* Can you expect a reward? I.e. you can earn a good reputation that way.
* Do you care about your fellow students?
To give you an example how students share notes you could check out [aerostudents.com](https://aerostudents.com). This websites is where students of my Alma Mater (including me) share their lecture notes.
\*There are always exceptions to any rule. For instance, if the content of the lecture is secret for some reason (such as in university lectures on rocket navigation and control), you shouldn't post your notes on the internet.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: A note of caution: There may be intellectual-property issues regarding whether you have the rights to publish your notes based on the lectures, notes, or presentations of the professor.
See for instance [Is it okay to publish my personal notes from a lecture?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/56205/is-it-okay-to-publish-my-personal-notes-from-a-lecture)
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_5: There are a couple drawbacks worth highlighting. I should preface by saying that in many situations I am against taking the kinds of notes you refer to in the first place, for reasons that will be clear.
1. It's bad to publish notes that are of low quality in the sense of being incomplete, having typos or mathematical errors, poor writing or formatting, etc. It can mislead or confuse people who read it, and would not reflect well on you. So notes should meet some reasonably high standards to be published. This imposes a high burden, because...
2. If my student were taking such detailed notes that they are good enough to post, I'd be concerned they don't have enough attention to actually follow and deeply understand points made in lecture. They would also need to spend time outside class polishing the formatting and presentation of the notes rather than actually studying. This is a big opportunity cost. And for many classes (especially in my field of Computer Science), it seem like mostly wasted effort and redundant, because...
3. If you publish something, it should have some advantage other resources. What is the advantage here? The answer depends on the context. Many classes teach directly from book chapters or notes that are already available to most students. (Of course books are expensive so if it is not freely available -- and in CS it often is -- this might reduce to simply publishing a summary of part of a book, which is a bit questionable.) For example, publishing notes in one of <NAME>'s excellent algorithms classes seems silly, given he [publishes detailed high-quality notes already](http://timroughgarden.org/notes.html). And this is assuming the class lectures follow a book format, which is often untrue because...
4. Many classes are designed to complement a rigorous written resource (i.e. book or existing notes), not replace it. The professor may be using class time to highlight difficult concepts, develop examples, answer questions, work exercises, etc. So lecture may not be self-contained (making the usefulness of the notes unclear) nor coherent without the context of the assigned readings or so on. Similarly, the best use of taking notes is probably to write down ideas, thoughts, or comments arising in discussion that can't be found in a textbook. This proposal encourages the opposite.
There can be circumstances where I think it's good to make your notes publicly available - the above don't apply. Perhaps the professor follows an unusual progression through the subject, not used in any one book, and the student is unusually gifted at note-taking. But I think the professor should always try to provide resources to make such notes redundant.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_6: IMHO Write notes about lectures, and more generally speaking about something to study, is a matter of personal habits.
Usually I do it if I haven't a text book to follow covering most of the course materials. In such a cases, I find write, elaborate, and, why not, publish my notes very useful. Both to learn and to review the material on the fly.
For sure is a lot of time to accomplish the task, and when I have some good material to follow, I avoid it.
Just another note about the intellectual property issues. To be effective, notes cannot be a *cut and paste* work. They must have some form of reworking, so I think it's easy do not break copyright rights. Of course a lot depends on the professor's point of view, but in my past experiences usually the reaction of teachers was good.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_7: I do not publish my handwritten notes, but I always typeset them.
The result is the English part of the following document (starting on page 2361):
<http://laurent.claessens-donadello.eu/pdf/giulietta.pdf>
Some parts are better than others ...
I leave you judge if it is interesting or not.
I want to stress some advantages I see.
1. I always have everything under my hand.
2. It brings some mathematical knowledge outside the university. Well ... when one is not affiliated to an university, the famous "books" in which one can find everything are not available.
3. This document is math "as understood by the guy who learns it for the first time". So it does not contain any abuse of notations which are frequently used by "people who are fluent". It is quite explicit about everything and contains many checks that are not usually done in textbooks.
As far as I know, this is the only document[1] in which there is a full proof of the fact that one can derive the Lie algebra of a matrix Lie group just by differentiating the Lie group matrices componentwise (page 2551, permalink NORMooHZGKooJEiamo).
This fact is quite intuitively obvious for people who know Lie groups/Lie algebras. But when you learn it for the first time, it's not clear. Thus I checked it and I wrote it.
Once again, I leave you judge if these "small checks" that you do when learning worth be published somewhere.
[1] To be completely honest, I'm not affiliated with an university anymore, so that I do not have access to a library. Thus when I say "the only document", I mean "the only document available on the internet".
EDIT : the LaTeX of my notes are published as well:
<https://github.com/LaurentClaessens/mazhe>
(the stars, forks and other contributors are for the French part, not the one we are speaking here)
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_8: My research area is in algebraic combinatorics, and I put useful things on wikipedia for a while. But sometimes, I want to save my own research, or add my personal comments.
Moreover, wikipedia is not very convenient for LaTeX, and compatibility with bibtex.
So, I put my notes together in a cleaned-up manner
on my own web-page, which is now mainly a [Catalog of symmetric functions](https://www.math.upenn.edu/~peal/polynomials/polynomialindex.htm). It has a few pages related to algebraic combinatorics, which I expand as I work on related projects.
It is useful to direct coworkers there, rather than having to explain things several times.
I have gotten some nice response from the community, and also this motivates me to keep up with the current research - all relevant arxiv preprints are added to a todo list, and gradually incorporated.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_9: >
> Is this a good idea?
>
>
>
In general, keeping digital notes is good practice. Paper notes are less accessible, less legible, and more vulnerable to loss. As for the execution: using a blog, wiki or cloud git repository are all viable options, but there are other options too.
>
> How do professionals in academia and PhD students organise their notes?
>
>
>
One other option that is very popular is Microsoft OneNote. You can keep categorized rich text notes in the cloud, and students may have a free license. Another alternative to MS OneNote is Evernote.
Compared to websites this option also gives you finer control over who has access to what notes, as note sharing typically uses email.
Personally I migrated a collection of cloud word documents to a private wiki for improved structure. I prefer (media)wiki over Onenote because of ease of access, all I need is a bookmark and the site loads instantly. Plus, setup on your own server is relatively painless nowadays using Docker.
>
> Also, should I keep my notes publicly available?
>
>
>
That's a highly subjective matter. If yes, then this might factor into your choice of note taking method. Or conversely, your choice of note taking method might determine how much effort it would take to make them publicly available. Based on your comments I think the later situation is applicable here.
Consider:
* Is the same information available elsewhere in the same language?
* If yes, are your notes higher quality than those sources?
* If yes, is it worth the personal additional time/effort to make them public?
Upvotes: 2
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2020/04/27
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<issue_start>username_0: I work in a sub field of computer science. There was a recent paper (2020) that was published in a reputable conference that claimed to achieve state of the art performance on a specific data set. This data set is a hot dataset, and my research group has many papers on that specific data set (improving state of the art). I asked the authors very politely if they can share their code samples for their fairly complicated algorithm, to which they rejected and told me that it is not available.
One of my colleagues took 2 weeks to code up the algorithm, and verified its performance, as well as the claimed performance. Meanwhile, we reached a new breakthrough on the dataset and achieved a new state of the art. We are currently writing a draft.
Now, I can't help but be left with a bad taste from this whole experience. I don't see why they wouldn't share their code especially if they claim a state of the art on a very important data set. Most papers have to be compared with the state of the art to some extent, and so essentially, they're slowing down all researchers in this specific field to recreate their own work prior to publishing their own research.
Now my question is, would be advisable to add a note that the implementation of THEIR algorithm is our implementation, and that we reached out to them for their code and they declined?<issue_comment>username_1: You can, and maybe you should in order to make your position clear that you think that academic codes should be shared if that is feasible. Many scientists will agree that sharing codes leads to better science because it makes it easier to replicate research, and also to find mistakes.
At the same time, not everyone feels like that, and you happen to have found someone of that opinion. To publicly out them as "backward" and "unwilling to make it easier for others to replicate their findings" may be ethically the right thing to do if you believe in open software, but it may also rub them the wrong way and create "a bad taste" in their mouths to use your phrase.
So the question is: How much do you want to insist on principle, and how much do you potentially want to alienate one of your colleagues? That question likely comes down to where you and where they are in your respective careers.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: Unless the topic of your research is open source software, your journal article is not the right place to criticise your colleagues for not releasing their source code. Journal articles and conference papers should be about the knowledge you have created, not your opinion of your colleagues.
Before criticising your colleagues in any venue, you should consider if releasing the source is a reasonable option for them. There may be legal restrictions you do not know about, or a very inconvenient administrative process.
Peer review is a great time to encourage transparency.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: >
> would be advisable to add a note that the implementation of THEIR algorithm is our implementation
>
>
>
Absolutely yes. This provides important context for your experimentation and as such, is valuable information for the reader.
Even better, you could make your implementation of their algorithm publicly available, so that future groups of authors will not encounter the same situation as you did (and will cite your paper).
>
> and that we reached out to them for their code and they declined?
>
>
>
That is the more delicate question to ask. It would surely be legitimate to do so, as it would represent the situation accurately. But such a statement has a social implication, which is that the authors appear in a slightly negative light (perhaps rightfully so). Proceed with caution.
Upvotes: 7 <issue_comment>username_4: My advise is to get the most out of the situation as it is: you did a proper replication from the description in the paper (as opposed to "just" running their code) and verified their claims. Publish this as such: this is proper scientific
work.
In your own interest, I'd not mention that you did not do this replication entirely of your own free will.
---
TLDR:
I fully agree that it is not nice(TM) to not share code (see also below).
According to what you describe, however, this inavailability of the code has lead to further scientific advance than had the code been available to you:
You verfied their claims by implementing from scratch the algorithm described in their paper without any access to their code.
It is scientifically relevant to describe this in your paper since it means that you provide the next higher level of reproduction compared to "only" running their code on your computers: you also verified that the *description* in the paper is sufficient to reproduce the claims.
IMHO this is particularly important since we do have a reproducibility crisis in many fields.
Sharing code helps with what would be called repeatability in my field (analytical chemistry), but reprodcution or replication of a study/paper is more than that.
Yes, code sharing is nice since it saves a whole lot of work for those who don't want to replicate, it is often the easiest way to unambiguously describe what computations were done, and is also very helpful in tracking down misconceptions by the reader. Still, iff code sharing leads to everyone (or too many) skipping the effort put into proper reproduction/replication it may be counterproductive wrt. the reproducibility crisis.
Thus, I'm a bit torn:
* Their not sharing code is not nice.
* Saying that you did the implementation from scratch *only* because the code was not available also means admitting on your side that you'd skip a more thorough verification of that paper if you have a choice. Also not nice.
The ideal situation would have been had OP's group done a full verification of the paper *and* have gotten access to the paper authors' code.
Personally, I'd not allude to any non-scientific reason for tackling the reproduction of that paper.
I use "not nice" here to indicate behaviour that is less than ideal (for scientific advancement) but is also clearly within the allowed range of behaviour.
To be clear, I don't want to force anyone into reproducing other groups' studies. At the same time, if all groups deny to do this kind of "homework", the risk for replication crises increases.
---
There are levels of not sharing that I consider definitively problematic from a scientific point of view:
* Your proper efforts cannot reproduce the claims and the authors refuse to guide you (whether by sharing code or by looking at your code and telling you what needs to be done differently)
* They claim in the paper that they will share the code, or the journal guidelines stipulate that they'll share but they refuse.
So far, the question doesn't indicate any of these points apply.
---
To chime in with username_2's answer: I have been working at a research institute where the very official line was that neither code nor data are published with the paper ("are available on reasonable request" was the official wording) - that I would have liked to not only show my research code but put it under an open license did not matter at all.
Thus, had I been author of said paper, you'd have gotten a polite reply that I cannot give you the code without official administrative permission, and would you please contact the director about it. However, I can easily imagine institutes specifying that whoever is contacted about sharing the code *has* to reply in the negative without creating further work to upper management...
From this experience: **if you critizise the authors for not sending the code please make sure that you attach the blame to the correct persons.**
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: >
> I don't see why they wouldn't share their code especially if they
> claim a state of the art on a very important data set.
>
>
>
*Hypothetically*, one can make software that can't legally be distributed under copyright law.
If I own a book I can write notes on it and cross out sections all I want - but I can't distribute copies of my modified book. Likewise, if I want to extend a copyrighted Matlab library in a way the authors didn't anticipate, I can copy-and-paste from it and modify it as much as I like for my own use - but I can't distribute the resulting *derivative work*.
If you want to assume good faith, you could assume some similar benign reason on their part.
Of course, a cynic would say authors are rewarded for wringing as many papers as possible out of a piece of work, and if there are obvious follow-on papers (like obvious tweaks, or tests on other datasets) not releasing the code until you've written those papers is the behaviour their paymasters reward.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_6: With the information given, it is not possible to assess the motivation of the original authors. As a frequent publisher of open source scientific code, I can think of several.
1. They did not want anyone to replicate their results using their code, as they wanted to make more publications from it (certainly not nice, but seen before).
2. Their code was not in a state to be used be anyone else (PhD-ware), and they don't have the man-power to clean it up.
3. They make use of proprietary libraries, or have internal licensing issues, not allowing them to share the code.
4. They simply don't want to be bothered by the inevitable tech support issues, that comes with supplying ones code to other people.
And the list could be continued.
You can only act given the information at hand, and that is, that at the moment the code does not exist in an open form. Fortunately, you were able to reproduce the results, and you are now free to publish your own implementation along with your article, prompting users to cite your paper, as well as the original one. After all, you have made a significant piece of scientific work, which should now be credited.
You don't need to be snarky in your paper. Write about what you did, and not what other people did not. You can note that:
>
> The implementation outlined in this paper reproduces the performance by author A, quoted in ref. [A]. The present implementation can be obtained from XX, allowing for further independent validation.
>
>
>
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_7: As a software engineer, I'll give the dissenting opinion.
Source code is not an algorithm. It's a "dusty mirror" version of something which *hopefully* is the algorithm they intended and which *hopefully* performs correctly. Software being software, and coders being human, there are many ways in which those "hopefully" parts may not be as expected. It is even possible (albeit unlikely) that the perceived improvement may come from an unintended feature of the implementation, and/or that perceived improvement may be as a result of making an implementation trade-off which has deleterious effects elsewhere.
In general science terms, the algorithm is the hypothesis you're testing; and the source code is your laboratory glassware, circuit boards, interferometer, or whatever other equipment you'd use to test the hypothesis. A general principle of science is that reproduction of results must be ***independent***. That means you don't just get a second person to blindly run the same tests on the same glassware with the same bottles of reagents - instead an entirely separate team reproduces those results from first principles to confirm them. Independent testing of a hypothesis is what moves this from merely a hypothesis to a solid theory.
By implementing the algorithm independently, you have performed a vital scientific role in reproducing the original results. If the original authors had simply given you the source code, there would have been no reproduction and test of the algorithm. If they'd given you the source code, you might as well count photocopying the paper as "reproducing their results". :)
You would like to push ahead with the state of the art, and that's great - it shows that you're ambitious in your field. But independently verifying a hypothesis to be able to call this a "theory" is not a waste of time, and slowing down to get this groundwork in place is not something which should leave you with a bad taste if the "science" part of "computer science" is for real. Otherwise you're not doing science, you're doing hacking; which is valuable in its own way, but it isn't science.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_8: Have you been able to reproduce the results or not, from the description of the algorithm in they article? This is not clearly seen in your question.
If yes, then the article is complete and there is nothing to complain about.
If not, the, yes, there is something to say about just the wording should be different:
*"We have repeated these experiments but were not able to reproduce the results"*
In order to be a scientific publication, the article must include enough information to repeat the experiment. If multiple independent researchers fail to reproduce, the author gets into trouble.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_9: I appreciate the bad taste in your mouth, but please put yourself in the shoes of a reader who is interested in research as **a distilled outcome of a methodology in the net of predicaments and accidents**.
### On a note that the implementation of their algorithm is your implementation
I'd expect yes.
You ought to specify to which extent your work is original and in which way it differs/draws from any things you know. This is about **doing justice** to the work done by any other scholar, obnoxious to the bone as they may be.
To each his own.
Furthermore, shifting the focus onto the topic, it can be useful to have in mind the (attempts to draw) distinctions between
* **replication**
* **repetition**
* **reproduction**
as discussed in <https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/scientific-reproducibility/#ReplRepeReprScieResu> borrowing from reflections in social sciences.
### On a note that you reached out to them for their code and they declined
Here it is time to do justice to your own effort and working situation.
If anything at all, I would state no more than something like
>
> That source code is not available [to us] (that gentleman, personal communication)
>
>
>
No adjectives, no adverbs in any case. No allocation of blame, just an event, documentable if ever needed. If the code ends up to be available later, it was miscommunication or bad timing.
The reader will appreciate the efforts of advancing the state of the play on their part and yours alike.
At least, as a referee I would be happy like this.
My two cents.
Happy to be corrected.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_10: Without knowing why the authors declined, it's a bit hard to tell if the other authors were "nice" or "naughty".
There are some legal and institutional pitfalls when it comes to sharing code. As an example, the university may have the right to check if the concrete research output contains patentable material. The authors may be forbidden from sharing their code if this check is ongoing.
So I suggest avoiding putting a negative light on this interaction if possible. Yet, it is important for the reader to know that you wrote your own implementation. And it's also important for the reviewer as well, as the reviewer may think that the other approach looks unnecessarily bad because you didn't implement it well.
Many papers have an appendix that will not be published with the rest of the paper. You could add a note for the reviewers that sharing the code with you has been refused for unknown reason, so you *had* to implement your own version. If you want to mention in the main part of the paper why you didn't use the original implementation of the other approach, you could mention that it was unavailable, hence you implemented your own version *and* made sure that you took similar care in both implementations not to miss important optimizations.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_11: Some ramblings -just to provide another perspective- before the answer.
I can share my experience as a "user" for similar occasions. CS is not my field, and I can not rewrite each and every algorithm that claims to be a "drastic improvement" (Spoiler alert: Most are not). I simply do not have time, and brute force algorithms usually work for me. Usually. But if I had access to said algorithms (read: actual code), I would have used them and that would be a huge enabler for my future research.
Some answers/comments claim, roughly stating, using the same code is not reproduction. For CS, this might be true to some extent -I won't even argue that. But reproduction is the real concern here? I value usability more than pure algorithm reproduction.
There are other fields (such as mine, sports sciences) which would use some "help". Don't take it wrong way, I can most probably code said state of the art code myself, given the algorithm. But it simply is not worth my time. Because a potential (and a very little one in my past experiences) improvement in execution speed/memory footprint does not justify working more on my already-working proof-of-concept code than tackling the next problem on my list.
There are lots of articles proposing various algorithms, but not bother to even explain them properly.
Back to your question:
>
> Now my question is, would be advisable to add a note that the implementation of THEIR algorithm is our implementation, and that we reached out to them for their code and they declined?
>
>
>
Definitely advisable for the first part, since that is pure blind reproduction of their algorithm, and it adds value to both parties' research.\*\*
**For their refusal:** How can you be sure that their proposed algorithm was not a product of a lunch-time conversation, and never before realized in actual code until you did it? How can you be sure their claimed performance figures were not fabricated? You simply trust the researchers? What if your implementation did not verify their algorithm's superiority? Would you still publish it, or give in to [appeal to authority](https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/appeal-to-authority)? Would you check -rigoriously- if their code match up with their explanation of the algorithm: i.e. there is nothing up their sleeves?
I believe these questions are the reason their refusal leaves a bad taste; not your coworker's 2 weeks.
**Whether in a publication/presentation or in your circle, I think you owe science to make this info public.** The latter seems less risky if you are not "well established yet" though.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_12: The whole providing source code of the paper thing has been discussed to death on this site and elsewhere, so I won't get into it much. I agree with you that they should have given source, and it should be required by journals anyhow. That said, currently it is not. It would be nice if they helped you reproduce their work, but they don't have to.
If you had discovered that when you take their instructions at face value the results are *not* reproducible, you would have cause to write to the editor of the journal and the onus would be on them to help demonstrate their own findings as legitimate. However, it sounds like you[r friend] were able to reproduce it without their help, you just wish it was easier. Fair enough, but you can hardly demand they go out of their way to make your life easier.
If you intend to distribute the code you wrote, there is nothing wrong with that and it's a very good idea. I wouldn't attach a little manifesto saying the authors were unhelpful jerks and you wrote this prove your point. While it is true and you are within your rights, it will make you look bad. It's worth explaining that your implementation is independent and not based on the original code, so as to not confuse any readers, but there is no need to go into why they didn't share or who is at fault -- these are not matters of fact pertaining to the research itself. You can say something like "this code is an independent implementation of the algorithm in Smith et al. 2020, written without access to the authors' own implementation". That last bit you can fine tune depending on how fine a point you feel like putting on it. But, once again the less you say about how much you dislike that the authors wouldn't share the code with you, the better (in the long run).
>
> I don't see why they wouldn't share their code especially if they claim a state of the art on a very important data set. Most papers have to be compared with the state of the art to some extent, and so essentially, they're slowing down all researchers in this specific field to recreate their own work prior to publishing their own research.
>
>
>
There can be many reasons, not all of them nefarious.
* If the journal doesn't require code, providing it is extra work and inefficient.
* You would have to document how other people can build and run it on their own computer - something which can take extra work and maybe is not a concern on your own system.
* Generally the code is not that helpful if not portable - while the algorithm is already portable.
* Just because they provide the code doesn't mean it will be useful *to you*. It could be in a language you don't know.
* The code may be messy and perhaps they don't feel like inviting pointless questions. This may seem dubious but imagine you were asked to provide every single draft and napkin drawing, and then people made you explain random thoughts that were jotted in the margin and were abandoned later on anyhow.
* Whenever you provide code, all sorts of people start asking you for help with matters that are sometimes barely connected to the work itself. While you should be available to answer questions about your work, answering questions takes time. If the journal didn't require it, why create additional work for yourself?
To be sure, I support journals requiring source code disclosure for the same reason that experimentalists are expected not to just say the name of the chemical they used, but give the supplier, catalog no and lot number (and just like companies in ancient papers that no longer exist, code from old papers can often be un-runnable). But at the end of the day, it's only a problem if your results happen to be an artifact of the specific reagent/implementation you used. If the protocol works well with any reagent, and if the algorithm is not hard to implement properly, it's not really a big deal.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_13: >
> Is it appropriate to mention that authors refused to provide code samples when asked?
>
>
> I work in a sub field of computer science. There was a recent paper (2020) that was published in a reputable conference that claimed to achieve state of the art performance on a specific data set.
>
>
>
There are several issues.
FWIW, I am a semi-academic research engineer in France, working at [CEA LIST](http://www-list.cea.fr/en/) in a cybersecurity lab, where I develop [Bismon](https://github.com/bstarynk/bismon/) (a GPLv3+ software funded by two [H2020](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Framework_Programmes_for_Research_and_Technological_Development#Horizon_2020) projects: [CHARIOT](http://chariotproject.eu/) and [DECODER](https://www.decoder-project.eu/) and described in this [draft report](http://starynkevitch.net/Basile/bismon-chariot-doc.pdf))
* **how was the work described in the paper funded?** if the funding agency is military (e.g. [DARPA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DARPA)) the funding contracts may require academic publications but disallow any publication of the code or of the data set. Even H2020 funding may forbid publishing of data, or simply getting permission to publish the data or the code may require a lot of red tape work that usually is boring for any academics.
* **who owns that dataset and how was it funded?** If the dataset was difficult to collect (think of biological data, e.g. [Covid19](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus_disease_2019) related, or of nuclear industry related data) you might not be able to access it
* **are there any privacy issues or personal data issues?** Regulations like [GDPR](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Data_Protection_Regulation) are then highly relevant
* **what legal system and copyright applies to both the data and the code samples?**
Read also [<NAME>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Tirole)'s work, in particular his paper with <NAME> on [*simple economics of open source*](https://www.nber.org/papers/w7600). Notice that [<NAME>](https://shoshanazuboff.com/book/) books and papers (e.g. [*Big Other: Surveillance Capitalism and the Prospects of an Information Civilization*](https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2594754) for example) are also relevant.
* the dataset or the code may be an asset for future research grants.
Notice that academia is a [small world](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small-world_experiment) (read also about [Ershov number](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ershov_Number) and more importantly [Erdös number](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erd%C5%91s_number)). Mentioning *in a formal written paper* that some authors refused to provide code samples may backfire, and could perhaps impact negatively your academic career in the next few years. The common practice is dual: mention in acknowledgment sections the people and their institution who provided you with code and data.
If publishing the code or the dataset was not previously and explicitly mentioned in the research grants funding the work, it is likely that you might not get it easily. I got the habit of mentioning (at least in footnotes) such things in most research grant proposals I contributed writing.
By personal experience, obtaining permission -within professional context- to publish some code as [open source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source) or some dataset as [open data](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_data) is very boring and stressful (and nearly impossible after the work has started). You should mention these things in writing in research proposals and grants.
[there is no such thing as a free lunch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_ain%27t_no_such_thing_as_a_free_lunch)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See also [these](http://refpersys.org/Starynkevitch-CAIA-RefPerSys-2020mar06.pdf) slides, and the [RefPerSys](https://refpersys.org/) project. So far, funding is the main problem in it.
In Europe, [ITEA3](https://itea3.org/) and [BDVA](http://bdva.eu/) and [HorizonEurope](https://ec.europa.eu/info/horizon-europe-next-research-and-innovation-framework-programme_en) could give interesting contacts. You should find the equivalent in your place.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_14: Acknowledge the source of the algorithm, gratefully, state that the code is not based on the earlier code and do not complain that the earlier code was unavailable. As others have pointed out, they may lack the legal authority to give you the original code, and in any case the new code serves as independent confirmation of the algorithm.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_15: No it is not appropriate and such statement or “accusation” should not be part of a scientific publication. None of the readers would be interested in that detail and it also does not serve the purpose of your paper.
Instead of pointing of that the authors refused to hand out their source code, you can simply mention that the source code is not available and the implementation is of your own. I understand that you felt offended by the author and wanted to retaliate. After all, you could verify their result with your implementation, so no doubt is left. Why should you then bring up an personal issue in a scientific publication, whose sole purpose is to damage the reputation of the other authors?
@username_7 has already provided an excellent answer, which explains why it is necessary and desirable to have independent validation. I was in this “business” before and agree on all the points he made. My field was bioinformatics and we not only published new algorithms but also produce software based on that for the biologists to use. It is a common practice in our field that the source code is published because we all want to have users. Therefore, I did not have your problem when doing performance comparison. However, I had the other problem that @username_7 pointed out. Many of the real performance improvements lie in the implementation, which is simply not mentioned in the publication. This could be intentional or unintentional. Some of the implementation details don’t sound like a scientific contribution and are left out. However, their impact could be huge. We were once puzzled by the performance of a software we wanted to compare with. Therefore we decide to analyze its source code. We then figured out the author has a very smart way of implementing a function, which saves a huge amount of time. This is a common mathematical function in our field and it seems quite clear how this function should be implemented until we saw his approach. We reimplemented his techniques in our software and saw wonders happened.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_16: It would be very useful for the community if you clarify that you have implemented your version of the algorithm and provide the details of parameters (if any) in the supplementary material or your experimental setting. You don't probably need to elaborate on why you implemented other algorithms, the readers can guess what has happened! It would be also very useful for the community if you could also publish your implementation so others can save time for their comparison, and obviously your paper becomes more visible as a result. I know this is quite a struggle for researchers to implement the work of others and conferences (and reviewers) are becoming more vigilant to make sure authors provide not only code but also any other info such as data and parameters for ensuring the replicability of the work. Hopefully, someday, we reach a point, where our publications serve as a justification for the key outcome of our work, which is the code we write.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_17: This might have to do with their lab policy or partners. I am a computer scientist working on problems with a medical focus, none of my clinical partners are okay with releasing code. This is a real problem with medical communities, they even asked me to wipe my computer when my contract was up so that I wouldn't have a copy of my own code. Of course like many, the real reason I suspect is that they think sharing the code puts them at a disadvantage, they simply don't want others to use their benchmark. This is just my hunch although it sounds counter-intuitive. But many people had no problem replicating my work and my experimental results - so the fact that you were able to implement the work in 2 weeks and achieve their results, I would say they did a decent work (plus you gained more insight and outdid their work). I had trouble getting the same results using my labmates' code at times.
On a personal level, I am thinking that if the authors didn't make their code publicly available, they would be hesitant to share because that requires cleaning the code etc. which might be time consuming for a single individual, which to be honest I can relate. Most people work in groups though so I would expect their code to be more modular and cleaner, or simply they could have someone work on it.
Upvotes: 1
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2020/04/27
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<issue_start>username_0: In a comment to their answer to the question [Faculty member brought sick (feverish) child to class - is this unethical?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/143011/faculty-member-brought-sick-feverish-child-to-class-is-this-unethical/143014#143014), the user An<NAME> writes:
>
> It's okay to cancel class for a sick child in US academia, but some US workplaces do not grant sick days for sick children. US academics don't have sick days at all.
>
>
>
I come from a European country where the concept of "Sick Days" is different than in the US (indeed, I understand the word "sick day" only because of Workplace SE and I am still not sure I understand it correctly) — as I understand, a sick day is day you can take when you are sick and still get paid.
My question: Is the comment true, i.e. do US academics not get sick days? Is it really true universally in the US (i.e is there some "law" or regulations that universities are not allowed to give sick days to their employees)?
Is there some other system in place or do US professors really just not get paid when they are sick? (If not, why haven't there been any strikes/demands/movements? Surely tenured profs don't need to worry about getting fired when they make demands?)
Please note that while those questions may sound silly for a US person, US and European employment laws differ a lot and the whole concept of "sick days" is really complicated to me.<issue_comment>username_1: For full-time faculty, the question doesn't really apply well because faculty aren't paid hourly or daily. In the departments I've been involved with, the policy is that faculty handle their own classes and minor illnesses. That is, if I need to cancel class one day then what that means for the class is up to me. Maybe I have a TA teach it, or I offer a recorded lecture to fill in time, or even just cancel the class and adjust material accordingly.
What it comes down to is whether I can meet the obligations for the class while handling my illness. For major illnesses where that isn't true, the department would schedule someone else to teach and I would look at my short-term disability benefits, which are commonly available in large US universities. The unfortunate exception is an adjunct faculty member, who simply teaches contract-to-contract, and may not even have benefits through the university.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: At my US institution,
1. Hourly employees (administrative assistants, groundskeepers, custodians, etc.) fill out (electronic) time cards showing all of the hours that they've worked and the hours that they've taken off as vacation or sick leave. They earn hours of sick leave and vacation for each pay biweekly period and can only take paid leave if they have enough time "saved up" (accrued) to cover their absence.
2. Salaried professional staff (typically employees with college degrees such as computer systems administrators, accountants, etc.) and full-time academic administrators (deans and vice presidents and the like) also accrue leave but use a different set of forms to track their leave balances.
3. Faculty on 9-month contracts do not accrue sick leave or vacation and do not generally have to account specifically for how (or where) they spend their time. However, they are required to teach their classes and be available for students to talk to for at least a few hours a week outside of class time. They can take vacation whenever they want when classes are not in session (summer, Christmas break, and spring break.) If they get sick, they stay home and try to make alternate arrangements for teaching their classes (e.g. a grad student TA or another faculty member might cover their teaching for a few days.)
For serious and long-lasting illnesses that would keep an employee out for many weeks or months, all three groups have disability insurance that pays an employee's salary while they can't work. There's also a separate type of insurance called "workman's compensation" that specifically covers situations in which an employee is injured in the course of their work.
The kind of freedom that faculty have to manage their time is very uncommon in corporate jobs in the US, although self-employed professionals often have much the same freedom.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: The idea that faculty in the United States uniformly do not receive sick leave/family leave is not entirely accurate. ***Some*** universities grant 12-month regularized faculty and 9-month restricted (academic year faculty) sick leave and family leave as part of our benefits package.
At my institution, 12-month regularized faculty have 26 weeks (1040 hours) of protected sick leave immediately upon hire for each year. If they use it up they can then begin accruing it back at the rate of 5 hours per week. We immediately have 80 hours of family sick leave (for family illness or death).
9-month restricted faculty (academic year) begin accruing sick leave at the rate of 5 hours per pay period, and immediately have access to 80 hours of family sick leave.
We enter our sick leave and family leave just like regular employees on the university's leave system.
Now, the more procedurally focused and organized departments on campus establish policies guiding a limit for sick leave (ex: no more than 1 full week or 2 full weeks of class total) after which they will ask you (if you are experiencing a sustained or continued need to take sick leave, to either arrange for any future classes to be covered (at which point you will not have to be charged sick leave days) or to take the remainder of your leave as you wait for your short term disability benefits to kick in and they are then required to get your classes reliably covered for the remainder of the semester and ensure your students receive sufficient and adequate instruction.
However, less organized departments can remain fairly lapse about even reminding faculty they can record or take sick leave. Most operate on very old-school understandings of what it means to labor in academia-- a sense that they are not "traditional employees" that might need to report or take sick leave and barely have anything resembling a "boss." This outdated culture can frequently mean departments fail to provide clear and consistent guidance to their faculty and, in some cases, accidentally violate university policies by trying to penalize faculty who take any sick leave. There can be instances where faculty are essentially told that there is no need or reason to ever talk to the university's HR, and this is more common in departments that do not have their own leave representative (which is not required, but many wise departments take advantage of this option).
My institution is not unionized, but we do have the above policies for sick leave/family leave for faculty.
However, universities are extremely varied, and many may not have any sick leave/family leave as part of faculty benefits packages. This may go back to the idea that academia can tend to struggle with how it views teaching labor.
Upvotes: 1
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<issue_start>username_0: Over the past 3 months due to Covid-19, many of my peers have pinged me during exams asking me for answers to questions. I, of course, turn them down (albeit after I'm done with the exam so even if I sent it they wouldn't gain much due to the limited time left). I am usually at the top of my class, so I don't suspect that they ask many more people after me. So far, I've only reported cheating that I knew is actively taking place.
Should I also be reporting this type of prospective cheating where the other student doesn't actually receive any benefit? It feels wrong to me to punish those that gained no benefit, yet a friend I was causally talking to said that these people should be reported too.<issue_comment>username_1: If you are bound by an honor code, you should respect it as always. Some require reporting attempts at cheating.
Otherwise, I'd suggest that you just tell the prof that you know it is being done without naming names. Complain that if there are any competitive aspects to grading (curve...) then you are being disadvantaged by a system you can't control. Such systems don't fairly evaluate your competence in the subject and you have a right to that.
Unfortunately, some such systems just assume that everyone is honest. It is a poor assumption if the performance of one can affect the outcomes of another. But if you get the grade you have earned then it may not affect you if others get a grade they did not.
Other systems assume that everyone will cheat and try to set up technological or other means to carefully watch and monitor every action. This might actually have the perverse effect of increasing the amount of cheating. Prisoners of war, for example, seldom willingly follow the rules set down, finding them pernicious. It creates a destructive environment in any case. I find these systems to be the worst, since students can be "caught" and accused of cheating when they were not. Other questions on this site attest to this problem.
But, if the system is to improve, students and others need to point out its flaws. You don't need to accuse anyone to do so, however, except in extreme cases or in case of an honor code that you have agreed to.
And good luck. Life should be a bit fairer than it is.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: These students are *attempting* to cheat. “Prospective” is not the right word here. They have already crossed the line from just contemplating cheating to actually doing something. The fact that they derived no benefit (as far as *you* know, that is), while perhaps relevant to the significance of the offense and the punishment they might receive, does not change that fact. It’s clear misconduct and not at all morally grey.
To put it differently: if you saw someone *attempt* to rob a bank but fail, would you think you needed to report it? If you saw someone attempt to kill another person but be foiled by a lack of assistance from someone they turned to for help, would you report it? Etc.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: Just to inform you that there is another perspective...
If you can "cheat" in an exam, then the examination itself may be flawed. I remember open book exams, take-home exams during my undergrad studies that even if someone "cheated", they had to learn at least something during that.
I consider that approach lazy at best.
I have no idea about US culture (and THAT level of competition) but my view on cheating is:
What would happen if some are cheating? Did they learn anything? If yes, that can even be considered "group study" by some stretch. Do you think you learn **anything significant** in undergrad? Whole undergrad can be covered in a year of M.Sc.
Will they **really** have a competitive advantage over you? Assuming they did not learn anything, you have the advantage. You know, they don't. Build upon that. Instead of losing your time asking this question, reading answers, you could have learnt a couple of things already. See the big picture, try to reach higher, read some papers or books.
I wouldn't care if a student A had higher grades than student B. I would choose B with lower grades if they have read a bunch of articles, have some questions about them and can think of novel ways even if naive.
Do whatever your code of conduct or whatnot says to be a "good citizen". Study further instead of pondering over petty details to be a "good scientist". Yes you can be both, too. I am not that interested in former though, I just care about my studies.. People are people.
I am not saying you should close your eyes to unjust. I am just saying that what you see as unjust is just a kid stealing another one's toy in a playground. Yes it technically is unjust but...
My best advice would be to go as much as forward you can so that world's best cheater can't reach you. Find your passion.
Upvotes: -1
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<issue_start>username_0: I'm taking a math class at community college. The class has three regular exams (25% of grade) and a final (25%). Normally, the professor generously grades the fifteen-question exams with partial credit, but because of the COVID-19 crisis, we have had to move everything online.
I received excellent scores on the first two exams, but the third exam we had to take online. In the new, twenty-question format, she obviously could not offer partial credit because a computer scored it. Going into the exam, I didn't feel unprepared, but I ended up getting a terrible 62%. But then, the professor announced that the entire *class* had performed poorly on the exam, and she gave us another day to retake it. I had already spent an entire day studying and working on the exam, and I knew it would be dropped anyway, so I declined. I still don't think that there was much that would have changed if I took it a second time without being able to see what I got wrong. When I did get it back, I found that several of my mistakes had nothing to do with math and were a result of failing to correctly enter my results into the computer.
I don't know how the rest of the class performed on the exam compared to me, but the professor was concerned enough to give an extra day, so I'm willing to bet it was around the same. Needless to say, I *strongly* suspect that our collective failure is a result of the new exam format. I think that our grades depended on the partial-credit scoring. And now, the final, worth 25% of my grade, is coming up on May 18th.
I have a 98% in the class. If I get a 60% on the final, it will completely destroy my grade. And what's most disturbing to me is that so far, there has been no correspondence on what the final will look like. In terms of format, I don't know what I'm studying for, exactly. If it is going to be similar to the third exam, then I'm very likely doomed. With my two AP exams also around the corner, in the same week, it is causing an undue amount of stress.
I really appreciate the professor, and I naturally want to remain respectful and stay on good terms with her. Is it appropriate for me to voice my concerns? What kind of language should I use, and which parts of what I have disclosed here are appropriate to include? And what reasonably should I request?<issue_comment>username_1: It’s totally appropriate to point out to your professor that your grade is suffering for technical reasons having to do with the online format of the exam. If your professor is reasonable she will not be in the least bit offended by this.
By the way, we are pretty much all dealing with issues of this sort nowadays. I experienced something similar just a few days ago when I gave an online quiz. One of the problems required entering the answer to a question in decimal notation, and this was automatically graded by the testing platform. The correct answer was 15/64=0.234375, but some students assumed it was okay to round off the answer and entered 0.234 or 0.23, only to have that marked off as incorrect. When they emailed me to point out the issue, I gave them the points for the question.
To summarize, let your professor know. Be polite and explain the technical issues in entering the answers that caused your answers to be marked as incorrect. If you explain it clearly and convincingly enough, not only will the professor be in a better position to design a fairer format for the final exam, she may actually give you back some of the points that were marked off in the current exam.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: It is perfectly acceptable to give your professor negative feedback on the exam format. You can either do this by email, or you could do it anonymously with an unsigned letter in her pigeonhole on campus (once it is open). Since the exam format was necessitated by the remote learning circumstances due to COVID-19, it is likely that your professor already knows that this format is sub-optimal, and your negative feedback will probably just confirm what she already knows. Once you are back to face-to-face classes, it is likely that she will change back to her previously preferred format.
If you decide it is worth giving negative feedback on the exam format, I suggest you write this with some context that recognises that the professor is operating under remote learning restrictions. Make sure you are polite and appreciative of her work, and frame your feedback as something to give her the experience from the point of view of a student. Generally speaking, professors do not mind negative feedback from students so long as it is constructive and polite.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: **TL;DR:**
*Your professor probably does not care about these issues as much as you do. That is a non-problem. Just reach out to your professor and do not sweat over it. Focus on whatever is more important than these grades. Family, sports, opposite/same sex, this does not worth your time.*
**Longer answer:**
If you have a concern about something that affects your life (grades do, unfortunately) why shouldn't you be able to reach out to your professor?
Academics, in general (or at least in theory) are devoted to science and justice. There are some oddballs, yes but that is the kernel of their profession. Why would you spend all your life behind a desk/in a lab if you don't have such passion -even only for the first few years of your profession? Money? That falls under oddballs category. Prestige? Do academics have any prestige in this world at all? Nothing. Dealing with problems is my passion and that case is yours is another problem to be solved.
Don't tell everyone but there is a trick: If you can pose any problem in a brain-tingling way you can lure any academics to pursue any problem. What to do with this information is up to you though. I will not give away all our secrets out of nowhere.
Don't be confrontational, because in that case their first instinct would be to destroy you with facts -that is how academy works: the way of hard science. That is most probably not personal. I said instinct, because in most cases it can't be controlled and maybe even noticed.
Of course this is my experience and my way of interacting with students, and not everyone has to be like this. Yet even if they unwelcoming, what would you lose? Your grade you already lost? Your grade which will be even lower? Latter is why there are boards and ethical committees. They will say some bad words and hurt your feelings? Don't be a special snowflake. There are idiots posing as academics, deal with it. You will not see them next year or the year after but I have to deal with them almost daily.
Just... Just don't be disrespectful and don't be confrontational if you are not ready to play that way. I can tolerate (and even enjoy in a sinister way) confrontation but disrespect is some another level. I can hurt your feelings, and you would brush them off by tomorrow.
Upvotes: -1
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<issue_start>username_0: I'm going to try and make this as concise as possible. I need to recap my education quickly. I finished my bachelor's in EE 2012. Between 2012-2016 I was a journalist and learned to code and started a software company. I finished a one-year CS conversion master UK 2017 and now I'm doing a CS masters in NYC. I'm trying to do research in NLP and focus on low resource languages.
I'm trying to publish a paper or two in a conference but no idea how. I tried contacting professors in my department and they don't seem to be interested in working with master's students. I'm trying to apply for research internships in the States but it is very competitive and just got rejected because my background is very different and lacks research experience as I didn't have any chance to do any research in my undergraduate because that just doesn't happen where I come from.
That is why I think my only option is to publish things by myself. I can come up with solutions to problems that are interesting to me after reading a paper and I can implement some of those solutions. The way I do this is I read a few papers about a specific problem see what they recommend for future implementation and try to see if I can do it or if I have another idea.
What I would like to get advice on is:
How would you go about writing the conference paper? It seems to me that there are many different requirements for each different conference. Should I try to publish a conference or journal? Is there a way to quantify a significant finding? Would be easier for me to do a review paper or build a new dataset? Is there another way you think I should approach writing a paper as in how do you usually find a problem and solve it? Would you advise against doing this and try and find a supervisor somehow?
My goal is to research in NLP whether alone (not preferred), in academia, or to do it my Ph.D. but it seems like my profile is lacking big tech or research experience in comparison to students from Europe, States, China, and India.
I hope that there is someone who can give me some sort of guidance here.<issue_comment>username_1: There is a path, but it isn't short or easy. You have three main problems. The first is to know what has already been done. There is a vast literature. What you study in a masters is mostly what is well known, though a bit advanced. But to get started with a journey to the edge, you might pick out an annual conference that appeals to you and select within that conference one of the specialized tracks. Read all of the papers from the previous couple of years in that track and go through their bibliography, reading more, until you get a sense of things. Doctoral students do something like this (and more) for their literature search. It isn't good to try to publish something that is known.
The second problem is learning to write your results in a comprehensible way. The literature search can help you with this if you get a sense about how things are presented in that field. What level of detail, etc. Perhaps your masters work has given you some sense of this already.
The third problem is having something that is both new and significant. That is hard to judge until you are deep into the study of a specialized area and can take experience. But, if you think it might be good enough and you've done the other two things, then you just submit to the conference, usually through their online submission system. You will get feedback and for a first attempt it may be disappointing feedback. If you have really missed the mark then you won't get much help, just a quick reject. But if you are close to measuring up then reviewers of your paper will give you some detailed feedback that can help you even if you ultimately get rejected. But whether your work based on readings and musings measures up to the required quality will, in the end, be measured by others.
If you have the funds, you can also attend a conference. You don't normally need to be a presenter to attend and you will have the opportunity to hear about a lot of research. You can get a sense from this whether your own ideas are of a similar quality. Can you follow the presentations? Is what they present something you might have thought of?
Another option is to take an advanced course at one of the universities in your village (NYC, I think you indicate). Many universities will let you take courses without being in a degree program (in the US, anyway). Take the most advanced course you are prepared to handle. And use it as an opportunity to meet some faculty, though waiting until we see the end of the pandemic would probably be necessary for any real contact. Your masters may provide this opportunity now, in fact.
As username_2 noted in a comment, it is very hard to get into the game without a guide.
And, what I've described is more or less what a doctoral research student will do, though with the help of an advisor. But some people are self directed enough to work with minimal (occasionally no) help from the advisor.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: I think it's almost impossible, if not truly so, to do your first publications without assistance (assuming those publications are to be in legitimate, reputable venues). You say your only option is to publish by yourself without guidance; my advice is strongly to say that path is not likely to be fruitful and suggest that you reconsider your other options.
I don't know what you have to do or can do to get an advisor at this point, but do that. If you were an undergraduate looking for a graduate program, I would strongly advise that you choose a program that shares your interest in doing research, and make sure you will be supported in that research. Since that choice is in the past, your options are limited, and you'll have to consider what makes most sense for you...
It might mean working through your program's staff to help connect you with someone if people aren't responding on their own.
It might mean reaching out to professors who teach courses you take and asking them for advice, if not on your research directly then on finding an advisor.
It might mean rethinking the specificity of your research interests and instead working on problems someone else finds interesting. Only tenured professors have the most opportunity to choose their own problems.
It might mean finding a collaborator outside your institution.
It might mean changing programs.
Things in most places are pretty messed up right now and these do not qualify as ordinary times, especially in NYC; your best options might include some patience and waiting for things to return to a more stable setting.
---
Too many possibilities and too many unknowns/factors specific to you and your current institution to give any specific answer, but the *process* of research, not just the contents, are difficult enough *with help*. This is not a good time in your career to venture out alone prematurely.
Upvotes: 1
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<issue_start>username_0: I'd always thought they were completely the same, but I saw [a twitter thread in which this was questioned](https://twitter.com/mattyglesias/status/1254720339520753664).
I mean here "working paper" only in its scholarly sense - I'm aware that the term has other uses, for instance at the UN where it can mean something akin to the draft of a resolution.
If the answer is that there is a meaningful difference in some disciplines but not in others, which disciplines treat the term differently?<issue_comment>username_1: [Working paper](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_paper):
>
> A preliminary scientific or technical paper. Often, authors will release working papers to share ideas about a topic or to elicit feedback before submitting to a peer reviewed conference or academic journal. Working papers are often the basis for related works, and may in themselves be cited by peer-review papers. They may be considered as grey literature.
>
>
>
From the same source:
>
> Sometimes the term working paper is used synonymously as technical report. Working papers are typically hosted on websites, belonging either to the author or the author's affiliated institution.
>
>
>
**My take: A preprint (or technical report) is more mature than a working paper.**
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: As per the other (current) answer, in fields I know (pure and applied math, computing, GIS, ...) a working paper is less mature than a preprint. However, there is not necessarily a progression from one to the other.
The expectation is that a preprint is basically ready for submission to peer-reviewed journal or other venue, and may even already be submitted by the time anyone else reads it. In some cases, that may not be strictly true: I've seen working papers where there was a specific clear gap or two that still needed to be filled before submission, and I've myself had to rework preprints significantly based on friendly feedback received and/or different format/length expectations where ultimately submitted.
In fields I know, "working paper" carries connotations of work-in-progress. It may still be under active development, or paused to be revisited much later, or maybe never. But someone feels it is worth sharing and having in citable form regardless of any half-bakedness. Nothing wrong with that, and during my Ph.D. I was strongly influenced by a working paper that outlined an approach the author never got around to completing.
Upvotes: 2
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<issue_start>username_0: I would like generate a list of all papers which cite my references, sorted by most recent. In other words I want all papers which are "2 publications away" from mine, which cite the references in my papers, but which are not references of my references. This would provide an easy way to see what new research is closely related to mine, even if they do not cite my papers. Has anyone thought of doing this? How could it be done?<issue_comment>username_1: You can do this using Google Scholar: Suppose your paper is *[Alternative to mental hospital treatment: I. Conceptual model, treatment program, and clinical evaluation](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?cluster=12910826986926402159)*. The *[cited by](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?cites=12910826986926402159&as_sdt=2005&sciodt=0,5&hl=en)* link lists the papers citing your paper (and can be [sorted by date](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=2005&sciodt=0,5&cites=12910826986926402159&scipsc=&q=&scisbd=1)). Now you just need to click the cited by link for each of the papers identified in the previous step and merge the resulting lists.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: If you know how to code, the path to the solution is:
You need the DOIs of your cited references and create a script which regularly checks their newest citations via [CrossRef's API](https://github.com/CrossRef/rest-api-doc).
Upvotes: 1
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<issue_start>username_0: I received the following rejection letter from the journal editor. It does not look like “rejection and resubmission” to me. Should I revise and resubmit? Is there any chance of acceptance?
>
> ... I very much regret to inform you that your manuscript has been rejected. Below are the comments and recommendations for this manuscript.
>
>
> If you wish, please consider the suggestions made by the reviewers and/or Editor's Office and, possibly, consider submitting a new version to the journal. If it meets the journal requirements, we will then send it out for independent peer review. It has been our experience that those who follow the reviewers' comments and re-submit their paper generally are successful in publishing in ABC. However, the decision to rewrite the paper rests with you...
>
>
><issue_comment>username_1: Your options are to take the reviewers advice and then resubmit, submit elsewhere, or just forget about submission. Of the three, the first seems, to me at least, to be the best option.
The last option seems clearly undesirable, but even the second may well leave you in exactly the same situation with a few months gone by.
But, the paper is yours and you can choose. Nor does it "belong" to the reviewers and you can choose to ignore some of their advice in a rewrite, though you should have reasons for that if you do. It is generally wise to "consider" every comment made by reviewers and at least rewrite "in the spirit" of the comments if they are reasonable.
It may be, of course, that the reviewers didn't understand what you were trying to say. But that is generally an indication that you haven't expressed yourself well enough that experienced people can follow your arguments and evidence. And that is also reason to rewrite.
I assume you are asking because you are at the beginning of your career and don't have a lot of experience with this. Just the practice of rewriting is probably worth it to improve your exposition style and to shore up any holes in your arguments. It is a learning process if nothing else.
And note that their instructions seem to be quite positive about the outcome of a rewrite. I'd recommend you do it. But the paper is yours.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: That looks like a standard *Reject and Resubmit* to me. Therefore, provided you take into account reviewers' and editors' suggestions/comments and answer on their questions (if any), it is worth considering a resubmission to this journal.
There might be additional connotations to be read from the particular comments given by reviewers which would require a dramatic change in the methodology, results' collection OR some fundamental issues with the paper. It is quite likely that the resubmission is reviewed by the same set of reviewers which has its pros and cons.
Overall, given solely the information in the question, I would seriously consider resubmission upon careful examination of the review.
Upvotes: 2
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<issue_start>username_0: I have submitted a paper at a certain conference that has a rebuttal phase (authors are presented with initial reviews and can write a rebuttal, which will be used for the final decision). Based on the reviews, it seems that the chances for the paper being accepted are zero. The submission system of the conference has a "Withdraw" button, which makes it easy to withdraw the paper and submit it to another conference. I intend to make use of that option, after using the available reviews to significantly improve the paper.
To my surprise, a senior colleague explained to me that doing so might be considered unethical. The explanation was one could see it as a wasteful use of reviewer time, comparable to a double submission.
This explanation did not really get clear to me: Assuming that I use the reviewer comments to improve the paper, I have used the reviewer time in the intended way. The situation would be exactly the same as if the paper had been rejected right away, and I had proceeded to submit to another conference.
Am I missing something? What are the ethical implications here?<issue_comment>username_1: One certainly can withdraw a paper after initial reviews and if the reviews indicate that the paper does not fit well with the conference topic-wise or has to be significantly improved/re-worked. In the latter case, the paper author should assess how much time is required to work on the paper and if it is possible to meet the deadlines (taking into account additional development, data collection/re-collection, work on the text and visualizations, literature review, etc.).
If the timeline does not seem viable, withdrawing and resubmitting to another conference is certainly the right call. In addition to the potential adaptation of the paper to the new submission, it would be very wise to use the feedback from the original reviewers to improve the paper.
I would certainly agree that in the case of withdrawal and resubmission, you would have used the reviewers' feedback and time in **an intended way**: to improve your work and make it better/more accessible to your reader/listener. However, there is a small catch: different *entities* (people, organizations) **intend different things** for the use of their resources, in this case, the pool of reviewers and their time.
---
In this case, I would say, the authors' **good intentions** matter the most.
If the author of the paper submitted it to a conference/journal **primarily** to get the feedback of the reviewers and get "free" advice knowing that the submission itself is doomed to fail — this is unethical in my opinion.
On the contrary, if a particular paper failed to go to a particular conference during peer review and its improved version ended up in another venue — this is great. Peer review and research win!
If this situation happens to the researcher consistent and too often, I would certainly agree that there is at least a hint of being a bit unethical, more from the point of being a bit lazy and wasteful of ones' peers' time.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: There is nothing unethical about withdrawing or about using the reviews to improve the paper for other use. If you submitted the paper in good faith in the first place then you haven't wasted anyone's time.
The paper probably needs improvement generally, not just to be more suitable for that particular conference, though it is possible that it is just a bad fit.
But you don't need to decide immediately. Give the paper a re-write based on their suggestions and *then* decide whether you still think it has no chance of acceptance. If you think not, then look for somewhere else. But if you think it is sufficiently improved then submit the new version.
Of course, since this is a conference, time is a factor.
And most places that reject a paper still pass on the reviews and authors are then permitted to rewrite and submit wherever they like.
Submitting to a conference doesn't give them ownership of the paper in any sense until it is accepted and you may need to yield copyright. And the people who review aren't paid by the conference, but do it as a service both to the conference and to the authors. If you eventually present/publish something good they are happy and have done their job well.
Upvotes: 2
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<issue_start>username_0: I submitted my paper to World Scientific journal for a week ago. The "Editor invited" status stayed since the submission, and then it changed to "Decision in Process" directly. It seems strange. Normally “editor invited” comes after manuscript screening. Why was there no "with editor" status and why did it change to "Decision in Process"?<issue_comment>username_1: It is possible that this journal sends out invitations to the editor as soon as a manuscript is submitted, and an admin person conducts the manuscript screening while waiting for the editor to accept the invitation. This could be a way of speeding up the process, and is probably the reason for the status change to “decision in process.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: It means they're making a decision without peer review. Usually not a good sign; a desk rejection is very likely.
If you're asking why "with editor" didn't show up, there's a good chance it did, but the editor made a decision in a few minutes and you didn't notice it.
Upvotes: 2
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2020/04/28
| 582
| 2,464
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<issue_start>username_0: I am in a bit of a pickle here.
I am in a course, and a student that I know quite well asked to collaborate with me on a project. I agreed. We started working on the project for 30 minutes, but I was the only one that continued (it took roughly 10 hours of work). Whenever I was working on the project, and asked the student to join, he never joined. I finished the project independently, but the student asked me to add him to my submission. To save face, I told the student that I did not finish the project, and added him to the version that we had worked on, and emailed the professor asking if I could submit the project over email instead so I would not have to add the student as a collaborator on the project.
The professor just reached out saying that he emailed the student for clarification, which puts me in a very sticky situation. I know the student quite well, and as I mentioned, I told him that I had not finished the project. Must my professor respect confidentiality in that matter? He did not ask before escalating the situation, but I do not know if he had to at all.<issue_comment>username_1: You should have gone to your professor with your problem, rather than your solution.
Your problem is that you were having trouble getting your peer to contribute, and felt like you did all the work on the project.
Your solution was wanting to clandestinely submit the finished version while lying to your peer.
I'm guessing your email wasn't particularly clear, but even if it was clear I don't fault your professor for reaching out to the other student on this. This is not the sort of "confidentiality" that relates to you personally, this is an interpersonal conflict between two students that you have implicitly asked your professor to solve. It's not reasonable to expect them to leave the other student out of it completely.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> Must my professor respect confidentiality in that matter?
>
>
>
Usually no. Information is only kept confidential if you make an agreement in advance that it be confidential.
Where applicable, FERPA requires that certain information be kept confidential. This does not mean a faculty member cannot ask a student if they contributed to an assignment. The grade would be confidential, but sending "requests for clarification" would be okay (depending on the content.)
<https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html>
Upvotes: 2
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2020/04/28
| 2,472
| 9,742
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<issue_start>username_0: I have crippling anxiety around "authority figures", and I'm irrationally deathly afraid to the point where I will cry in a room when alone with them, likely due to my upbringing, namely, always being afraid of my verbally abusive, but very loving and well-intentioned, father. And so I tend to leave very important and very kind emails from professors unanswered. This is unprofessional of me, and so I was wondering what some of you here have successfully tried doing to counter this level of anxiety.
The authority figure can be a professor, a fireman / police officer looking to help me, my basketball coach. I've experienced similar with all of these people. I am sometimes just mute.
I see a doctor and take meds already, but I am looking for other ways to cope.
Is there a cool, fun strategy to try to implement, say, respond to emails within 5 minutes of reading them, even if my response is incomplete? Aim for a one-sentence reply?
I don't know, I'm just thinking, but I know I need a lot of help.<issue_comment>username_1: You are doing the right thing seeking some medical advice. But the way to become more comfortable in this, as in most things, is:
Practice. Practice. Practice.
The first steps are painful and you may fall. Eventually you learn to walk and probably to run.
My doctoral program took a few years longer than it might have because I was too afraid to speak up on my own behalf at a certain point and got stuck (really stuck) with an unhelpful advisor.
Later, I took on the issue head on and taught myself to look people in the eye and to speak up. It was very difficult at first. Now I do it without thought or worry.
It is just a skill. Learn to apply it. Haltingly at first, but it is extremely unlikely that bad things will happen if you speak up. If people don't know your needs they will not be able to assist your academic growth. Just. Do. It. Grow into the person you want to be.
Sometimes you need to just pretend to be the person you want to be.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: What helps me reply to emails from professors is to have a lot of "template" sentences; things that you would pretty much say to anyone in a professional setting without much attention to context. That way it removes a lot of the personal interaction that brings anxiety to me and luckily this sort of attitude is more or less preferred in an academic setting because everyone is busy and all they want is a kind and concise email. Once you develop a habit you can write emails faster and consider it more of a task than an anxiety-inducing social interaction.
My emails frequently contain some of these phrases:
>
> Hello, Dr. \_
>
>
> Thank you for getting back to me/Thank you for your help/advice. Yes I
> agree with you/I appreciate your comments/I would like to \_\_\_.
>
>
> I look forward to meeting/discussing/hearing from you.
>
>
> Regards, username_2
>
>
>
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: As I mentioned in the comments, I will try to explain how I go about writing emails via breaking down some of my older ones. Hopefully this can help a bit. I am not boasting my writing skills (or of the lack there of). This is what works for me. Note that there are some reductions and italic text are the censors.
I) A professor that I expect to remember who I am.
Here I am asking for a professor for the homework questions he prepared for a class that I have attended. I also have a good rapport with him. So I try to keep it brief and on point.
>
> Hello,
>
>
> Can you please e-mail me the algebra homework sheets you prepared for your courses (if you have them)? My friend is retaking algebra in *another university* and it appears they don't give decent, constructive homework. I also think I can benefit from redoing those and repeating some of the basics with her. Finally, I intend to send you a *some other matter* draft tonight hopefully it is not too late.
>
>
> Regards
>
>
>
For something like a small request, I would simply briefly say hello, state my request kindly and explain why I am asking for it. Thank them for their time and end with regards. If it were something more time consuming I would use phrases like, "would it be possible" or "if it is not a problem". Brief and on point usually works great.
II)A professor that most likely does not know who I am.
This is a more complicated issue. I am asking for a proffesor (to whom I have never talked before and that I will be working with) if he would be okay for me the apply for a grant for another project relating to his project in order to fund my participation.
>
> Hello,
>
>
> I am writing to inform / check with you something. I will be participating your program and as you might know along with the usual expenses *your university* demands a payment around ... I have been looking for financial support options for a while and I could manage to find two small ones. The part that might concern you that one of the support option comes from *some institution* and the only way to get *the program* funded is to declare the *program* payments as "cost of education" for another project that will be done in *my country*. Hence, I will be doing a senior project next semester with *another advisor* on a related or correlated topic to justify the declaration and get funding. I acknowledge that the any result or material done in the summer is the program's intellectual property and I ensure you that any result will be used only with the appropriate citation and reference. I also acknowledge that *your program* is the more important between two and that my total attention and concentration is and will be on *your program*. Aforementioned senior project is only to make *the program* financially less crushing. I hope that this is alright with you.
>
>
> Regards,
>
>
>
For a longer e-mail I find it useful to state its purpose in the first sentence. What are you asking/saying? Then introduce yourself if it is necessary. Finally make your point. It is usually a good idea to keep it as brief but complicated issues have naunces and it is important to adress them. In the case above, I try to answer why am I writing? who am I? what is the issue at hand? why is this issue at hand? why it might concern them? Why shouldn't they worry about obvious issue?.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: Several of the techniques here could help, but here's another angle to consider: Use your email's delay send feature, and schedule for, say, half an hour from when you hit send.
That takes the pressure off of actually hitting the send button, because hey, if you think of something catastrophically wrong, you can go back and fix it. However, it's entirely possible that when you step away for a moment, it'll take a backseat in your mind. So, the half hour mark will pass, the email will send, and you won't think twice about it.
Maybe worth a shot?
(Your mileage may vary. The trick is taking your mind off it in the half hour, if that's at all possible)
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: I very much agree with [username_1's answer](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/148394/4140), but I believe there needs to be a slight change in emphasis.
What you are describing is not a lack in some skill that you could overcome by practicing. It sounds like the textbook definition of an [anxiety disorder](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxiety_disorder), specifically a subtype of [social phobia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_anxiety_disorder).
Anxiety disorders are quite amenable to [behavior therapy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behaviour_therapy). I would very much recommend that you talk to a psychotherapist, not just a medical doctor or psychiatrist. Your school may be able to help you with finding a good therapist.
Your therapist will likely recommend a form of [exposure therapy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exposure_therapy), which consists of performing the anxiety-inducing actions in a controlled and safe environment, essentially to unlearn the anxiety response by learning that the action is indeed safe. For instance, you might write email responses in a therapy session, under the therapist's supervision and help. You will start with small messages and work your way up to more confrontational ones.
Yes, this will take a lot of practice, just like username_1 writes. However, professional support will be invaluable in doing this and in reflecting on what is happening in yourself as you write your mails.
Good luck!
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_6: I know such problems very well.
**My advice is: Do not put yourself under pressure. This makes your fears worse.**
You do not have to answer within five minutes. Unless it is something really urgent, you even do not have to answer the same day. Authorities usually are quite busy, they do not just sit there and wait for your answer. So take your time.
I myself start by writing a draft. Not the real answer, but just a draft. I make a list of items I want to mention in my e-mail. I collect some phrases I might use.
Then I start writing and try to finish a first draft of the text. I save this draft and do something else.
When I get back to my e-mail after an hour or so, it is not so terrifying any more, because I already have a draft. Perhaps it is not so bad, and I can use it. Very often, at a second glance, I quite like my text, and I send it as it is.
If not, I go over it again and tell myself that it is still a draft. Then I wait again for some time, and then I send it. In very difficult cases, I sometimes wait until the next day, but not longer.
This works fine for me, and I hope it is of some help for you, too.
Upvotes: 1
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2020/04/28
| 756
| 3,164
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<issue_start>username_0: In short - wrote an article, sent the manuscript to all co-authors and asked for consent for submission and for feedback, if any. After most of the co-authors replied, I made some small tweaks to the manuscript that improved it, but I'm still waiting for consent from 2 co-authors. I sent the e-mail 2 weeks ago, and that should be enough time for them to at least acknowledge they received it, right? All other co-authors replied within a few days.
What makes this especially interesting is the fact that the 2 co-authors that didn't respond were the ones not actually super involved in the experiments, they just provided the transgenic model that I experimented on. I included them as authors on the first (published in a journal) paper because my PI told me we should include them because of that and ok. But now they aren't responding at all, so I'm wondering how to move forward. Remind them? When? Just submit without their consent? Remove them from the author block (and risk a clash with the PI)? I want to submit this, but have no idea what to do.<issue_comment>username_1: 2 weeks is a fair amount of time, so yes, remind them. You could also write something like "If I don't hear from you by [time] I'll assume you consent to submission", or "I'll submit this by [time], if you have any objections please let me know before then".
That said if you have a PI, you might as well ask them what to do. There's no reason not to, especially for contentious decisions that might lead to bad feelings.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: Sadly, until you get the positive agreement of all participants you are just stuck. It is frustrating, but necessary that everyone agree to things published in their name. You can't assume they agree if they don't make it explicit.
Any ethical publisher would require the agreement of all authors and most (all?) require it for those mentioned by name in acknowledgements. You don't need it for citations, of course, but you do for direct contributions.
Dropping them from authorship, if authorship is warranted, is even worse and leaves you open to charges of plagiarism.
I don't know if you could "sneak it by" an editor, but you will have the worst of all outcomes if one of the people whose agreement is needed later objects. Or worse, if a charge of plagiarism is made.
What you can, do, is to keep trying to contact them. There may be reasons that their reply is not forthcoming. Anything from medical reasons to the possibility that they just don't want to work with you or have their name associated with you. Hundreds of other possibilities.
You can also seek to use an intermediary. If there is someone with authority over everyone, then a request made through them might be more likely to receive a response. And a plea from them might be more likely to receive a positive reply.
But, don't let your frustration lead you to unethical behavior. There are outcomes worse than just burying the work. I'm sorry you are stuck. But don't make it worse.
---
I recognize that biorXiv isn't a traditional publisher. But, still, it is your reputation at stake here.
Upvotes: 0
|
2020/04/29
| 1,944
| 8,274
|
<issue_start>username_0: If an article, theorem, etc. is unpublished, presumably the work is only available to people who track down the author and get a draft copy. Today we have arXiv and can find many preprints on the Internet, but people have been citing unpublished works longer than arXiv has been around. It seems like an unscrupulous author could claim anything he wants, cite an unpublished work that doesn't support his claim (or even one that doesn't exist), and get away with it unless the bad claim is caught in the review process.
I suppose the reviewers could ask for a copy of the cited work, but I recently saw a citation that was just "private communication 1981" for a paper published in 1985, and that could easily have been a phone call where no record could be provided to a reviewer.
I've never published anything myself, so maybe I'm unaware of a part of the review process that is meant to catch this, but what prevents authors from making bad citations of unpublished works?<issue_comment>username_1: You seem to be interpreting citations as a way of proving something by appeal to authority. That is not what citations are. A citation is a way of giving appropriate credit to the originator of an idea and pointing the reader to the explanation of that idea. ***Not* giving credit to the person who gave you an important original idea is unethical, whether that idea has been published or not.**
Citing a "personal communication" related to a mathematical fact (for instance) does not eliminate the need to prove that fact. Appropriate usage would be to write something like "the following was communicated to me by X. Y. [personal communication]", followed by (for instance) a theorem statement **and** its proof.
Note that if something is in a technical report or on arXiv, it is not *unpublished*. People *publish* blog posts, novels, and Youtube videos. ***Published* and *peer-reviewed* are completely different things and it's wrong to conflate them.**
Upvotes: 8 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: **What's the alternative?** I can only see two:
* Don't write the text. This would also mean you have something worth sharing, but are not sharing it. This goes against the purpose of publishing in the first place.
* Write the text, but don't cite it. That's plagiarism.
Since the alternatives are undesirable, it's acceptable to cite unpublished works.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_3: An [answer](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/148407/33210) by [username_1](https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/81/david-ketcheson) highlights the importance of giving credit for ideas as a reason for citing unpublished works.
Another reason for citing unpublished works can be [*grey literature*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_literature). The linked Wikipedia article describes the history of *grey literature* coming out of World War II, when the Allies produced a large amount of nuclear research that was not formally published, but still scientific important.
In my personal experience in applied ecology, *grey literature* can be an important source for management decisions and data. For example, a wildlife preserve manager might do controlled burns every 5 years based upon their wildlife preserve's local monitoring program. But, they would not formally publish their work as an article. Instead, they might summarize their work as part of a report that lacks peer review. However, a researcher studying fire ecology might describe the wildlife preserve's management as part of a peer review article or describe trends at the preserve.
More broadly, nuance is key to understanding what is acceptable to cite. First, different academic fields have different general expectations for how to cite non-peer reviewed science and journals usually have a distinct citation style (e.g., inline vs reference section). Second, a nuanced view is important for what is being cited. Citing facts, observations, and applied choices differ from citing conclusions.
Last, to answer your final question, **what prevents authors from making bad citations of unpublished works?** Nothing. But, a nuanced view of peer-reviewed articles helps here. Just because something is peer-reviewed, it is not infallible. Additionally, I've had authors make *bad* citations of my published works. I've joked I sometimes learn new things about my research by reading work that cites it.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_4: What does harm research progress is quoting **any** literature without having read it or dropping citations for the bang of it. There, sloppiness or bad faith are disguised under the shine of a DOI or ISBN. Anything that is not peer-reviewed, and reported as such, will be looked at at face value and put in perspective: let writers write critically, let readers read critically.
As others point out very well down this post, the crux is doing justice to the others' work, conscientiousness and creativity, in accordance with their own job specifications.
Off-note. Once you mention you are new to publishing, among countless resources, you might find it interesting to read the science pages that the British newspaper The Guardian dedicates, with some regularity, to [peer review and scientific publishing](https://www.theguardian.com/science/peer-review-scientific-publishing).
It is sometimes useful to have journalists looking at science.
These ones among and along others.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: A complement to the good answers already here:
Giving people credit for the ideas they bring to you, by whatever means available even if not ideal, signals to possible future collaborators that it's safe to bring other ideas to you. Safe in the sense that you're not just going to let people assume you're the source of the idea.
If widespread enough, the practice of citing by whatever means available signals that it's safe to bring ideas to *the community* without worrying about first getting proof that it's yours. That's established to some extent in the scientific community, and we all should contribute to keep it going.
There's a lot to be said about the advantages of exposing preliminary results, doubts, even half-formed ideas to colleagues, even those who are otherwise strangers. That's most of the point of conferences.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_6: *(To add to the already good answers. I'll assume math, since you mention "theorem" and "arxiv", but this probably applies way more in general)*
What would "get away with it" mean here? Publishing is not a magical process that endows the published article with an indelible aura of perfection for the ages. Publishing is just the (usual, normal, common, accepted) way of disseminating one's research. If someone's research is wrong, this will be known rather sooner than later.
Papers are most often refereed by people who are experts in the topic, so getting away with claiming something outrageous from an obscure source will not get you very far. The more important the journal, the more true this is.
Also, research is not something that happens in a vacuum. There is a community. If you are doing something that is not related to anything anybody cares about, and you publish in bad journals, you can probably "get away" with almost anything. But a normal researcher cites people, talks at conferences and meets those people, themselves and their work become known. Those "mysterious preprints" form the past were available to anyone who asked (you would send a letter to the researcher and get a copy, that was standard back then). So, the people who cared about those preprints did have them.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_7: I think if a work is not unpublished, there is no such thing as "cite", it is merely mentioning. But I do think it is important to do so.
First, when you make a scientific argument in your work, you always need evidence and support. Mentioning unpublished work tells readers that what you are talking about is true, and they will keep it in mind and go to validate it when you actually publish it.
The second is that to show others you are the first one to make these discoveries, but you have not published it yet. This is important in academia as well.
Upvotes: -1
|
2020/04/29
| 775
| 2,581
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<issue_start>username_0: I would like to quote the following quotation correctly:
>
> Information is the oil of the 21st century and analytics is the internal combustion engine.
>
>
>
In other papers I found out that this quote was said by <NAME> in 2011 and as source a weblink to a Gartner press release is given: <http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/1824919>. This link is no longer available. So I cannot use it to cite the quote.
But there is the web service "waybackmachine". It's an internet archive, so I can see here the state of the website from 2017, where this article is still available: <https://web.archive.org/web/20170612085034/http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/1824919>
Is it okay then to use the archive link as the source for the quote? I would use it in bibtex in the following way:
```
@misc{gartner,
title = {Gartner Says Worldwide Enterprise IT Spending to Reach \$2.7 Trillion in 2012},
author = {<NAME>},
howpublished = {\url{https://web.archive.org/web/20170612085034/http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/1824919}},
note = {Accessed: 2020-04-29},
year = {2011}
}
```<issue_comment>username_1: This should be fine, though editors get the final say. But since the web is volatile, it is pretty hard to cite a current page and hope that it will be there in a few years. The wayback machine was created for just this purpose.
Referencing potentially volatile information is always dangerous, and any such citation should be accompanied by the date the information was accessed, as you have done here. But the wayback machine (internet archive) is a series of snapshots that shouldn't change.
Even worse than online information disappearing, is that it can be changed outside your control, making information you relied on say quite different things.
---
And, for what it's worth, it is a good idea to donate a bit of money to such resources occasionally to help assure that they don't disappear for lack of support.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: It seems fine to cite a document from archive.org.
Additionally, a 'best practice'-approach would generate PDFs (or another kind of snapshot that "freezes" the "liquid" content of the web) and to store them into an accessible dataset (like Dataverse) so that potential readers could access them in case they are interested.
[This is an idea mentioned in Karlsson/Sjøvaag (2015) "[Content Analysis and Online News: Epistemologies of Analysing the Ephemeral Web](https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2015.1096619)", Digital Journalism 4(1), 177-192.]
Upvotes: 1
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2020/04/29
| 1,922
| 8,017
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<issue_start>username_0: Whenever I read news about some scientific breakthrough, names that come up are mostly of the group leaders, a.k.a. last authors. I believe in most cases, it is rightfully for the last author to get the credit. The first authors are usually inexperienced Ph.D. students who work under the guidance of their supervisor. Ideas from their first author papers mostly come from the last author, and they often only implement the ideas.
However, there are certainly cases where the first author is also the idea provider. Who will then get the credit when the work later becomes a huge success? How can the public then determine the contribution? What if the paper one day is considered for a Nobel prize? I am thinking about the CRISPR-Cas9 papers. It is speculated that the two last authors will be awarded the Nobel prizes. How about the first authors of that papers?
**Note**: A Nobel prize here is just an extreme example that popped out of my mind during writing. I want to talk about more common situations where the group leaders go around the world and give talks about an innovative work, whose idea might actually came from a student. He might give the student full credit but in the eyes of the community he is still “the one” simply because the student is just a nobody.<issue_comment>username_1: There is no absolute way of assigning credit for a really groundbreaking project. Depending on what is known of the laboratory dynamics where a discovery occurred and the roles of the specific individuals involved, sometimes graduate student contributors get a large part of the credit, sometimes not. Here are a few examples of how things can play out, drawn from the list of Nobel Prizes for Physics:
* The 1996 prize went to <NAME>, <NAME>, and <NAME> for their discovery of superfluidity in He-3. Osheroff was the graduate student who was doing most of the experimental work. The original goal of the experiment was different, and Osheroff was the person who realized that they were seeing something very interesting and unexpected. Because he was felt to have made a key intellectual contribution to the laboratory work, he shared in the Nobel Prize and other accolades.
* The 1993 prize recognized the discovery of the Hulse–Taylor binary pulsar, which could be used to measure orbital energy losses due to gravitational waves. <NAME> shared the prize with <NAME>, his dissertation advisor.
* In contrast, when prizes are given to the work of very large collaborations, such as in the 2017 prize for LIGO's observation of gravitational waves, it is only possible to recognize the top individuals in the research collaboration—those who are felt to have made the key strategic decisions that led to the discovery. Most of the junior contributors in such a large collaboration are doing work that, while it may be quite important, is only a relatively small and technical part of the project. So the 2017 prize went to the three top (surviving) LIGO managers: <NAME>, <NAME>, and <NAME>.
* Other times, even when the groups are smaller, sometimes it is felt that the driving force behind an important experimental accomplishment was the head of the laboratory. This was the case for the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2001, given for the achievement of Bose-Einstein condensation, in two labs, one led by <NAME>, and the other by <NAME> and <NAME>. Both groups had numerous graduate students, but the faculty leaders were felt to be predominantly responsible for the key design of the experiments, and so it was Ketterle, Weiman, and Cornell who got the Nobel Prize.
Moreover, the graduate students working on these projects, even when they are deemed by the scientific community to have been relatively minor contributors to the most groundbreaking results, can typically count on successful careers ahead of them. Working a Nobel-Prize-winning (or otherwise widely recognized) project is a real advantage for one's academic reputation. I personally knew most of the people in W<NAME>'s lab when he won the Nobel Prize, and they generally enjoyed very successful careers in either academia or industry.
Sometimes, however, there are still some recriminations afterward, in situations where graduate students may feel that their contributions have not been adequately recognized, and this can still be a real problem. I think that for a long time, there has been a growing understanding of the importance of the contributions of the people actually performing the benchtop lab work that may lead to a discovery, but the situation is still by no means perfect.
* For example, <NAME> was awarded the 1950 Nobel Prize for Physics on his own, for the discovery of pi mesons. At the time, prior to 1960, the award was not given except to the heads of laboratories, meaning that the post-doc Cesar Lattes, who designed the photographic emulsion that observed the first pions, was left out of the prize. He did, however, have a very distinguished subsequent career, and was one of the foremost members of the scientific community in his home country of Brazil.
* Even more egregiously, <NAME> claimed credit for the discovery of the first radio pulsar, even though he had initially dismissed the discovery by his student <NAME>. Hewish got half of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1974, but <NAME> was shut out. However, her contribution (and Hewish's unethical behavior) did eventually come to be understood in the scientific community, and she has enjoyed a career as one of the most prominent astrophysicists in the world.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: While this answer can't compete with that of [Buzz](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/148438/75368) for completeness, let me describe a scenario in which the PI, usually the last author in these fields, is, in fact, due the majority of the accolades for such breakthroughs. Not every situation is like this, of course.
If a PI has funded, through grants, a lab for many years and produced many positive outcomes, including degrees for many students, then it is also likely that they are responsible for (a) many of the ideas in the lab and (b) creating an environment in which powerful ideas can flourish. They also, of course, provide the money that makes everyone's work possible, but it is often (not always) their *vision* that drives things.
But the more important idea here, is that in the absence of such an environment, the person that finally has the key insight that leads to a major discovery, wouldn't have had a way to even get started. Ideas build on ideas and big ideas normally have a lot of precursors in lab sciences.
But, of course, it would be just as much of a mistake to assume that all ideas in such a lab flow from the PI. There is a swirl of intellectual activity and many people contribute to the ideas of one another. Synergy. Without that synergy such breakthroughs would be equally impossible.
Theoretical work (Newton, Einstein, ...) might be different, in which a brilliant individual can make significant discoveries but it is just impossible when labs cost millions (billions) to operate and tens to hundreds of contributors all working toward some common goal.
To say that the "first" author didn't need everyone else would be fairly ridiculous and that is recognized.
With respect to the Nobel prize specifically, however, there is a different dynamic. Nobel originally intended the prize to go to young researchers to fund their future research. But that never happened, since there was a backlog of older researchers to whom it was decided needed to be given the award before they died. It is normally given only to living people. That established a trend that was, sadly, not broken. There are other awards, such as the [MacArthur Genius Awards](https://www.macfound.org/programs/fellows/) that *are* given to young people that show promise.
Upvotes: 3
|
2020/04/29
| 617
| 2,535
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<issue_start>username_0: I'm designing an introductory undergraduate course on social science which is mostly based on not-so technical textbooks and articles (little math involved). Essays will be the key form of evaluation. I want to have an idea of how much readings to give to my students per week. The credit system my university uses is such that for 1 hour of contact teaching 1 hour of autonomous work is expected. I have 2 hours of contact teaching per week. If I assume students can read, say 20 pages per week (assume average article/journal size), I can give them 40 pages per week as background reading. This, I assume does not include their own study of textbooks (otherwise it would be impossible to give them readings!).
Do you have an idea of what sort of relation is used in terms of contact hours versus pages of reading?<issue_comment>username_1: I think you are probably over estimating what an undergraduate can read.
Things might be different in soc sci, as compared to natural science (where I am), but even for a paper without much in the way of math, I tend to allow, say 3 hours for a student to read an average research article (I takes me an hour, and i've been doing it for 20 years).
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: It really depends on the focus of the class, and what other homework you are giving students.
Certain classes are expected to have more reading. Societal and philosophical theory fields are heavy on reading, as are (obviously) literature classes.
Remember, different students will read at different rates, and the more you cover the less detail you can cover. It's sometimes better to go into deeper depth than to cover more for both these reasons.
It is important you disclose the reading to students as early as possible, preferably before they apply for your class. At the very least all major reading assignments longer than a few pages should be disclosed on the first day of class. This gives students that need to time to read ahead.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: I found a [great resource](https://cte.rice.edu/blogarchive/2016/07/11/workload) which might be interesting to share here. It presents research on the topic done by others as well as conducted by themselves. The key to me is the table they show, reproduced below:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/BHwTN.png)
So, of course, the answer is always it depends, but this at least gives a nice baseline from which to work on.
Upvotes: 2
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2020/04/29
| 677
| 2,662
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<issue_start>username_0: I recently accepted a PhD program offer of roughly $21,000 for a year (2 semesters) of TA work. I will be attending a university in the USA, and I am studying computer science, if that affects the answer. If I drop out before going through the whole program, do I have to pay anything back? My girlfriend was concerned about this.
I already looked for a duplicate answer on Academia Stack Exchange but didn't find any.<issue_comment>username_1: It would be almost unheard of in the US for you to be asked to pay back money in such an arrangement. But note that you are probably paid monthly, and if you quit in the middle of a year, the monthly payments will stop then, and you won't see the entire amount.
You aren't promised the total, but only an amount that will come to that total if you see it through.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: If it is actually structured as a salary for TA work (not a generic scholarship), in general it's not possible for the university to claim any amount paid for actual work done since it would be your *wage*; otherwise it would be wage theft and illegal under labour laws.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: As others have said, the answer would be country dependent.
It would be unlikely to hear about someone reimbursing their funding while dropping out of a university at the US. *However*, I would like to add this as a warning to students from other countries stumbling across this post: in some places, like Brazil, this would not be the case. For instance, the policy is actually dependent on what specific entity is funding your work, and *you should always check the rules regarding those possibilities*.
One example where the money payed to the PhD student throughout the program should be fully refunded (Brazilian funding agency, link in portuguese): [CAPES Portaria 76](http://www.capes.gov.br/images/stories/download/legislacao/Portaria_076_RegulamentoDS.pdf)
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: **Norway**
Since I am living in Norway, I will answer for our country. At this point this might seem like a list of answers for all countries.
As for the current rules, Lånekassen is in charge of granting scholarships (stipend) and loans (lån). As long as you are studying fulltime, you have a right to taking up loans granted that you're not a full two semesters behind in terms of credits.
If and when you pass your courses, you will be forgiven 50% of your loan, transformed into scholarship instead.
So, yes, here you would need to pay back 100% of the courses you haven't passed. For the courses you have passed, you would only need to pay back 50%.
Upvotes: 2
|
2020/04/30
| 2,651
| 11,651
|
<issue_start>username_0: One of my former students uploaded a paper we just published in a top physics journal without my name. The fraudulent paper is now appearing on the Google Scholar search results below the original paper we published in the physics journal. If people try to cite the fraudulent paper from Google Scholar, my name does not appear. The fraudulent paper without my name is appearing in the Google Scholar profile of all the co-authors.
I wrote to Google Scholar to report this. But I am not sure if they will change their search results to add my name. I am a woman of color, and I feel the former student is making my work invisible and not respecting my contribution. I was the adviser and the main driver of the work.
Any thoughts on the actions I should take? The student has graduated.
**Responding to questions and comments here:**
* The student uploaded the paper without my name onto his own repository. He then manually created an entry on Google Scholar with the article that does not have my name. I tried earlier today to create a similar article to what he did so I know the steps. You can add things manually on Google scholar.
* The student left my lab because he did the same thing for another paper we had. He submitted the paper without my name. The editors contacted me because they knew I was doing that research and it seemed strange to them that I was not an author. I was also leading that research, proposed the idea, wrote almost the whole paper, and the student simply conducted the experiments with my guidance. Because of this prior incident I do not think it is accidental. I don't feel like asking a bully to please be nice and take down the paper from his repository. I know he is problematic and do not want to engage with him.
* I mentioned that I was a woman of color because to me the actions of my student are because he does not value my work or contribution. In his mind I do not deserve to be an author. He is making my work invisible. We black women have historically had our work made invisible. Our contributions are seen as not worthy. Similarly, he likely does not see the value I bring to the work and hence is making my work invisible and removing me. In his mind I do not deserve to be an author. I think it is helpful to contextualize that I am black because I think this is one of the reasons why he is blind to the value I bring to the research.
* Good ideas on promoting the paper on the official site a lot. I will do that. I think that is the best solution and something I can control. Also good points that this is primarily annoying.<issue_comment>username_1: As far as I know, Google Scholar is entirely automated, and so those results will likely only change if the offending paper is updated or removed.
When you say the student 'uploaded' your paper - where did they do this? On a personal website? In a repository? Regardless, your first step is probably to contact the student and ask them to add your name or take the paper down. Bear Hanlon's Razor in mind: "never assume malice if incompetence would suffice".
If the student refuses, or ignores you, then (if applicable) you might contact whoever runs the website/repository, and ask them to amend/remove the paper. You might find that the editor/publisher of the original journal article is willing to support you here, as the republication may not be compatible with the licensing agreement originally signed.
Finally, since Google results are based on measures of how 'important' a website seems to be: you can cite, reference and advertise your original paper as much as possible, to promote it in search results.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_2: **This answer is not being updated based on edits to the question.**
**If** the upload does not look like a journal article (e.g. no journal logo or journal formatting) and is not on a journal's website, then you should not worry about it.
People might post a large number of preprints to a large number of places. There is no reason for them to be careful when they do it. It's just a preprint and is not expected to be particularly accurate.
>
> If people try to cite the fraudulent paper from Google Scholar my name does not appear.
>
>
>
You still get credit for citations that contain typos. You also deserve credit for these citations as well. The only issue here is the minor inconvenience of counting those citations, which you can probably achieve by manually adding the incorrect document to your Google Scholar profile and combining it with the correct document.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_3: So I presume that by “uploaded” you mean to arXiv or some other equivalent website, so the thing to do is to contact the site manager and ask for a correction to be inserted.
I’m not sure why one should worry about not being recognized in such situation. *Everybody* considers the published journal version to be the version of record, and I don’t know of anyone who would cite the arXiv version knowing there is a journal version. On occasions, some manuscripts are abandoned for various reasons, or are superseded by other work, and arXiv versions are not published but still cited. This is certainly not very frequent.
What the student did is *extremely* annoying and certainly does not reflect well on this student. If possible, you should try to clarify with the student what happened. Whatever the outcomes I would certainly let your colleagues know of this state of affair. Hopefully this student will not need a reference letter from anyone in your department.
I will add that, at the time of final revisions by the publisher (galley proofs), all publishers that I know of will explicitly query authors to update the bibliography to cite published papers rather than preprint versions. This increases the likelihood that third party authors wishing to cite this work will in fact cite the published version.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: Unless I misunderstand the situation, your student seems to primarily shooting himself in the foot. He publicly engaged in some childish retribution scheme that demonstrates utter disrespect for academic authorship as well as for you and is not even effective. There is little he can do to talk himself out of this. He did the same thing three times (first paper, preprint, Google Scholar), so he cannot claim an honest mistake anymore. Depending on the details of the copyright agreement with the journal and similar, this may even be a copyright violation.
You therefore have a considerable leverage against him, which you might use:
* to protect yourself, if he ever decides to accuse you of abuse or similar,
* to protect others from him by preventing an academic career or similar, e.g., by informing his current employer or having his degree revoked,
* to make him undo his actions.
Whether any of this is necessary or appropriate is something you have to decide for yourself. Be aware that while the evidence of this may be public now, it may not be in the future, so it is probably a good idea to create some lasting evidence of this (in particular before you take any other action).
As for what you can do to mitigate the damage done to you:
* The journal where you published the paper has some interest, leverage, and expertise to set the record straight. I therefore suggest to contact them. This is also a good way of having an independent paper trail of the event.
* Publishing a competing pre-print yourself (e.g., on the Arxiv) is difficult since it would require the [consent of all authors](https://arxiv.org/help/authority) and you might commit the same copyright violation as your student.
* You may be able to create a competing record on Google Scholar, but I have no expertise here.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_5: Go talk to your department head, your dean and ask your university lawyers.
This behaviour, no matter what chromosomes you bear, no matter what colour of your skin is, no matter your age is, is not acceptable at all.
Demand Google Scholar and any other database to delete those forged records from their databases. Demand re-proofing of all their published work for possible intelectual property infrigements.
This misconduct is not only damaging you but also your department because of missing your affiliation in the paper. Both because your department cannot use such paper in proposals or deliverables and readers cannot track your department to contact you for possible future work. I think your superiors will be interested in this case.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_6: There is a thing called [Retraction Watch](https://retractionwatch.com/).
After acting on other excellent answers here, communicate with then and watch this cheater burn.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_7: This sounds a lot like copyright infringement. **Talk to university legal counsel!** And inform the journal. If you have signed over copyright to the journal, they can take legal action against your former student.
I wouldn't think too much about what I can ***try*** to solve this issue. If you escalate this, it ***will*** get sorted. Your university's lawyers should know what to do to get that illicit version off Google Scholar, Research Gate, et cetera.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_8: I'm interested in this question as I'm on the receiving end of something similar, but I've read the question several times, even after the edit, and I still can't make out what you are saying has happened. When you write "The student uploaded the paper without my name onto his own repository." do you mean
1. a) they have posted the as-submitted or OA-published PDF of the paper as-is, but omitted your name from the repository's metadata
or
2. b) they went back to the source version, removed your name, and re-generated a new PDF which they have distributed
and by "his own repository" do you mean
2. a) an individual account on an established repository (such as Figshare),
or
3. b) a web server they have set up themselves?
For 1a, you should still be receiving credit as people should be citing using details from within the paper itself, rather than the hosting website. If 1b, then as others have pointed out here there are issues with plagiarism and copyright involved, and there should be people in your library or Publications Office and at the publisher who will have more experience in dealing with this. In either case you should go through all the metadata associated with both versions, and make sure you understand what was written/modified/uploaded when.
If 2a then you can raise the issue with the repository to either remove the item or add you as the author, though this may be easier if you already have an account with them. For example, "Claim authorship of an item" was already a pre-defined support query in Figshare a couple of years ago (though I wasn't using it in such a hostile situation).
One thing you might consider if you have access to a citation alerting service would be to have it notify you if the bogus version is cited so that you can request a correction/erratum in the citing publication. This may reflect badly on you as well as the perpetrator, though, and I'm also slightly wary of this lest all this Deep Learning AI stuff interprets your interest in the bogus version as encouragement to recommend it to others.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_9: Another option you may consider to get a speedy deletion of the infringing file is a DMCA takedown request, if you are a copyright holder (but double-check that you haven't signed away those rights to the publisher).
Upvotes: 0
|
2020/04/30
| 2,168
| 8,942
|
<issue_start>username_0: Is it OK to take a graduate-level course at a US university while you are already dating one of the prospective TAs?
I think that the instructor should be informed. My question is about the implications of such an action.
Will anyone else beyond the instructor be informed? Can it cause any inconvenience for the TA/instructor and is it possible that a record pertaining to this situation will be stored in any university-related platform/communications?
Context: The relationship started well before the time one can take the class.<issue_comment>username_1: This really depends on the country, the institute, and its specific rules. If you're concerned it would be worth speaking to the TA about it as they would be 1) more aware of the rules and 2) probably more likely to suffer if it goes wrong.
I know in my institution in England, I was told when training to be a TA that it's fine as long as you're not directly marking their work. The advice was you can go to the course leader and say 'I can't mark the work of student X because we're dating'. But I've heard in the US generally rules are a bit stricter. And I'm sure rules differ across the UK too.
I'd say in any case, transparency is the best option here. If you try to keep it secret to avoid consequences, the consequences may end up more severe.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_2: Central European (German) perspective here.
Summary.
* It is fine for the student to take the course
* It is up to the TA to resolve the potential conflict of interest.
This is quite possible and nothing that unusual.
---
Long version:
First of all, it would be considered outrageous here if a student couldn't take a course because a particular TA is TAing in that course. Even thinking the student should maybe not take the course would be seen as seriously hampering the student's possibility to obtain their degree (this includes also elective courses).
Every TA here has to sign anti-corruption rules which include that they have to avoid everything that could potentially raise doubts about unbiasedness.
I.e., **it is up to the TA to resolve the potential conflict of interest.**
For that, it's not necessary to say I'm dating student X - "I'm afraid I may be biased with student X." is sufficient (which covers everything from your best enemy from kindergarden over your high school ex and previous (un)professional TA-student encounters to member of your shared flat without romantic relationship and current dating).
---
Here's my TA experience:
Not all groups had readily established procedures that TAs were told in advance. However, if not, the solution is to go to the head instructor or professor\* and have them decide what to do.
Anyways,
* Many courses were organized in a way that each TA had "their" group of students.
-> assign student X into some other TA's group.
* Some labwork practica had each TA looking after "their" experiment and student groups were coming along.
+ Sometimes, not all student groups do all experiments.
-> make sure X's group is the one to not do Y's experiment.
+ In addition, there is usually some other TA assigned as backup (if not, it's by default the head instructor).
-> Backup TA takes care of X's group.
* This leaves the marking of written exams where typically each TA was assigned "their" questions.
Here, I'd expect a decision along the lines: the pre-specified scheme of points (usually a list of things that each earn points in the answer, and some mistakes together with their penalties/negative points) is sufficiently clear that X doesn't have the freedom to excercise any potential bias so that the final grade is influenced.
In any case, Y can show how they marked X's exam questions to a fellow TA (or the professor) and have them check that they agree on the marking.
---
I may add that I once had a student where I decided during the course I may be biased or it may look as if I'm biased (for the totally unromantic reason that they failed their final oral exam with me *twice*). There were no specific instructions on conflict of interest. However, a quick call to the head instructor solved any potential problem: they re-assigned that student to themselves.
---
\* The whole business of looking after students is "taught" mostly by learning by doing/training on the job like a craft. Fresh TAs coming with their questions about the TA "profession" to the head instructor is totally the expected procedure.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: >
> Is it OK [for a student] to take a graduate-level course at a US university while you are already dating one of the prospective TAs?
>
>
>
The rule at US universities is that a TA is not allowed to be in a position of authority over someone they are dating. The restriction is on the TA, not on the student.
>
> Can it cause any inconvenience for the TA/instructor
>
>
>
Since you said the TA is one of several prospective TAs, there is an easy solution to the problem that will likely avoid inconveniencing anyone. You as the student can take the class but the TA will inform the course instructor of the situation and the instructor will arrange for you to be assigned to one of the other TA’s sections. The instructor will also need to ensure that grading in the class is performed in a way that avoids the romantic partner TA having any grading authority over your work. But from a practical point of view this is trivial to arrange.
>
> Will anyone else beyond the instructor be informed?
>
>
>
I wouldn’t think so, but it depends on the university’s specific policies, so it’s possible that other people such as the department chair may need to be informed.
>
> and is it possible that a record pertaining to this situation will be stored in any university-related platform/communications?
>
>
>
Yes, it’s possible, again depending on the local policies. But I don’t see why you should be worried about that. You aren’t doing anything wrong, and any paperwork or records in connection with this completely normal and innocuous situation will he of a purely bureaucratic nature and of no interest to anyone.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: The biggest problem for the instructor, which can easily be a non-problem, is possible rumors.
The TA should definitely let the instructor know you were already dating before the class started. That way, when a rumor gets back that TA's are preying on students, the instructor won't jump out of their skin thinking they might have a sexual predator working for them. And a swift, confident "oh, that must be about X, which I vetted" goes a long way to restoring order.
Then this is probably obvious, but cooling down hand-holding and such around school might be helpful. Even if the instructor knows the score, they'll be stuck dealing with any rumors; usually right around the second test when failing students make a crack about how maybe they should have slept with a TA, too. Alternately, get married. And maybe make sure there won't be a violent break-up mid-semester. I'm not sure what the process is, if any, for when one of my TA's posts pictures of one of my students to a revenge porn site.
Beyond that, "I can't grade this person since I'm dating them" is no problem at all. In fact, for test grading there wasn't even a process -- a TA silently skips tests of their roommates or whatever.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_5: Take the course if that's right for your program of study. If it turns out that you're in a situation of actual conflict, transparently approach the prof right away and ask them for help in managing a resolution to the conflict of interest.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_6: If this is a public university in the US, it is quite likely there is a policy (search for "consensual relation" policy) for handling this. E.g. at my own institution the policy in this situation is:
* If it is easy to avoid a conflict (reassign the TA) that might happen.
* The TA will not have any influence on the students grades. (I.e. the professor sets up grading for this student with a different TA, or grades that student herself).
* The concrete handling is spelled out in a written document and confirmed by the professor with her supervisor (i.e. department chair).
Thus a record would be stored, but as part of personnel information (and thus not public) -- essentially just to be able to confirm later that everything had been handled according to policy.
You could argue that following the policy might be a very minor inconvenience, but of course it would be highly inappropriate to penalize any person involved for actually following the rules.
As for how to proceed, I suggest that, once the assignment of the TA to the course is confirmed, the TA contacts the professor and asks how this should be handled. I would strongly advise against trying to keep it secret.
Upvotes: 2
|
2020/04/30
| 1,027
| 3,930
|
<issue_start>username_0: In the UK, Value Added Tax (VAT) is added on to prices when things are bought by consumers / end users. However, VAT can normally be reclaimed by companies with a turnover of over approx £20k, and by charities (this is highly simplified; please do not quibble unless the details are important to the question).
Universities certainly have turnover of >£20k, and most of them are charities. Yet, when ordering things on behalf of the university, charging to university budgets, staff have to include VAT in the amounts.
Why is this?<issue_comment>username_1: Its not technically true that companies can reclaim VAT. What they can do is offset the VAT they've collected from their customers that they would normally have to send to the government by the amount of VAT they have paid on goods they have bought.
Universities do not sell any VAT chargable goods or services, and so have nothing to offset.
From the HMRC (<https://www.gov.uk/vat-businesses>, my empahsis:
>
> VAT-registered businesses:
>
>
> must charge VAT on their goods or services
> may reclaim any VAT they’ve paid on business-related goods or services
>
>
> If you’re a VAT-registered business you must report to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) the amount of VAT you’ve charged and the amount of VAT you’ve paid. This is done through your VAT Return which is usually due every 3 months.
>
>
> You may want to appoint an agent to deal with HMRC on your behalf.
>
>
> You must account for VAT on the full value of what you sell, even if you:
>
>
> receive goods or services instead of money (for example if you take something in part-exchange)
> haven’t charged any VAT to the customer - whatever price you charge is treated as including VAT
>
>
> **If you’ve charged more VAT than you’ve paid, you have to pay the difference to HMRC. If you’ve paid more VAT than you’ve charged, you can reclaim the difference from HMRC.**
>
>
>
As the amount of VAT "you've charged" is zero, no VAT money changes hands either way between government and universities.
There are exemptions for some, but not all charities. Genreally you have to be selling medical or medical reserach supplies, things related to charitable advertising, and goods/services for disabled people to be allowed to not charge VAT.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: As I understand it.
If the goods/services you produce (your "outputs") are liable for VAT then you charge VAT on your outputs and claim back VAT on your inputs. It is very much possible to reclaim more VAT than you charge either because you are losing money or because your outputs have a lower VAT rate than your inputs.
In particular, there is a critical difference between goods that are zero-rated for VAT and those that are exempt or outside the scope of VAT. Goods that are zero-rated still count as liable for VAT, so if the business you are in produces zero-rated goods (for example most food) then you can claim back VAT on your inputs and don't have to charge it on your outputs.
On the other hand, if the goods/services you produce are exempt or outside the scope of VAT then you do not have to charge VAT on your outputs but cannot claim it back on your inputs.
(there are also some special rules around international transactions which I won't get into here)
There does not seem to be a blanket VAT exception for charities. Charities obtaining supplies for use in the production of non-exempt goods and services can claim back VAT on those inputs and there are a bunch of special cases where charities can reclaim some or all of the VAT on some inputs for charitable purposes.
Most of the university's income is either outside the scope (research grants) or exempt (education services) of VAT. So in the absence of any specific exemptions, the university must pay VAT on inputs used to educate students and perform research under grants.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]
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2020/04/30
| 918
| 4,078
|
<issue_start>username_0: I am an undergraduate student pursuing a B.Sc(Hons.) degree in Physics. I want to pursue an academic career in Biophysics. So, I wanted to know which subjects are required for higher studies in Biophysics. In my course, we get to choose one ancillary subject for the first two semesters, then another ancillary subject for the next two semesters. The final two semesters are fully focused on Physics. I am about to complete my second semester, and I took up **Mathematics** as my ancillary subject. Now, I need to choose between **Chemistry, Computer Science or Microbiology** for the next two semesters, and I am not sure which one to choose. Microbiology is looking like the *obvious* choice but I think that knowledge of Chemistry and Computer Science is also going to have applications in Biophysics. So could you help me out by telling me which one of these subjects would be most beneficial in learning, keeping in mind that I want to pursue Biophysics in the future?<issue_comment>username_1: If you have scholarship money, financial aid money, or money to pay for extra classes, you don’t have to pick and choose. You can take all those courses if they interest you but not all of them will go towards your degree. Your objective is to get your degree and I also see your desire to learn the most valuable information. Please go to your counselor and express this. I hope this provides some insight.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: Though I've commented that this question should be moved to <https://physics.stackexchange.com/>, I'll point out that all of these options are fine. Personally, I think a lot of the really exciting current work in biophysics intersects microbiology, but I am perhaps biased in that this is what my lab works on! I will also note that computational skills are extremely valuable (for experimentalists as well as theorists).
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: Check if your department has an undergraduate course coordinator - a person who's supposed to help undergraduates choose courses. He or she would be the person best-positioned to answer your questions, especially since the courses you should take depends on what your department offers in the first place.
If your department does not have an undergraduate course coordinator, ask your biophysics professor(s) instead.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_4: Specific biological domain knowledge will be something that you will learn in the course of doing research, and can be hard to predict at this point in your studies, because you have no idea what kind of graduate program you'll be admitted to or the specific research field of your prospective advisor.
Therefore, while all of those directions sound fine and won't be wasted if you choose them, I would lean towards the more foundational topics, i.e. Chemistry or Computer Science, that you could use no matter what direction you took in the future. Another option would be statistics, since nearly any biophysics research involving experiments will need a very solid understanding of stats to design experiments with high statistical power, and to make sense of the resulting data without getting tricked by spurious correlations.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: Assuming you were seeking to get your biophysics PhD in a physics department in the US, none of the subjects you listed are essential. It would be very important to complete a physics major with good grades in physics subjects. Research experience would also be very helpful. Math/chemistry/computer science/biology would all be helpful, but none of them stand out as more important than the others. I might suggest statistics/computer science because those are subjects that many biologists might not have studied or wish to practice, and therefore they might appreciate your skills.
After you complete your PhD, your undergraduate coursework will not be scrutinized much by employers. You should have learned many skills that are not included in the undergraduate curriculum before you finish your PhD.
Upvotes: 1
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2020/05/01
| 576
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<issue_start>username_0: I am writing this post regarding how to approach a situation I am currently in. First, I am an undergraduate student in math who started working under a professor last Fall. Prior to the start of Spring term, he let me know that he will be going on Sabbatical until early-to-mid April. Additionally, they would not have a reliable internet connection. During January I sent him an email with a question though I did not expect a response until he got back. Given that he has presumably been back for 2 weeks, is it appropriate for me to send him another email with a follow-up or should I wait for a response. I am sorry if this is a ridiculous question.<issue_comment>username_1: There is no harm in sending an e-mail again under the pretext that the e-mail you sent in January may not have gone because of poor internet connection.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> First, I am an undergraduate student in math who started working under a professor last Fall.
>
>
>
Congratulations!
>
> During January I sent him an email with a question though I did not expect a response until he got back. Given that he has presumably been back for 2 weeks, is it appropriate for me to send him another email with a follow-up or should I wait for a response.
>
>
>
That is a long time to wait for a response to an email! Definitely you should send a follow-up.
Old emails often get lost in professors' email inboxes. In general, anything that has been sent at least 2 weeks ago is probably lost forever unless you send it again (and in this case it sounds like it was 3 months ago).
I usually send follow-ups 1 week later.
>
> I am sorry if this is a ridiculous question.
>
>
>
Not a ridiculous question, but you are overthinking it :) Professors are just human; they aren't usually sitting around cursing anyone who sends them an email. Any question or concern you have you should go ahead and send -- as long as you can keep it polite and try to make it as easy as possible for them to understand and respond.
And since they are your advisor for your research, you need their feedback in order to progress successfully. Therefore, it is especially important to email them often (or connect through other means if email is not the best way with this individual).
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]
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<issue_start>username_0: I made an academic appeal over the marking of an essay, which was 13 words over the word limit. The mark on the word-count section was unexpected, but was not consistent with the formal university word-limit marking rubric. (I cannot change the essay anymore.) Unexpectedly, my appeal was denied.
How should I further advance the appeal?
Here is what I considered so far:
1. Rely on independent student advocate, found by internal university contact. The issue with this is that I don’t know whether they play their role effectively. My first appeal was already denied. And before marking academic appeal, I did request for independent student advocate to be involved and witness debate of academic appeals process.
2. Approach an ombudsman and independent student advocate to invite them observe the entire process of complaints to the university registrar (invitation goes before arrival of formal approach, so there are witnesses to breakdowns in procedures)? This seems workable solution, and is an option I believe I can trust.
3. Consult the family lawyer to engage in challenges and observe the review process to make sure no more maladministration.
4. Perhaps a combination of 2 and 3? This may be too aggressive, but seems to have a higher chance of success than 2 **or** 3.
Is my thinking sound? Is there a better way I haven’t thought of?
Details on word count inconsistency are as follows......
a/ There are 5 gradated sections for word count limits. There is no hard public published specification on when you transition from one gradated section to another. There is no published specification that suggests that if 5 (or 10 or 15)% over word limit then you lose marks. The marking rubric is vague and does not specify what percentage over word limits, transition you from one gradated marking section to the next one down.
It is at the marker's discretion
b/ My essay had a word limit of 2500 words. My submitted essay had a word count of 2513 words, or 13 words (0.5 %) over the word limit. From my understanding based on experience from submitting previous essays within this department and university system, it should have gotten in the top section (because it was within the previous experience of applied margin of errors before mark degradation), or one down from the top gradated section. The mark I got for the word count section was the 2nd section from the bottom.
c/ I did email the instructor (before essay deadline) for guidance on when word count limits transition from one formal marking section to another, eg 5% or 10% etc. The instructor never replied to this query.
d/ the word limits was only for the main body of the essay only -where the substantive argument is. Word count does not include title, references, bibliography, footnotes.
e/ the essay word count was not changed after first formal deadline. It was the same word count at the time of submission of first formal deadline, as it was at the time of academic appeals denial.
Would you like any other details?<issue_comment>username_1: Your best course of action is going to be to accept things and move on.
Unless the marks you've lost on this essay make the difference between getting your degree or not, the damage to your reputation incurred by any of your options will significantly outweigh the gains.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Your post sets out details of the substantive matters in your case, but it does not give any information on the adjudication rules and the avenues for appeal in the rules. You have already appealed to the university, and this failed. You refer to this as your "first appeal", but you have not made clear whether there are any other steps of appeal allowed in the process. If there is another step of appeal allowed in the rules then you may avail yourself of this; if not, then that is the end of the (internal) adjudication process. Thus, the first thing you need to do, if you are interested in pursuing this, is to read the university process for appeals of marks, and see if you have exhausted the internal appeal process.
If you decide to contact a student advocate, ombudsman, or lawyer, their first step will be to find out what has happened so far, and whether you have any additional right of appeal within the university rules. A paid lawyer will happily attend meetings, hearings, etc., with you, but that will be very expensive. For a student advocate or ombudsman, they will make their own decisions on what, if any, actions they wish to take to mediate the matter, and they would be unlikely to agree to attend the entire process. The substantive complaint you have sounds weak to me, and presumes various things that are not requirements by the university. Moreover, if the appeal process is already exhausted then you unlikely even to get to an assessment on the merits (since that has presumably already been done). If there is no further right of appeal, the most likely outcome is that the university will write to you (or your lawyer, ombudsman, etc.) stating that the appeal process has already occurred and is now concluded.
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Accept it and move on. Consider:
1. You had a clear rule for the word count
2. You violated that rule
3. You appealed and were denied
And that's it. Engaging in other extreme forms of behavior, such as trying to involve a lawyer (!), will surely sour the attitude of everyone involved toward you.
To address one point specifically, when you didn't hear back from the professor about word count rules, you should probably have defaulted to following the rules to the letter. I personally try to always respond to the emails I get, but I admit I vastly deprioritize emails that are asking me things with clear answers already available - such as a word count limit.
Upvotes: 4
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<issue_start>username_0: I performed some research and submitted it to a congress of biomedical sciences. Many professors told me that my research is very advanced compared to student work and that it could easily be my specialization one day.
I am an undergraduate student (sixth year veterinary science).
My mentor tells me that no journal will accept me as a first author although the entire research is mine. I did everything except the statistics, because by the rules, the mentor must do it. I spent four months on the field, alone, taking samples, and an idea of gifting my own blood, sweat and tears is very painful.
Do you think I should wait for a year or a bit more to publish it as a graduate or should I let them take credits for my work. The research is about horse welfare in my country and it has never been done before. This means a world to me. I want to devote my life to this area and publishing my paper as mine would be only right thing to do, right?
Should I accept publishing the paper with someone else’s name as a first author?
### Update
My mentor yesterday late night sent me a message informing me that they (she and her head of the department) discussed my work and agreed that probably I will be named as a first author, since I did all the work.
Thank you all for answers, I wouldn't be so confident on this matter without your advices.<issue_comment>username_1: If you did all research yourself, then you can be the single author of the publication.
Note that research includes the choice of the problem, the choice of methodology, the data collection and analysis, the evaluation and interpretation of results, and writing and editing of the paper. If you were helped/advised on any of these aspects, your collaborators also deserve to be acknowledged or included as authors. In some areas it is also customary to include/acknowledge the person responsible for provision of lab facilities.
Whether or not you should be the first author or some of your collaborators depend on your relative contributions to the research. Ideally, this should've been discussed in early days of your collaboration, not after the paper is ready for submission. Nevertheless, if you believe that your contribution is the most significant, you can argue to be the first author. Good luck.
UPD: In response to your comment regarding whether or not it can be a **rule** that an UG researcher can not be the first author. There is an established notion of authorship, which you can find e.g. on [Nature website](https://www.nature.com/nature-research/editorial-policies/authorship):
>
> Each author is expected to have made substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; or the creation of new software used in the work; or have drafted the work or substantively revised it...
>
>
>
As you can see, this definition is linked to contributions to research, not to seniority, etc. Most credible universities adopt this approach to defining authorship.
However, different areas have different traditions regarding the first authorship. For example, in my area (mathematics) it is (was) customary to put all authors alphabetically, which often played against me as my surname is in the second part of the alphabet.
Nevertheless, the rule that an UG researcher can not be the first author seems unfair to me. It is appropriate for you to try to establish what are the terms of reference for this rule and try to challenge it. Try to find a person responsible for research in your university (e.g. Research Office) and ask their support on it.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: if you have done most of the work that @Dmitry mentions, it is neither appropriate nor ethical your mentor to be the first author and, I can tell you from my experience, that in my field "no journal will accept the paper if the undergrad is the first author" is a total lie. As long as the paper stands as a proper scientific article written appropriately, you can even publish just yourself.
However, as Dmitry mentiones, if your "mentor" advises you throughout the research and writes the article, i.e contributes to the paper, s/he also needs to be a co-author.
**But who should be the first author?**
Well, that should be determined by the authors; you and your mentor. However, note that, **having a second-author paper is way better than no paper**. Therefore, don't let the authorship issue to prevent the publication of the research.
**Lastly and most importantly**, I can advise a clever solution to that authorship dilemma. Why not state who have done what? In your paper, you can list the contributions of each author, so that the author ordering, in a sense, made redundant. This way, even if the paper published with you as the second author, everyone would know what are your contributions and that of your mentor; i.e you have done the work and your mentor advised you.
Addedum 1:
If there is "enough research" done for a proper paper, I would suggest publishing now, since having a publication would greatly help you in your graduate applications. Plus, this way, you wouldn't have to stay in the same university just yo complete & publish a single paper.
Addedum 2:
From your comment to @Dmitry's answers, I suspect that your mentor either lies or s/he is very young and doesn't have much experience. In such a case, I would advise you to discuss the issue with other (more established) faculty members in your department who also work in the same field. In either case, they can talk with your mentor about the issue and advise them. Plus, that would prevent the possibility of damaging your relationship with your mentor while discussing the authorship issues.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: >
> My mentor tells me that no magazines will accept me as a first author
>
>
>
This is clearly wrong. Of course I cannot speak for every journal in your particular subfield, but rejecting papers only because of the academic rank of the first author would be ethically dubious. At the very least, there are some [megajournals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mega_journal) that do not have such criteria and which should accept your work – given that it is scientifically sound, etc. (Mind that I am not saying that megajournals are your best or only choice; they are just the easiest counter example.)
Moreover, a typical journal won’t even ask for your academic rank and may not bother to investigate it and neither do the peer reviewers. The journal may even practice double-blind peer review, in which the reviewers won’t even know your name and thus probably lack all means of finding out your academic rank.
Finally, while there are some people who judge a work by whether they know the authors (though they shouldn’t), they usually do not look at authorship positions. If somebody is going to be more benign to your work because your mentor’s name is on it, they will likely not care whether they are the first or last author.
>
> by the rules, mentor must to [the statistics]
>
>
>
There are certainly no universal rules for this. Where did this come from?
---
Anyway, your problems rather are these:
* Doing the statistics almost certainly qualifies your mentor for authorship, so he must agree on all publishing decisions. (The opposite also applies.) Even if you re-do the statistics, it will be difficult to argue that you did so completely independently. Also mind that any intellectual contribution qualifies for authorship, so think about any feedback or advice you got from your mentor on this work.
* Your mentor may have some power over you. I don’t know them, but you must consider the possibility that they freak out over this and try to sabotage your career and particular this very paper.
* The biggest advantage of having an experienced mentor contributing to your paper is their experience in writing. It is very unlikely that anybody produces proper scientific writing on their first attempt without help from somebody experienced with it.
Unfortunately, you have to judge your mentor’s mentality yourself.
However, unless you are sure that they do not abuse their power, I strongly suggest that you find another professor or similar who can advise you and possibly act as an arbiter in this situation.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_4: **Update**: She has revealed in the comments that the "mentor" is a Professor at the [Docent](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Docent) level, which makes me more inclined to advise her to take advice from the mentor. "Mentor" on its own sounds like it could be a grad student, in which case the answer would be different. Furthermore the Professor is suggesting more co-authors to save costs on publication, this suggests to me that it is going to a very good (expensive) journal or it could be going to a pay-to-publish journal, so I have asked for clarification. If it is going to a good journal that has for example $3000 publication fees and more authors are added, there's lots to say about that, but papers in "top" journals do not come by very often for people from every country, and adding co-authors can help: working together with several scientists that are more senior to you, is also in my opinion the best thing about doing science, as they often provide far more insights and improve the paper.
---
I agree with a lot of what the other answers say.
I will respond separately to some of your specific points though:
>
> I performed some research and submitted it to a congress of biomedical
> sciences. Many professors told me that my research is very advanced
> compared to student work and that it could easily be my specialisation
> one day.
>
>
>
I very much believe that they said those things, but also keep in mind to try to take everything with a slight grain of salt. Since the mentor was involved in the work (you said they did the statistics), your mentor will know some things that random professors at a conference will not. At the moment I would recommend to try to remain modest, as this is indeed your first time on the verge of publishing, and PhDs with 10 publications worth of experience often still don't have much of a clue how the outside world "truly" thinks of their research.
You seem off to a great start though, and you've come to the right place for advice :)
>
> I am an undergraduate student (sixth year veterinary science). My
> mentor tells me that no journal will accept me as a first author
> although the entire research is mine. I did everything except the
> statistics, because by the rules, the mentor must to it. I spent four
> months on the field, alone, taking samples, and an idea of gifting my
> own blood, sweat and tears is very painful.
>
>
>
I completely understand you.
Many people spent 48 months like that, and did not end up with any publication, and it is indeed very painful. Specifically, I'm thinking about all the 2-year (sometimes 3-year) masters students I know who graduated with no publication. This is not "rare" either: it actually happens all the time.
However it would indeed be nice (and even perhaps preferred!) for this work to get published. For that you **do not *have* to**, but **might *want* to** consider the advantages of having your mentor as first author (it is already understood that the mentor will be a co-author because they did the "statistics" for the paper):
* Your mentor might get very angry at you if you try to oppose their authority or advice. When asked for a letter of reference at the student level, often we're asked whether the student is a "team player": if your mentor is not too disappointed at you to outright decline writing a reference letter for you, there is still the possibility that they do not give you the best letter you might think you deserve. This can damage your future. If you maintain a good relationship with your mentor, this paper might just be the first of dozens in your career, many of them probably being far more important and impactful than what your present paper in question, because it will be at an even more advanced stage in your academic career.
* Without experience, you are more than likely to struggle severely in getting your paper past the gate keepers. Also, with no record of publication history, the referees might not take your paper seriously at all, no matter how good it is (this is why I alluded to taking what the professors at the conference said, with a grain of salt, because not many people behave the same way at a conference as they would when they are "anonymous referees". There's a lot of things that have to go right, and not a lot of room for anything to go wrong, if a paper written solely by an undergraduate is to get published in a good journal. If the mentor writes the article, the paper usually has a much better chance of being published. People might agree that the mentor can claim first authorship if they write the article (although a lot of people, including me, would not ourselves be that type of mentor).
* Since you describe the "blood, sweat and tears" you poured into this project, you might like the paper to be published in a good journal, that will be widely seen. The mentor will most likely be able to help you with this, much more than you can help yourself at it.
>
> Do you think I should wait for a year or a bit more to publish it as a
> graduate or should I let them take credits for my work.
>
>
>
No I don't think so, and here's why:
* The mentor does not want you publishing it alone (or as first author), and that's why they said that you "can't" do it. What they said about undergraduates, applies to graduate students too. Waiting a year won't help.
* The work might not be publishable anymore (or in the best potential journal) if you wait a year.
>
> The research is about horse welfare in my country and it has never been done
> before.
>
>
>
You might be 100% right, but almost always when I hear "never been done before", it actually had been done before in some way, shape, or form. Many journals do not even allow words such as "new", or "never been done before", because it's impossible to prove it.
>
> This means a world to me. I want to devote my life to this
> area and publishing my paper as mine would be only right thing to do,
> right?
>
>
>
I'm very delighted to hear your passion for research :)
I disagree that anything is the "right" thing to do, let alone "the ***only*** right thing to do".
The paper is still yours if you are a co-author. If you are a student, it will usually be known that you were the one that did the 4 months of field work and not the "mentor".
If you seriously do want to have any career in research, you will have to remove this way of thinking that being the first author is "the only right thing to do". You will have to make *compromises*. As long as you are not paying for *everything* yourself, you will always have a "boss": you will never be 100% free to do things in whatever way you want best, independent of what other people want.
>
> Should I accept publishing the paper with someone else’s name as a first author?
>
>
>
Ask yourself this: **is it better than not publishing at all?**
If so, I will console you by saying that if you really want to devote your life to research, you are likely to be doing 60 more years of this, and possibly publishing 200 papers, and maybe 50-100 of them being first author.
This paper is not the end of the world, unless you cause that to be, by burning bridges with the people that might best be able to help you.
---
I would be happy to provide more advice if you have questions. I recommend you also tell us how many other co-authors might be involved (only you and your mentor, or even more co-authors?) and what the status of your mentor is (professor, assistant professor, post-doctoral researcher, graduate student, etc.).
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_5: Anyone can publish if they submit a manuscript that is otherwise acceptable to a journal. I know a case where a high school student (not 100% sure, but I remember I was surprised to find that out a while ago) published in a major journal as the first author with several coauthors, after an internship at a laboratory.
When you submit a manuscript, you have to provide your affiliation information. You may need or want to specify your title (Dr. or Mr./Ms./etc.). You may not be required to specify what your highest degree is.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_6: I would not like to comment on whether the "mentor" (it is unclear to me what the term means in practice) is correct on undegraduate authorship and focus on whether there are potential grounds for him/ her to claim first authorship. The OP states that (1) she *"did everything except the statistics, because by the rules, the mentor must to it"* and (2) *"The idea, research, funds, time, peiple, animals, collecting dana, writing it down, writing abstract, introductionc, discussion, conclusion, literature, everything was mine work"* and (3) *an idea of gifting my own blood, sweat and tears is very painful/ not selling my blood, sweat and tears for £€$*.
(2) in essence indicates primary data collection on own costs and drafting. It does not include data analysis (in fact (1) states that statistical analysis was done by the "mentor") and finalising the draft for paper submission - with possible submission fees burdening the "mentor". Although the norm in the fields I am familiar with, especially at PhD level, is to give first authorship to the student, in terms of contribution and workload (technical analysis and writing up) the "mentor" may have contributed as much as the student and may qualify as first author. There is no information given on the depth and extent of the statistical analysis (in fact, I too find the statement that the "mentor" "must do it" based on "the rules" as very odd) and that may be just as substantial as the work done by the OP. On writing, just because there is a more or less completed draft, this does not mean that the writing technique, experience and style that would bring the paper past the editor and the referees are also present. The only information given is on what the OP has done, not the "mentor", so at the very least I cannot exclude the above. Very often, without such a contribution from a supervisor (which may seem minor, not so time consuming or easy from the point of view of a student) such work would remain unpublished and at the stage of an early draft. This may not apply here, but is worth considering.
Finally, I do not see how (3) applies. Although there are cases where (PhD) supervisors have usurped the work of their students by removing them from co-authorship altogether, the "mentor" does not make such a claim. I fail to see how not being first author consists "selling" own work, especially since the term includes a buyer and a transaction. Based on what the OP writes, the arguments of the mentor are debatable and/or incorrect but there may be some merit behind them. Even so, however, an experienced academic should not claim first authorship at the expense of a student, although that may be field/ situation specific (given the oddities above). That said, I am not sure whether the OP is in a position to assess realistically the importance and extent of the "mentor's" contribution to the paper, even as someone simply more experienced in the process. Pragmatically, I do not see second authorship as too negative an outcome in that case.
I would refrain from putting too much weight on encouraging and perhaps patronising conference comments. If the OP is so convinced of the quality of the work and her abilities, or thinks that anything other than first authorsip is demeaning, she can always submit the paper as single author. This entails the removal of **any** work done by the "mentor", otherwise submission is unethical. This also means that the OP cannot rely on assistance or reputational help from the mentor. Other academics who may be willing to help will certainly ask for authorship (maybe first), even for polishing and taking care of submission.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_7: I’ve seen worse situations than this, where an undergraduate or laboratory technician deserves to be first author and ends up with no credit at all, or just a “thanks to” credit at the end of the paper.
Is this fair or ethical? Of course not — welcome to the real world of academia! I strongly urge you to grit your teeth, profusely thank your mentor, accept whatever authorship position she allows, and do it with a smile on your face. It is a big mistake to intentionally alienate or anger anyone who has the potential to harm you professionally; it’s just not worth it over an issue like this. You don’t want to end up in a situation where you “win the battle, but lose the war.”
If you’ve already submitted the report to the biomedical congress as a first author, and the report is published in print or electronic format, you can legitimately list this on your resume or CV. Usually, these reports are listed separately from peer-reviewed journals on resumes/CVs.
Upvotes: 1
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<issue_start>username_0: Once I submit an article to arXiv, it takes some time to be announced. Is there a way to share the article link before it is announced? I would like to share it with my friends/guide, so they may point out mistakes, if any, before the article is announced.<issue_comment>username_1: Until the article is announced, it does not have a publicly viewable URL. It can only be accessed from the account of the submitter. So you cannot effectively share your paper until it is announced in the regular arXiv mailing. However, since that announcement should be within *at most* two business days (unless your paper gets flagged for special treatment, because of extensive evidence of plagiarism or some other problem), it should not hurt you too much to wait for the announcement.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: There is this thing called *email*, which people used to communicate with other people in private, before twitter, Facebook etc. took over. *Email* allows for *attachments*, where one can send files, making it even easier to share work, than to have a link (which might be picked up by google robots and made public).
Moreover, if you really wish to get comments, I suggest to add line-numbering (check out the lineno LaTeX package.) to the preprint, so that one can easily reference parts in the paper. E.g., "on line 123, there is a spellning error" or "on line 456, you should really reference the obscure latin text from 1859 by obscure author".
I have line numbering mandatory for everything my students want to get feedback on.
Upvotes: 1
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<issue_start>username_0: I am an international student who's currently in a mess regarding my work permit application. I was initially supposed to get my permit the latest by March. But now, I don't know when my application will come through. I completed my Ph.D. thesis submission in December. Now, my Ph.D. supervisor had offered me a postdoc position and I was to start it as soon as I get my permit. However, my future is seeming quite bleak at the moment. I can't return to my home country as my country is under lockdown and my application is under processing.
I am panicking as I don't have any official position since January. I have been working on the pending Ph.D. projects since February and my advisor has ensured me that he can mention in my future recommendation letters that I had begun my postdoc in February.
However, the financial situation apart (which is really bad), I am getting disheartened about my freefalling academic profile. I am having anxiety over my predicament for last few weeks. I am not able to concentrate on my work and not able to study thereby wasting more time. My decision of joining my Ph.D. supervisor for my first postdoc was to learn and explore a new technique that would have enabled me to expand my skillset and would have made me more suitable for good positions.
But now, I am just wasting my time, working 2 hours or less every day and getting minimal work done. I am not getting the motivation to work hard or study new topics.
Is there any advise, comments that you can provide under my condition? How to address the gap in my CV? What should I do?<issue_comment>username_1: I can't help you with your mental issues about loss of focus, but it would be good to keep in mind that you aren't alone. Everyone else currently studying for a doctorate or in a non-permanent position is in the same mess caused by things completely outside your control or influence. You aren't falling relative to anyone unless you give up. The "gap" will mean very little if anything. People will understand it because they (we) too are living through it.
What governments do about work permits is also outside your control. Make progress on the things you can control and influence.
See a counselor if you need to about depression, but be assured that people will take the current worldwide disruption in to account when things settle down. In some ways, you might even think of it as a respite from schedule demands since the delays are inevitable.
Also, you can't change past decisions. "... would have enabled ..." means nothing at this point. You are where you are. Make a schedule, get some exercise, take a nap, talk to a counselor, consult with your advisor, ... anything. But also relax. If the world ends it won't matter. If it doesn't then you will get back on track along with everyone else.
Have patience with yourself as with everyone.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Taking a few snippets from your question;
>
> I am getting disheartened about my freefalling academic profile.
>
>
>
>
> How to address the gap in my CV?
>
>
>
I think you overestimate the importance of a perfect smooth career profile.
When someone looks at your CV and sees a gap, the real question they ask is "is this person going to have trouble *again* and will it affect our institute/company?"
In this case, the gap would be caused by the pandemic, not because something that's wrong with you personally. Compare that to someone trying to explain a gap because they spent time in prison for example. So it should be relatively easy for you to explain that the gap wasn't your fault and doesn't mark you as a future liability.
>
> But now, I am just wasting my time, working 2 hours or less every day and getting minimal work done. I am not getting the motivation to work hard or study new topics.
>
>
>
Before, I said the gap wasn't your fault. However, you can impress future employers by showing how you deal with adversity, and make the best of bad circumstances.
While you can't work on your dream projects, you can try to find another worthwhile project to work on, that perhaps doesn't require the same degree of formal permits. For example:
* Working as a tutor for junior students might not require much formalities, but there's going to be plenty of demand for it. Lots of junior students are also not having an easy time with their studies after all.
* Online projects; set up a blog about your research specialty and write introductory tutorials. It shows you being productive, and does some portfolio building.
Later on if you're being interviewed and they ask about the gap, you can say "well, when I couldn't work because the agency that did permits was closed, I had to keep busy, so I made these things..." And then you show some useful things. That sort of make-the-best-of-it problem-solving attitude would actually mark you as a very desirable employee.
Another thing that can help to keep up your spirits and reduce the feeling of isolation is to find things in the institute to get involved in. It's hard to stay motivated all on your own, it gets easier if you got some peers. For example:
* Take some classes. They don't have to be in your primary field. Especially good if they're classes with team assignments that keep you in contact with other students.
* Ask your supervisor if there's some kind of faculty seminar or lunch lecture thing that you could join in even though not all the paperwork is done yet. This allows you to at least get to know some more people in the institute.
If you've been keeping connected like this and next year they ask about the gap in your formal CV you can tell them that you as good as worked there, they just couldn't get the paperwork going. But here's what you did to make use of the time...
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: It's a common observation that the high investment in nervous energy during a PhD programme produces a severe come-down immediately after the award. The job taken up afterwards often seems "stupid" and "boring" for most of the first year. You may get away with this attitude in a job in industry - but you won't in academia as there is a continuous belt of bright boys & girls coming through. Neither should ironical comments on follies of current PhD candidates be allowed to fellows as an outlet for their exhaustion or frustration.
Maybe you made a mistake in going straight through to a fellowship - although I see your work permit situation gave you no other option.
But now everything is where it is - and you simply have to do your research fellowship as honest work rather than an inspired activity. We all have to at times: people grieving for family members suddenly lost have to do this days after the funeral.
So do all the sensible things like getting up early, eating healthily and doing your 9 - 5 at least. Emotionally most folks around the campus - and outside it - will be with you.
The inspiration will return, slowly and surely.
Upvotes: 0
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2020/05/01
| 561
| 2,572
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<issue_start>username_0: Since the beginning of the Corona Virus pandemic and the adaptation to distance learning, I have had to adapt my classes to hold exams via video calls. In previous semesters when I've had students with special accommodations (i.e. entitlement to extra time on exams), the students would generally go to a different office where they would take the exam with a special proctor who was aware of their entitlements. My institution however has levied this burden to instructors to keep track of students' various time limits on exams.
A student of mine with an extra time entitlement had emailed me to confirm that I was going to honor this. I didn't have the time to respond to them via email prior to the exam, but I had sent this student a private message via the video call platform to confirm with them their extra time and wrote out instructions for submitting their exam. This student however never read my message, and as a result submitted their exam prematurely claiming that I hadn't confirmed their extra time entitlement. Because the video call platform doesn't record private messaging into their transcript, I have no physical evidence to show the student that I had messaged them at the start of the exam.
I'd like to know what would ethically be the right way to handle this situation. I want to honor this student's time entitlement, and potentially give them the lost time to complete the exam, but I'm already at a place where I have to go over the exam with my other students. I'm not sure what the correct way to handle this situation is. It's frustrating because there was a second student who had a similar entitlement during the same exam, and they read my message and took advantage of their extra time.<issue_comment>username_1: You don't have to be the person who decides what to do in this situation. Actually, there are many reasons to remove yourself from making further decisions. Take it back to the administration of your Department / University, give them a fair account of what's happened, and let them decide what to do.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Dmitry's suggestion is an excellent one. I would like to offer another. You can explain the situation to the student and offer a few compensation options. It can be boosting grades in ratio of the lost time or another exam of similar difficulty. I fear an administrative decision might yield a negative result for the student. As far as I am concerned, the student should not be in a disadvantage when it is not their fault.
Upvotes: 2
|
2020/05/02
| 2,179
| 9,296
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<issue_start>username_0: I started a PhD in September of the last year at a European university in the field of engineering. I was very enthusiastic about it because I really worked hard to obtain this opportunity and I won three positions in total (the one I choose in the end and other two).
The project where I am now looked amazing, there were also the possibility to go in another country to do some experiments and it was together with other industries and university. I enjoy the spirit of "science is done together" and so I believed that here I could find my happiness.
I started. I found troubles in understanding the content of the papers I was reading. This because I am a civil engineer and the project is more in the field of mechanical/material engineering. It took me a while to really start to understand also the language of my other colleagues and I am still working on that. I realized that my supervisor has a hands-off approach, so he does not have the expertise in my field. I started to feel a little bit alone, doubting that I could really do something good without a real technical feedback. I talked with a friend who is doing a postdoc and he told me that this situation is quite normal and the really valuable skills that matter are the ability to work alone and independently. I understand that, but honestly it is far from the motivation that I have to do a PhD: I do not do it to become a professor; I do not do it to become a manager; I just want to give a little contribution to science, and I do not think that as a young PhD student, I am able to understand everything without support.
My supervisor cares about documenting everything that is done and about writing. He is obsessed with me to writing a perfect report each time. I understand that, on the long run, this is important because I can forget the details, but I have to say that it stresses me a lot: I would like to spend more time doing something good rather than writing every single detail. This approach is due also to his lack of knowledge, since he needs me to explain everything I do.
During last month our relationship became worse: He says that I have problem in understanding (in the civil field), and honestly I do not think so. I am just not very good in the writing part, because I am not used to write a lot and I also do not really like it. There are some postdocs in the mechanical department working in my field, and I tried to ask my supervisor if I could collaborate with them, but he denied this in a kind way. He said that we are independent and we “do not need them”. However, I need them. I need some support during this initial period of the PhD.
Some weeks ago I asked the head of the department if I could get some support because of the interdisciplinary nature of my PhD and during the meeting he said yes. He then completely changed in a subsequent meeting with my supervisor and me: He changed his mind and both of them had my last report printed. They pointed out every mistake. For example, in a table there was a typo because I had missed a zero in a number. Maybe I am superficial, but why is doing a mistake is so serious? Why do they have to make me feel not good enough because my report is not perfect? My supervisor is lacking in a lot of things, but he will be always right.
In the end of the meeting, they told me that I should be “more critical” but they believe in me. Honestly I do not believe in these words from my supervisor. It is not that he tells me what I did wrong, it is that sometimes I find him mean in the way he tells me things.
I have applied for other projects. I won a position in the UK one week ago, in a good university, and I was shortlisted two times in another very good university in Europe. The position in UK is sure, while the other one no. I would like to go, but I feel bad about myself. What if is it me? What if I am not able to pursue a PhD? Talking with other students in the departement, I found out that also other students had problems with him and some of them have left. Two who stayed say that they hope I will make the right decision so I will not feel bad like them in the following years.
How can I approach this situation?<issue_comment>username_1: If you're unhappy where you are and aren't getting support even though you've asked for it, and you've been offered a position elsewhere, I think you know logically what you should do. You should take that new position and hand in your notice to your current supervisor as soon as you can. Make a clean break of it and try to have some time off before starting the new project.
That's the logical thing to do. Emotionally, however, it's not so easy. You've spent a lot of time on your current project and worked hard, with little help, in an unfamiliar field. But don't fall foul of the sunk-cost fallacy: the belief that it's worth continuing to invest in something that's giving you no return, just because you already heavily invested in it. It very often isn't.
Finally, while you say you don't enjoy writing, the ability to write clearly and accurately is really important in research. Having very good written English is a must if you want to complete a PhD in the UK. The sooner you accept this, the better. Learning to critcally read and edit your own work is something your department or university can help you with; at my institution there is an "academic skills" office that provide help with writing, presentation skills etc to anyone who needs it. I recommend you seek out such help wherever you end up. Hopefully the more you write, the more you will come to enjoy it.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Many issues mentioned are common to early stage PhD students and supervisors (should) work to improve, but a change in environment/field is unlikely to do so for most of them. Adjusting to a new field is challenging and needs patience, and the OP's attitude on that is natural (also and an academic looking for a PhD student will naturally appear affable). If the OP thinks that it is not possible to work with that supervisor (and a match of personalities makes a PhD much easier) then there is only one thing to do. However, the situation does not sound to be at a breaking point. Nothing of what I read struck me as unreasonable or malicious, and most of the following issues are unlikely to be improved by flying away from them.
>
> I would like to spend more time doing something good rather than
> writing every single detail.
>
>
>
Doing something good often **IS** writing every single detail. In may ways, this is quintessencial science. If a single detail is missing someone else may not be able to reproduce the results or apply the method correctly. This is one of the main differences between writing a PhD and an academic paper or business report. The latter two are often on a "need to know" basis or assume the reader knows too much.
>
> This approach is due also to his lack of knowledge, since he needs me
> to explain everything I do.
>
>
>
A PhD student worth his/her salt will know more about the PhD than the supervisor in the second half of it. Also, the supervisor is probably checking the OP's knowledge and scientific rigour, which can be done without being an expert on that field.
>
> For example, in a table there was a typo because I had missed a zero
> in a number. Maybe I am superficial, but why is doing a mistake is so
> serious?
>
>
>
An example of rigour. A typo in a PhD report/ meeting is not serious, a typo in an important presentation/ work report is very serious, the same mistake in the code/ practical application can be disastrous. This should not need explanation, and, at the very least, may make someone appear unreliable. All steps to avoid mistakes must be taken, regardless of consequences.
>
> There are some postdocs in the mechanical department working in my
> field, and I tried to ask my supervisor if I could collaborate with
> them, but he denied this in a kind way. However, I need them. I need
> some support during this initial period of the PhD.
>
>
>
This, like the previous quote, indicates the OP's insecurity, which is natural for an early stage PhD student. A PhD, in many ways, is a long string of corrected mistakes and everyone needs to accept and overcome it - constant self-checking is imperative. I also agree with the supervisor's answer that the OP does not need them. A good solution is to attend some Masters classes on certain topics, which can be arranged with a polite email to the module leader. Also, senior academics who teach those classes are often willing to have a long meeting and explain things to a PhD student. A PhD student "needing" others is the opposite of the core of a PhD: independent learning and working. When someone achieves that skill, confidence and attitude, normally towards the end of the PhD, then student collaborations can be fruitful subject to departmental culture. Earlier than that, they can often be hugely detrimental, as it leads to delays, tensions, stress and people feeling/ treated as they cannot carry their own weight.
What I wrote on support obviously does not apply to personal relations, emotional support etc and the OP should absolutely avoid being isolated.
Upvotes: 0
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2020/05/02
| 1,337
| 3,927
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<issue_start>username_0: I am trying to access the following work online, but I'm having no luck finding it:
>
> <NAME>. 1959. "Die Bildersprache des Demosthenes." Ph.D., Classics, Göttingen.
>
>
>
Any idea where I could access it?<issue_comment>username_1: Any online resources may be unlikely for a dissertation that old, but there are some possibilities. Try these.
The Classics department at Göttingen.
The university library at Göttingen.
[Proquest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ProQuest), which was founded as "University Microfilms", published a lot of dissertations in that era. This may be a longshot for a German dissertation, but it was used by many universities to "publish" dissertations.
The author is unlikely to still be alive, but it is just possible that one of his students is and can provide a copy, or at least an abstract. If you have a citation of the work, the author who cites it may have a copy.
A good research librarian at an academic library can probably help a lot in such a search.
Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: First, search the [library information system](http://opac.sub.uni-goettingen.de/DB=1/LNG=DU/SID=07f858ec-1/CMD?ACT=SRCHA&IKT=1016&SRT=YOP&TRM=Die%20Bildersprache%20des%20Demosthenes&MATCFILTER=N&MATCSET=N&NOSCAN=N&ADI_BIB=) of the university to get some basic information about its availability at the university library.
Second, you can access it via the [German national library](http://d-nb.info/480029431), you can access the book in Leipzig and Frankfurt/Main.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: In general,
* I'd always expect the university library where the dissertation was done to have at least one exemplar in their archives.
* The national library is also supposed to have at least one exemplar of every book published in Germany.
---
* For searching books within Germany, the university libraries of several German Länder have a [common online catalgoue (Gemeinsamer Verbundkatalog, GVK)](https://kxp.k10plus.de/DB=2.1/), see also <https://www.bszgbv.de/> which also include Baden-Württemberg and Saarland.
GVK lists 3 exemplars of the dissertation at the Göttingen University library: <https://kxp.k10plus.de/DB=2.1/PPNSET?PPN=146113365>
* <https://www.worldcat.org/> is an online catalogue covering even more libraries from around the globe.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_4: In addition to the references mentioned in the answers (national library, library of the university) I recommend the Karlsruher Virtual Cataloge (Karlsruher Virtueller Katalog, KVK) <http://kvk.bibliothek.kit.edu>. This cataloge composes all important catalogs of scientific and national libraries in Germany (and optionally also many catalogs of foreign countries).
Searching there for your book [results](http://kvk.bibliothek.kit.edu/hylib-bin/kvk/nph-kvk2.cgi?maske=kvk-redesign&lang=de&title=KIT-Bibliothek%3A+Karlsruher+Virtueller+Katalog+KVK+%3A+Ergebnisanzeige&head=%2F%2Fkvk.bibliothek.kit.edu%2Fasset%2Fhtml%2Fhead.html&header=%2F%2Fkvk.bibliothek.kit.edu%2Fasset%2Fhtml%2Fheader.html&spacer=%2F%2Fkvk.bibliothek.kit.edu%2Fasset%2Fhtml%2Fspacer.html&footer=%2F%2Fkvk.bibliothek.kit.edu%2Fasset%2Fhtml%2Ffooter.html&css=none&input-charset=utf-8&ALL=dietrich+kr%C3%BCger+Demosthenes&TI=&AU=&CI=&ST=&PY=&SB=&SS=&PU=&kataloge=K10PLUS&kataloge=BVB&kataloge=NRW&kataloge=HEBIS&kataloge=HEBIS_RETRO&kataloge=KOBV_SOLR&kataloge=DDB&kataloge=STABI_BERLIN&ref=direct&client-js=yes) in 5 locations (don't get irritated - some results shown are duplicates):
* 2 copies in the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek in Leipzig and Frankfurt
* 1 copy and 1 mircofiche in the library of the Freie Universität Berlin
* 1 copy in the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek München
* 2 copies and 1 microfiche in the Niedersächsische Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Göttingen
Most of these copies can also be accessed via interlibrary loan.
Upvotes: 2
|
2020/05/02
| 1,588
| 6,805
|
<issue_start>username_0: My situation is like this: I have tried to obtain an MS in CS/CSE but failed. Now, I am studying an MA in Education and planning to get a Ph.D. in Education. After that, my plan is to get a Ph.D. degree in data science.
Now, why this strange plan? The answer is, STEM pays money, but STEM research is hard. So, first I need to have a guarantee that if I fail to obtain a degree in data science, I always have something to fall back on.
Suppose, you are seeing my resume, what would your first thought be? Is having PhDs in two different disciplines counterproductive to each other? If I apply for a job in academia/research, would I be seen as a pariah in both education and/or STEM?<issue_comment>username_1: To be honest, your internal reasoning would be invisible to me. Why you did what you did can be speculated about, but you don't need to reveal it.
Many people change fields. The difference between Education and data science is wide enough that most of us would just assume you had a change of plan. Nothing wrong with that.
But, of course, your plan may fall through, and your plans may change. But for the main question here, don't worry about it. Worry about doing a good job in moving toward and evaluating your goals.
I might worry more about someone who had don't degrees in two very closely related fields. In such a case, the first degree gives you the skills to be productive in that field and in the related one. I might worry that you just wanted to be a perpetual student. But Education and STEM use different research methods and require very different insights. Having two degrees, either for changing fields or for wanting to work at the cusp, seems much more natural to me.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I think you're planning too far ahead, and are definitely overthinking this. Most people find a PhD a pretty grueling process, generally well beyond expectations. My feeling from having gone through it myself, and knowing many others who have, is that the odds are very high that you'll have no interest in going through it a second time.
Get a PhD in the field you actually want to work in. Finishing a PhD is hard; finishing a PhD in a field you're not very interested in is even harder. Put your energy into doing one field well, rather than spreading your energy out and doing two fields at a lesser level.
But to disregard that and answer your question, I think people without PhDs would probably be impressed, while people with PhDs would think it very strange, and not necessarily good. But I suspect there would be pretty wide variance in opinions, depending on surrounding circumstances.
**Edit**: *I should add that Master's Degrees make a pretty good supplement to PhDs. So if you finish this MA in Education and then move to a different field that you can plausibly supplement with Education, that would be normal and probably pretty effective. But again, plan to do your PhD in a field you're interested in.*
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: My initial questions would be: What is it that you're trying to do? Why are you both a doctor of Education and a doctor of Data Science? What is your end goal?
First of all, these fields aren't unrelated. It's certain enough that pedagogy and technology are not the same subject matter, but Data Science as a skill is so pliable that it really fits anywhere you put it and is supplemental to basically any other field of study. Research in general requires data. You could put both to use, for example, as an academic performing big data research on whatever level of education your studies focused on. Maybe you really care about finding trends in, say, early childhood developmental strategy success by querying methods from a large pool of pre-K and K-12 environments and evaluating their degree of success. You might care to do this to find what works and what doesn't work for the sake of publishing literature on effective teaching strategies.
I'd expect that someone with a degree in education and data science would be looking for a position that marries the two disciplines. Secondarily, attempting to fill a position where one is used and the other supplements. Most commonly, you'll find yourself applying where one fits and the other doesn't, but this isn't so out there. There are always soft skills that can be transferred from one discipline to the other. Not to mention, if you have both degrees, that speaks volumes about your dedication in general.
Once those initial questions are evaluated, the follow-up would be: Is the position you've applied for a good fit for you? If you have that wealth of knowledge and mean to use it, are you under-applying yourself by working here?
I think that, less than your resume making you look like a fool, at that level, not fully applying all your academic skills would be the thing that would make you look like a fool. If you cared enough to go to the pinnacles of study for the field, why would you not use it, or at the very least, place yourself somewhere where you can draw on the less important of the two to your work to enhance your work?
As someone looking at your resume (and assuming I have the time to review it in detail) those would be the things I'd focus on. If the questions I have can answer themselves by nature of what you've applied for and your experience in a positive way, then you wouldn't look like a fool at all.
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: >
> Suppose, you are seeing my resume, what would your first thought be? Is having PhDs in two different disciplines counterproductive to each other? If I apply for a job in academia/research, would I be seen as a pariah in both education and/or STEM?
>
>
>
My first thought - amazing, let's have a close look.
A phd is a title, a document. The process to get there may be more or less hard, satisfying or not. The two title documents will not be in a counterproductive relation. How could they? These are documents. What you are concerned with is the *perception* of the documents by others.
* A CV consisting of just two lines, each for one PhD, maybe + a name - that would never cut it.
+ reading you CV will be very much shaped by which university, country you are from
+ by a contextualising letter that makes a case for how the reader should read your documents
* in my experience of applicant assessments, multiple titles from different disciplines, are seen as an advantage - they demonstrate the capacity of the applicant to engage in diverse logics. If you have 2 PhDs in quite different fields, you can assume that these are an indicator of your broad range of capacity and thinking. Ask yourself whether you want to work for an employer who does not appreciate that broad capacity.
Upvotes: 0
|
2020/05/02
| 3,059
| 12,706
|
<issue_start>username_0: I have been helping a fellow student through a class I'm taking this semester - sending him homeworks, helping prepare him for tests, etc. The other day we had our final, which was online, and he asked me if he could pay me to send him the solutions after I turned in my test. (The program immediately gives you the answers when you finish.)
Somehow at the university I go to this is complete commonplace; people are consistently cheating on every test, every assignment, it's totally normal for me to be asked by a classmate I don't even know to help them cheat. Maybe it's something about me that broadcasts to people they aren't at risk of me snitching. I have recently decided I no longer wanted to participate in this, but I have had trouble telling people politely that I won't be helping them.
I have no desire to bring this up to any administration, because it's not a big enough deal to me, but it is a big enough deal that I don't want to be included. I also don't have any desire to moralize to these people, because first of all what do they care, and second of all what do I know. But I do need some help navigating this extreme culture of cheating. Thanks.
**Edit:** It is clear from the responses that I missed some important context. I have no problem with saying no to people I don't know and don't like, but I am coming from a position of formerly participating in this cheating. Thus it will be easy to misinterpret as self-righteous. "No, and leave me alone" is insufficient because it leaves my acquaintances wondering what changed. Not that I overly care whether they understand my decision, but I don't want them thinking I basically cheat when I need a grade and judge others for doing the same.<issue_comment>username_1: ‘‘No’’ is a complete sentence.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_2: It's great that you do not want to do that. You can make a polite "No, unfortunately, I cannot do that." without any further justification, if the simple "No." is too hard for you.
Some people believe there is an unwritten rule that if you help them once, you help them again, and if you continue doing so, you will help them no matter what. There is no such rule, written or unwritten. There is a reason why requests are requests. You are in a position to decline them.
If you do not like to argue, then just leave it at that. Don't give reasons, do not give justifications, just say that you cannot help. Of course, one could justify the decision in that one does not like to cheat etc., but as you say, you do not want to moralise, you do not want to be told that it's all fine, you do not wish to have anything to do with that. Therefore: no justification, just, "Sorry, no."
Most likely, it will not go down completely smoothly if cheating is an accepted part of the culture, but keep in mind, these people are using you, one-sidedly. You do not owe them anything. You are already nice enough to help with revising. Take it in stride. Continue being helpful as long as it is honest and otherwise, do your thing. Uprightness is a long-term attitude, you have to ride out the occasional unpleasantry when it emerges.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: As other people have suggested, you could simply say "Sorry, no" or just "No."
An alternative, in case the thought of doing this makes you nervous, is to simply not answer. Not now, not ever. Block him on your phone and on social media, and configure your email software to delete emails from him immediately (so that you'll never see them).
In ordinary circumstances this would be quite rude, but your classmate is attempting to exploit your good will. You have no obligation to him whatsoever, and you are free to decide that engaging with him is not worth even a minimal effort.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: I understand that this may not be a big deal to you, but it is indeed a big deal for your university. Please read your code of conduct, you may be required to inform the relevant authorities when something like this happens. If you do not have a code of conduct, look for an username_3 integrity officer, or confide in a professor whom you trust.
These students are cheating themselves out of a learning experience and making your degrees look bad. When the cheaters get out into the Real World (tm) they will not have the skills they need, and this will look bad on the university, and thus make your degree look cheap as well.
Yes, it is easy to cheat, especially during the Covid-19 times. But in academia we trust each other, we don't police. But when someone is caught cheating, then the full force of power should be used to make it clear that this behavior is completely unacceptable.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_5: I think you can tell them the truth: that the cheating is starting to freak you out; you don't like your current reputation; getting paid for answers is the next step towards being a scumbag with a test-answer internet site; and it feels weird to help someone with a class then have them say "your help wasn't good enough -- help me cheat". You may not even have to fake getting more and more agitated as you say it, which reinforces the freaked out part.
I've often dealt with an honest student talked into sending a friend a copy of their homework "just to look at". Next thing I'm calling 4 people into my office for cheating. After, the original author would ask for advice on avoiding that peer pressure again. I'd tell them to narrate recent events: they already had one heart attack being called in for cheating, and don't need another.
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_6: I wonder if you could express surprise at being asked. And then shake your head laughingly, letting him know that no reasonable person in his right mind would have the nerve to even approach you with a request for all, or any, of the answers when you've been working hard to pass that test legitimately and help him learn the material and pass the test legitimately, too. Maybe then you could shake off the question with something like, "I thought you were serious for a second there and we were going to have a problem."
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_7: *"No, and leave me alone" is insufficient because it leaves my acquaintances wondering what changed.*
I don't think you should leave them wondering. I think you should tell them that you have learned that a serious investigation has been instigated by the school, and you are terrified that you will all be caught and probably expelled. This will have an immediate chilling effect on the rampant cheating, and will position you to preach against cheating in the future.
Do you question the morality of lying to your friends? Well, (1) you don't have a moral leg to stand on, and (2) they are not really your friends.
If you didn't have the moral stamina to resist cheating, then you don't have the moral authority to feel squeamish about lying. It's too late now to say you won't do either one.
And, friends are people you know and respect, who want to help you make your life better. Friends are not people who invite you to risk expulsion with a shredded reputation, while simultaneously diluting your grades and eroding the reputation of your school.
*I am coming from a position of formerly participating in this cheating.*
Peer pressure has led you to your current situation, but you don't really owe those peers anything. However, for your own comfort and peace of mind, you should (as you have intuited) not present them with a complete surprise. The lie takes care of that.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_8: The point of a short answer such as "No" is to avoid any opening for debate. However, in *this* case, it doesn't quite work. The issue is that you have helped in the past, so the argument of "but you've done it before" is implicitly left open. To solve this, simply acknowledge that this is a change from your past in as few words as possible. For example:
>
> No, I don't do that any more, sorry.
>
>
>
This accomplishes the same goal as a simple "No" would in most other situations.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_9: >
> The program immediately gives you the answers when you finish.
>
>
>
Inform the administration about this loophole without mentioning your past involvement or your friends' involvement. If they close down this loophole, you can no longer help your friends cheat the exam.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_10: I think the concern in this question stems from not wanting to appear to be the bad guy, even though what you are doing -- not participating in cheating -- is a good thing and you shouldn't feel bad about it. You have a relationship and you want to preserve the friendly aspect of it while still saying no.
I totally understand this desire, but it can get you in a lot of trouble. Once you decide to do something, some people are not going to like it, and there's a risk they will not like you because of it. That's a risk a mature person has to be willing to take once they've made a decision about something. Make your choice and accept the consequences. Politely say no, and resolve up-front that you will be OK if your relationship with your associate ends. You're not going to be rude. You're just saying no.
If your associate goes away mad, believe me, you've lost nothing. One less manipulative person in your life is actually a favor to you. Good luck!
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_11: If you feel that you need to say more than just the "No" that has already been suggested, then I would recommend just telling them the truth. Tell them that you know you cheated in the past, but you've realized that what you were doing is wrong and you've decided to no longer participate in it, either in receiving or providing dishonest assistance. And, of course, stick to that.
If your friends don't accept that explanation, that's their problem, not yours. Maybe you'll have a positive impact on them and they'll reconsider their own cheating going forward. Or maybe they'll just wonder what your problem is and continue with their cheating. Maybe some mix of those. Either way, once you've decided you're no longer going to participate in it and have told them that, how they react is their problem, not yours.
You can only decide your own actions, not the reactions to them from others.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_12: If you want to prevent bullying and keep your reputation, you could just lie and say you're struggling or really dumb and so you're not the best to cheat off of. Otherwise if it's something like just getting a sheet of answers just say you don't have it yet yourself. You could also be honest and say you've worked hard on it so find his own. But I think in your situation lying could be best.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_13: Ethics aside, inform them directly of how this may negatively affect you and them.
You do not wish to send them the answers to your test because it may be traced back to you, causing you both to fail the course. No excuse of theirs will sway you.
---
Back to ethics, if there is *rampant cheating*, simply informing the school brass of it and dusting your hands is probably not sufficient and likely lead to the failure of legitimate students.
If rampant cheating goes on, courses often evolve cryptic examinations which are only solvable via dubiously-ethical methods, such as
* testing advanced topics not covered in the course (everyone appears to understand them because they are wrote copying *well done on a great course, Professor*)
* must have a copy of last year's test (see above bullet point)
* textbook has wrong answers which the professor treats as canon, and no amount of arguing will sway them
The existence of such a system, while it at first seems tragic (and is), is really another learning opportunity provided by Universities.
* people cheat, some cheat until they lose, and often they lose very hard
* sometimes a system can only be defeated by discussing the subject amongst your entire undergraduate class
* some courses teach nothing, but provide a wide swathe of peers to learn from
Consider working with a neutral member of the college to review the problems you've noticed once the semester is over, such as pieces of technology revealing the exam answers. Ideally this will also help retroactively correct the grades of students who did poorly in subjects because they were not part of team cheat (it has been discovered by review that course X had an unfair exam which covered subjects beyond the provided material..).
Justice is desperately important, but it comes in many flavors.
Upvotes: 0
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2020/05/02
| 1,317
| 5,470
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<issue_start>username_0: EDIT/TLDR: Professorships are hard to find so I’ve never expected one. With recent PhD admissions success, is becoming a university/liberal arts professor now realistic and how can I best meet that goal?
I was recently accepted into an astronomy PhD. To give a rough characterization it is ranked in the US top 10-20 for physics/astronomy, whatever that’s worth. My new department paints an optimistic future picture but I wanted to get an objective view. With this prior, what can I expect in terms of career outlook?
From my undergrad experience in physics as a TA+RA I love to teach and research, and want to do both as a job whether that is at a research university or liberal arts college. I would also be grateful to teach at a community college, slightly more so than being a staff scientist at an observatory, but would still prefer to get the chance to research as well.
My undergrad productivity was pretty good - I was able to turn all my projects into publications, so hopefully I can build up from that. What other steps should I take to improve my chances to become a professor, especially at liberal arts colleges? Should I try to TA beyond my second year?<issue_comment>username_1: First the good news. Most colleges and universities in the US have a department of physics or at least one for which physics is an important part. This is pretty much everything from Liberal Arts Colleges to R1 universities.
Now the not so good news. Most of those departments are pretty small and most of the professors teach a lot of lower level courses. There may be a few physics majors, and most will be pretty good students, but most of what you do is teach in support of other majors. That can be rewarding or not.
Also, not so good, is that if your specific field requires expensive lab equipment then larger schools at the upper end are probably where you will wind up. State Universities, for example. Also, you will be more or less on the hook for writing grants to provide the equipment (and help) that you need. Theoretical physics may not need the lab equipment, but it does need a critical mass of people with ideas. Astronomy can require a lot of equipment or not, but it may require access to equipment, which means travel to out of the way places if direct observation is essential, though I doubt that it is these days. But travel for collaboration will probably be needed even if you don't need to go to Arecibo or farther.
Since you are at the beginning of your studies, I have one overriding bit of advice. Start forming a circle of contacts who will eventually want to collaborate with you on whatever topics/research you are interested in. Your advisor can provide a start but you need to expand outward from there. If travel to conferences and meetings is possible, then do a lot of that. Talk to a lot of people, share a lot of ideas. Talk to others like yourself, but also to the luminaries of the field if given a chance. Your advisor or other faculty can, perhaps, provide introductions. And introductions can be internet and mail based as well as face to face.
Collaborations will be especially important if you wind up at a small place and want to continue to do research.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> With recent PhD admissions success, is becoming a university/liberal arts professor now realistic?
>
>
>
First, you should not expect to get accurate advice about this. As a new graduate student, you are at least seven years away from being competitive for a faculty position. Nobody can predict the job market seven years ahead.
Currently, faculty positions in physics are extremely competitive. There are many massively qualified candidates for very few positions. Often, new assistant professors have more publications than the retirees they replace.
Owing to falling birth rates, there are too many colleges in many parts of the world. As a result, some will fail financially before you finish your PhD. Private liberal arts colleges that do not have endowments will be the first to go. During the current pandemic, enrollment may fall 20%, which is fatal to many institutions if they are not bailed out by the government.
Community college hiring is also competitive. It has different practices from research universities, but do not listen to anyone who tells you that if it's not elite you can easily get a job there.
>
> What other steps should I take to improve my chances to become a professor, especially at liberal arts colleges?
>
>
>
For any institution, publish a lot. The number of publications you need to get a job keeps going up. Physics research is really expensive. If you want to have a choice of employers, you need to learn to do research that is really cheap. A good research university lab has a budget well into the six figures, but you are likely to get an annual budget in the low three figures when you are an assistant professor. It might be zero. For liberal arts colleges, it is essential to include undergraduate students in your research. Start supervising student projects as early as possible.
>
> Should I try to TA beyond my second year?
>
>
>
In my opinion, this is irrelevant unless you learn something about teaching by doing it. If you are TAing for someone who does not know how to teach, you are wasting your time. If your university has excellent TA training, take it. Seek to teach a whole course by yourself.
Upvotes: 2
|
2020/05/02
| 666
| 2,878
|
<issue_start>username_0: My first degree was in Economics and Finance. Frankly, I didn't do very well, although I did do enough to scrape a 2:1. There were a number of legitimate reasons for this underperformance, but it's still a fact.
Anyway,that was ten years ago. I am wondering whether studying a masters in one subject will bolster my chances of being accepted to a prestigious masters programme. E.g. if I study, say, an Msc in statistics at a lower-Russell Group uni now, would that bolster my chances of subsequently being accepted to a top sociology or poli sci programne at a top school? Or would it not make any difference?<issue_comment>username_1: Presumably a higher relevant qualification ---or an equivalent qualification that is more recent and with better performance--- will be more valuable than an older qualification with poorer performance. Additionally, having a Masters degree in statistics (hopefully with good performance) would be of relevant value to entry into sociology or political science. As to whether it is necessary, who can say. Perhaps the best option is to apply to both ---i.e., apply to the top schools for immediate entry, and also apply to the MSc in Statistics as a fall-back. If you are not accepted for the former, you can still do the latter and then re-apply more strongly later.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: Right now, you will be accepted almost anywhere you apply for a Masters in the UK, so I would **definitely** suggest looking at the same university level or higher - do not limit yourself. Your first degree is quite relevant to Statistics, which gives you an edge, and besides already holding a Masters shows your level. I am confident you will not have a problem being accepted even in elite institutions.
On the second part of the question, on Sociology or Political Science, I am not clear on what you have in mind so I can only suppose you intend to apply for a PhD. There are many areas of both that use statistical analysis (e.g. voting patterns) and a quantitative background is always an asset, and Economics is always relevant to Politics. It is definitely relevant but puts you in the front row only for some areas - a more traditional choice like International Relations or History and Philosophy might be closer to a "one size fits all" approach to PhD applications in Sociology and Political Sciences. However, a candidate with your suggested background will be highly sought after in specific areas to the forefront, and there is a movement of Political Science research towards quantitative methods, so your second degree will be a very good fit.
Overall, it boils down to what interests you and I have no clue on that, but EconFin + Stats is quite a competitive background, especially for the private sector, and highly sought for a wide selection of Social Sciences research.
Upvotes: 0
|
2020/05/03
| 3,878
| 16,280
|
<issue_start>username_0: A throwaway account for this issue I need advice in. I am in an engineering course and had an online exam (thanks to COVID-19) with no form of protection for cheating, just an "open now, turn in within 2 hours" exam. I spent way too much time perfecting one particular question (I blame my diagnosed test anxiety for that part of this situation), so I, quite moronically may I add, used a resource that I was not allowed to use. I got an email from the instructor saying that I was accused of cheating.
After fainting once and vomiting twice I read the message and learned that I had 2 options. First of which is to refute and provide evidence in contrary of the accusation, for which I had none. The second option was to accept a zero-marking on the heftily-weighted question, but keep the grade and accept it as the grade on the exam. This was quite a lenient punishment as it was outlined in the syllabus that any form of cheating on any exam will result in a 0 on said exam and a failure within the course. I can only attribute this to the fact that I always went to lecture, actively took notes, asked many questions, and sat in the front row (really like ALL students should do). Therefore, I accepted that option and still ended up with a passing average in the class, because I worked extremely hard to understand the material well *(I am not an academically gifted person, may I add.)*.
Along with both options, a report of academic misconduct will be reported to the chair of the engineering department of my discipline. From there I am unsure where the situation will go. The university does not have any set-in-stone rules for a situation like this within the academic policy or student guideline book, which is where I turn to Academia. I have never done anything of this sort and I am unsure on where to turn or where to go next, depending on where this situation escalates to.
I also fear for my eligibility for security clearances once I graduate (United States). I only fear that this will be seen as a major, major red flag and may result in me unable to gain said clearance, even though I have nothing on my record (not even as minor as a traffic stop). I feel like that will most definitely ruin my career (rightfully so if so, may I add), as any form of my work will most likely require said clearance. But, having never gotten a clearance before, I am unsure about how it will be affected. To anyone who has experience in this realm, is this a major red flag? Should I switch majors now to something where I can get a job without one?
Regardless of any switching majors, if I lose my academic scholarship for the university (again, rightfully so), I will be forced to drop and/or go far into debt to complete my academic career. Most definitely worth it if so, but still upsetting. Again, this is not set in stone anywhere within the documentation I have access to, so would something like this be a possible/fitting punishment for my academic dishonesty?
I thoroughly understand that this shows that I have little experience in a particular realm of this class, and that in the workforce, if I make a mistake due to it, I may cost lives. If anything, that's the most sickening part of this whole situation. For that reason, I am currently re-studying all material within the class and making sure that I will keep the knowledge that I have been taught. But employers, would you even consider hiring someone like me if you found this out?
I really appreciate anyone reading this. Please leave any comments about my integrity to the comment section, and not the answer section.<issue_comment>username_1: Okay, this is just my opinion but I'm a professor with a lot of life experience.
Some, very few, but some, of my students have cheated on exams I have given them. They've gotten in trouble for it.
Maybe I should clarify that statement. Some of my students have been caught cheating and have gotten into trouble for it. I don't know what proportion actually cheated - probably more than have been caught. I myself never cheated in school. But I know it happened around me.
We are living in an unprecedented time of strangeness, pressure, weird opportunities to "perfect" online tests answers we shouldn't, long hours thinking about viruses and the future.
That said, you've been caught doing something on an online exam that you should not have been doing, you've been penalized, and it is over. It is not the end of the world. Yes, it's a mark on your otherwise good record. Yes, you shouldn't have done it. No, it won't ruin your chances at having a good job. It just won't - you'll be okay as long as you keep doing your best and don't be stupid again.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_2: What you are doing is called [catastrophizing](https://psychcentral.com/lib/what-is-catastrophizing/). This incident, unpleasant and mildly serious though it is, is simply not the life-destroying event you imagine it to be, and you are not the evil person you imagine yourself to be for having committed this act of dishonesty.
In fact, I think the worst aspect of the situation is the negative thoughts you are having about it, which sound like they have a much greater potential to derail your studies, mental health, and (if left unchecked) your future career, than the facts of the actual situation you described.
I can’t comment authoritatively about your specific hypothetical scenarios of losing your clearance, becoming a failure professionally etc, but they simply sound highly implausible based on my years of experience in academia in the US. My advice is, take a deep breath, and seek counseling and advice from knowledgeable people in your institution who can give you:
1. useful practical information about the possible effects of the cheating on your career (which frankly my guess is will be essentially zero if it’s a one-off incident, although there may be a temporary punishment that could set you back a bit);
2. separately from that, mental health advice to help you keep yourself from becoming overwhelmed with anxiety.
Good luck!
Upvotes: 8 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: I think the others have given some helpful general advice. Let me respond to two specific concerns.
>
> Along with both options, a report of academic misconduct will be reported to the chair of the engineering department of my discipline.
>
>
>
I think it's worth understanding this further. Is this just an e-mail to the chair, or is it something "on your record" that will be reported to employers, the Government, or other third parties? This will depend on your institution's policies and the nature of your sanction. I think it's reasonable to ask about this, so long as you are clear that you just want to understand the punishment and are not contesting that you deserve it.
>
> I also fear for my eligibility for security clearances once I graduate (United States)....To anyone who has experience in this realm, is this a major red flag?
>
>
>
No. If you are asked about this, be honest (hopefully it only happened once, and you learned your lesson).
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_4: *I also fear for my eligibility for security clearances once I graduate*
If you are considering a career that will require you to hold a security clearance, then you undoubtedly will at some point be subjected to a "lie detector" (polygraph) test. Your memories of the trauma this incident has caused you, unless properly handled, will cause you to fail that test. You should do at least three things to avoid such a disaster.
One, do the opposite of catastrophizing. Make the incident a normal part of your history, which does not stand out in any bizarre way. Discuss it with your academic counselor. Imagine conversations with your peers in which the subject of cheating comes up, and you relate the incident as an unexceptional anecdote. Think of yourself as a person who did that, but not a person who does that.
Two, when you apply for a clearance, include the incident on your application disclosure. It's actually barely important enough to mention, but it is significant to you emotionally. The polygraph test works on emotion, not facts. Polygraph examiners are exceptionally skilled at getting you to reveal anything that is emotionally important to you. If you conceal the incident on your application but then reveal it to the polygraph examiner, you will be indelibly marked a liar.
Three, research the polygraph before subjecting yourself to it. Read *The Lie Behind the Lie Detector* by <NAME>, and *How To Sting The Polygraph* by <NAME>. Of course you must recognize that these authors have agendas of their own, but the facts in their books, especially Dr. Maschke's, are true and accurate.
Getting caught cheating in school will not stop you obtaining a security clearance, unless you allow it to drive you crazy.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_5: I once had a visit from a government employee about a former student needing a security clearance. I'd previously caught him cheating on homework and written it up. The University's Academic Dishonesty department apparently still had the record (the student was probably a graduating senior).
The incident seemed to be no problem. The investigator asked me to describe it -- the student admitted to copying, got just a 0 on the assignment, and I never had any more trouble from him. The investigator seemed to relax, as if that was routine nothing stuff.
So, yes, it will be looked at for a security clearance, but only because they look at *everything*, probably won't be a problem, and will be fun for the instructor (he asked me a long series of standard Q's: if I knew the student had gambling debts, and so on. Some were things I'd never have thought of).
As for other immediate consequences, at my US State School, the policy was that being caught cheating once was a warning -- nothing extra happened. It only went on the record in case the student was written up again, when I assume suspensions and whatnot began. The horribly uncomfortable meeting with them (yes, there will be a meeting after the one with the instructor) was mainly a chance to make sure the student couldn't say "but I didn't know doing X was cheating".
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_6: Academic dishonesty (and, really, dishonesty in general) is bad. You shouldn't have done it and should not repeat it. And I take from your question that you already know all of that and you seem to be sorry you did it and quite unlikely to make that mistake again.
That being said, if the above seems as obvious to your department as it seems to us from your question, then I don't think you have too much to worry about.
In particular, I wouldn't be worried about the security clearance issue. I have a U.S. security clearance and have been through the vetting process. Yes, they will absolutely talk to your university (and your local law enforcement departments, etc.) when doing your background checks and there's a decent chance they'll find out about this incident, but it seems extremely unlikely that it would derail your security clearance as long as it never happens again and you don't lie about it.
Lots of people make stupid mistakes, especially during their high school and college years. The people doing the background checks know that and they see it all the time. Is what you did serious? Yes. Is it serious enough that they'll reject your security clearance out-of-hand for a one-off incident that you apparently learned from? Almost certainly not.
Hopefully this part goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway: If they do ask you about this (either about whether you've cheated in general or about this specific incident,) **tell the truth.** While it's unlikely that this incident by itself will disqualify you from a clearance, *lying to them absolutely will*. Be completely honest with them about whatever they may ask.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_7: Not really a full answer but not a comment either.
I'd suggest you ask your professor if you could retake the test for a better mark. Study very hard for it if you're allowed! This calms you down, restores your conscience, and shows your professor you can achieve this without cheating. Maybe record on video or something. Might be a good point for security clearance as well.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_8: Cheating on academic work is so heavily frowned upon and has negative consequences if caught for two reasons, and it's important to understand these two reasons. The one most people conjure up is that for the act of cheating, you are being dishonest.
As most everyone will point out, if it's an isolated event, the best thing to do to combat dishonesty is honesty in turn. If ever this situation comes up during a background check for a position, **answer as honestly as possible.** It is far more important to demonstrate that you've made a mistake and you've learned from it. Your integrity may come into question, but there are also ways to prove that the incident itself taught you not just that you shouldn't cheat, but also made you a better person somehow.
The second, and more important reason, I think, is that **people don't learn from cheating.** That is, if you're not properly learning the material you should know, your work will be of low quality. In some situations, this can, down the line, have very serious consequences. If, for example, you cheat and go uncaught in, say, medicine school, down the line you may cause a serious malpractice error, and cost someone's life, because you didn't learn all that you needed to know. There, the important thing to do is **go back and properly learn the material you felt you needed to cheat for**. Not only does this aid in your case in proving that you have learned your lesson on honesty, but you'll prevent actual, "real-world" mistakes when you undertake your career.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_9: Just to add what everyone else has said... Just be honest. Write a letter to your prof. Say that you sincerely regret what you did and that you've learned your lesson. Don't try to bargain with him; just fall on your sword - admit you were stupid.
Thank the prof. Tell him that you had never done this before, and that having had this experience, you will never do it again. Really, thank him for helping you learn your lesson and for for putting your life straight. Tell him a little about your anxiety and that his actions have become the catalyst for you getting help. Don't try to elicit compassion, just add this as part of your "thank you".
And, like everything else has said, seek out some counselling. Once you get out of school, and you get that job working for that defense contractor, you will have an interesting story to tell your peers (OK, maybe not).
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_10: I've held top secret clearance without a polygraph for ten years. The closest related question to this was whether I was ever on any probation or not, during my first investigation. I explained that I was on academic probation multiple semesters for low gpa. Investigator replied by asking how many courses I failed. I honestly answered 'a lot' and it never came up again and I was approved for my clearance.
Different agencies have different requirements. They never sent me for a poly, but later on, a new agency I supported required one. For The counterintelligence poly, the questions are discussed beforehand. During the actual question session, the investigator surprised me to catch me off guard. He asked if I ever cheated at school. I answered yes, which is true, and it also never came up again. That's not really the typical scope of questioning for this poly.
For a full lifestyle poly your personal life such as this question may be asked or looked at more in depth. I havent taken one yet, but I've had colleagues tell me they had admitted to more serious lapses of judgement without a problem. (Anecdotal, but one had a couple DUIs and kept his non-poly clearance).
Dont drink and drive, but this incident should not affect getting any level clearance, especially if it's a one off incident you are honest about.
Upvotes: 0
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2020/05/03
| 3,496
| 14,781
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<issue_start>username_0: We have the following "weird" situation in the institution that I am currently working on. We have a master´s degree in CS that requires that the students present a thesis or a research article so that ourinstitution could grant them their MSc title. The background of the situation is the following:
a) Some students had published an article or had an acceptance letter, from a conference or journal, related to their MSc research. This situation has occurred, in some cases, just when they had finished the compulsory courses.
b) It is required from our institution that all the master´s students must present a public dissertation of their research work, this is commendatory to do it for grant them the MSc title. After this dissertation, the student should submit their research work, article o thesis, to be stored in the public repository of our institution.
The problem that we are facing now is how to avoid that one student who had his research work, accepted or published, before it has been put on our institutional repository or vice versa to be blamed of self-plagiarism. For example:
A student X has decided to submit its research work when he is about or just finished his master´s courses. The publication get accepted so it appears in the web page of the conference or journal in which he has submitted his work. This student X need to make the public dissertation and put his paper on our institutional repository, in this part we see two probable outcomes:
a) Somebody could blame the student that he has put, in our repository, a research work that has already been submitted; so it is a case of self-plagiarism.
b) Let´s suppose that the journal or the conference proceedings suffer from a delay, which usually happens when the proceedings are published by a third party, so this student X makes his public dissertation and his research work is put on our public repository. Then one person from the conference or journal could say that this person has made self-plagiarism because the work has already been published in another repository.
How to deal with this situation?
Thanks<issue_comment>username_1: Okay, this is just my opinion but I'm a professor with a lot of life experience.
Some, very few, but some, of my students have cheated on exams I have given them. They've gotten in trouble for it.
Maybe I should clarify that statement. Some of my students have been caught cheating and have gotten into trouble for it. I don't know what proportion actually cheated - probably more than have been caught. I myself never cheated in school. But I know it happened around me.
We are living in an unprecedented time of strangeness, pressure, weird opportunities to "perfect" online tests answers we shouldn't, long hours thinking about viruses and the future.
That said, you've been caught doing something on an online exam that you should not have been doing, you've been penalized, and it is over. It is not the end of the world. Yes, it's a mark on your otherwise good record. Yes, you shouldn't have done it. No, it won't ruin your chances at having a good job. It just won't - you'll be okay as long as you keep doing your best and don't be stupid again.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_2: What you are doing is called [catastrophizing](https://psychcentral.com/lib/what-is-catastrophizing/). This incident, unpleasant and mildly serious though it is, is simply not the life-destroying event you imagine it to be, and you are not the evil person you imagine yourself to be for having committed this act of dishonesty.
In fact, I think the worst aspect of the situation is the negative thoughts you are having about it, which sound like they have a much greater potential to derail your studies, mental health, and (if left unchecked) your future career, than the facts of the actual situation you described.
I can’t comment authoritatively about your specific hypothetical scenarios of losing your clearance, becoming a failure professionally etc, but they simply sound highly implausible based on my years of experience in academia in the US. My advice is, take a deep breath, and seek counseling and advice from knowledgeable people in your institution who can give you:
1. useful practical information about the possible effects of the cheating on your career (which frankly my guess is will be essentially zero if it’s a one-off incident, although there may be a temporary punishment that could set you back a bit);
2. separately from that, mental health advice to help you keep yourself from becoming overwhelmed with anxiety.
Good luck!
Upvotes: 8 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: I think the others have given some helpful general advice. Let me respond to two specific concerns.
>
> Along with both options, a report of academic misconduct will be reported to the chair of the engineering department of my discipline.
>
>
>
I think it's worth understanding this further. Is this just an e-mail to the chair, or is it something "on your record" that will be reported to employers, the Government, or other third parties? This will depend on your institution's policies and the nature of your sanction. I think it's reasonable to ask about this, so long as you are clear that you just want to understand the punishment and are not contesting that you deserve it.
>
> I also fear for my eligibility for security clearances once I graduate (United States)....To anyone who has experience in this realm, is this a major red flag?
>
>
>
No. If you are asked about this, be honest (hopefully it only happened once, and you learned your lesson).
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_4: *I also fear for my eligibility for security clearances once I graduate*
If you are considering a career that will require you to hold a security clearance, then you undoubtedly will at some point be subjected to a "lie detector" (polygraph) test. Your memories of the trauma this incident has caused you, unless properly handled, will cause you to fail that test. You should do at least three things to avoid such a disaster.
One, do the opposite of catastrophizing. Make the incident a normal part of your history, which does not stand out in any bizarre way. Discuss it with your academic counselor. Imagine conversations with your peers in which the subject of cheating comes up, and you relate the incident as an unexceptional anecdote. Think of yourself as a person who did that, but not a person who does that.
Two, when you apply for a clearance, include the incident on your application disclosure. It's actually barely important enough to mention, but it is significant to you emotionally. The polygraph test works on emotion, not facts. Polygraph examiners are exceptionally skilled at getting you to reveal anything that is emotionally important to you. If you conceal the incident on your application but then reveal it to the polygraph examiner, you will be indelibly marked a liar.
Three, research the polygraph before subjecting yourself to it. Read *The Lie Behind the Lie Detector* by <NAME>, and *How To Sting The Polygraph* by <NAME>. Of course you must recognize that these authors have agendas of their own, but the facts in their books, especially Dr. Maschke's, are true and accurate.
Getting caught cheating in school will not stop you obtaining a security clearance, unless you allow it to drive you crazy.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_5: I once had a visit from a government employee about a former student needing a security clearance. I'd previously caught him cheating on homework and written it up. The University's Academic Dishonesty department apparently still had the record (the student was probably a graduating senior).
The incident seemed to be no problem. The investigator asked me to describe it -- the student admitted to copying, got just a 0 on the assignment, and I never had any more trouble from him. The investigator seemed to relax, as if that was routine nothing stuff.
So, yes, it will be looked at for a security clearance, but only because they look at *everything*, probably won't be a problem, and will be fun for the instructor (he asked me a long series of standard Q's: if I knew the student had gambling debts, and so on. Some were things I'd never have thought of).
As for other immediate consequences, at my US State School, the policy was that being caught cheating once was a warning -- nothing extra happened. It only went on the record in case the student was written up again, when I assume suspensions and whatnot began. The horribly uncomfortable meeting with them (yes, there will be a meeting after the one with the instructor) was mainly a chance to make sure the student couldn't say "but I didn't know doing X was cheating".
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_6: Academic dishonesty (and, really, dishonesty in general) is bad. You shouldn't have done it and should not repeat it. And I take from your question that you already know all of that and you seem to be sorry you did it and quite unlikely to make that mistake again.
That being said, if the above seems as obvious to your department as it seems to us from your question, then I don't think you have too much to worry about.
In particular, I wouldn't be worried about the security clearance issue. I have a U.S. security clearance and have been through the vetting process. Yes, they will absolutely talk to your university (and your local law enforcement departments, etc.) when doing your background checks and there's a decent chance they'll find out about this incident, but it seems extremely unlikely that it would derail your security clearance as long as it never happens again and you don't lie about it.
Lots of people make stupid mistakes, especially during their high school and college years. The people doing the background checks know that and they see it all the time. Is what you did serious? Yes. Is it serious enough that they'll reject your security clearance out-of-hand for a one-off incident that you apparently learned from? Almost certainly not.
Hopefully this part goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway: If they do ask you about this (either about whether you've cheated in general or about this specific incident,) **tell the truth.** While it's unlikely that this incident by itself will disqualify you from a clearance, *lying to them absolutely will*. Be completely honest with them about whatever they may ask.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_7: Not really a full answer but not a comment either.
I'd suggest you ask your professor if you could retake the test for a better mark. Study very hard for it if you're allowed! This calms you down, restores your conscience, and shows your professor you can achieve this without cheating. Maybe record on video or something. Might be a good point for security clearance as well.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_8: Cheating on academic work is so heavily frowned upon and has negative consequences if caught for two reasons, and it's important to understand these two reasons. The one most people conjure up is that for the act of cheating, you are being dishonest.
As most everyone will point out, if it's an isolated event, the best thing to do to combat dishonesty is honesty in turn. If ever this situation comes up during a background check for a position, **answer as honestly as possible.** It is far more important to demonstrate that you've made a mistake and you've learned from it. Your integrity may come into question, but there are also ways to prove that the incident itself taught you not just that you shouldn't cheat, but also made you a better person somehow.
The second, and more important reason, I think, is that **people don't learn from cheating.** That is, if you're not properly learning the material you should know, your work will be of low quality. In some situations, this can, down the line, have very serious consequences. If, for example, you cheat and go uncaught in, say, medicine school, down the line you may cause a serious malpractice error, and cost someone's life, because you didn't learn all that you needed to know. There, the important thing to do is **go back and properly learn the material you felt you needed to cheat for**. Not only does this aid in your case in proving that you have learned your lesson on honesty, but you'll prevent actual, "real-world" mistakes when you undertake your career.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_9: Just to add what everyone else has said... Just be honest. Write a letter to your prof. Say that you sincerely regret what you did and that you've learned your lesson. Don't try to bargain with him; just fall on your sword - admit you were stupid.
Thank the prof. Tell him that you had never done this before, and that having had this experience, you will never do it again. Really, thank him for helping you learn your lesson and for for putting your life straight. Tell him a little about your anxiety and that his actions have become the catalyst for you getting help. Don't try to elicit compassion, just add this as part of your "thank you".
And, like everything else has said, seek out some counselling. Once you get out of school, and you get that job working for that defense contractor, you will have an interesting story to tell your peers (OK, maybe not).
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_10: I've held top secret clearance without a polygraph for ten years. The closest related question to this was whether I was ever on any probation or not, during my first investigation. I explained that I was on academic probation multiple semesters for low gpa. Investigator replied by asking how many courses I failed. I honestly answered 'a lot' and it never came up again and I was approved for my clearance.
Different agencies have different requirements. They never sent me for a poly, but later on, a new agency I supported required one. For The counterintelligence poly, the questions are discussed beforehand. During the actual question session, the investigator surprised me to catch me off guard. He asked if I ever cheated at school. I answered yes, which is true, and it also never came up again. That's not really the typical scope of questioning for this poly.
For a full lifestyle poly your personal life such as this question may be asked or looked at more in depth. I havent taken one yet, but I've had colleagues tell me they had admitted to more serious lapses of judgement without a problem. (Anecdotal, but one had a couple DUIs and kept his non-poly clearance).
Dont drink and drive, but this incident should not affect getting any level clearance, especially if it's a one off incident you are honest about.
Upvotes: 0
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2020/05/03
| 1,018
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<issue_start>username_0: I took an undergraduate degree in Bachelors of Science which did not go over a lot of mathematics. I did not even take calculus. I only took up to the highest level of algebra. Is it not possible for me to get into a grad program for comp sci, or electrical engineering? How is it going to work? Will I have to go back and take calc? I'm incredibly stupid at math, and I'm almost 25 years old. Do I have any chance to even get in? The weird thing is, I actually have produced more tangible things than my friends who have taken Comp Sci. I have made websites, video games, published them, and have even been referred to gaming studios as a software engineer by people who work there at major companies such as Activision. But I don't know calculus and I feel really retarded. What should I do? I want to get into grad school but I'm scared I'm too stupid to do it.
I'm embarrassed to admit that my math skills are maxed out at the highest level algebra. I never took calculus. Am I just screwed?<issue_comment>username_1: The only way to know if you can get in is to apply to a few programs and make your best case. There are some aspects of computing that require less of mathematics and others that require more.
But, don't make the mistake of conflating computer science and computer programming. Programming is only a tool, if a necessary one, for more important things. In particular, some of the things you have probably missed are deep study of algorithms and, especially, algorithmic efficiency and complexity. These are pretty much dependent on mathematics. If you were to be accepted into a CS grad program you would be competing with people who have studied this before, never mind graph theory, for example.
There are, however, some aspects of CS that are very tied up in things like human psychology and physiology more than mathematics. There are universities that focus, especially, on human factors. Even language design can learn from such things.
All is not lost, but it would be a pretty hard road even if you are accepted. You will need plenty of other evidence of the likelihood of your success to get in the gate, however. There is a lot of competition and most of it has followed a more standard path, so many graduate programs expect and depend on that background.
---
As for the usefulness of math in CS, note that discrete math, probability, and logic are more central than calculus, which has some, direct application, but is only occasionally essential (say, in theoretical work).
And for advanced work, [Category Theory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category_theory) may be needed. Deep stuff.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Start with: **Don't be ashamed of your level of education and abilities.**
Then, apply anyway. But before the application period, reach out to the department head at your prospect institutions, and schedule a meeting. Explain your situation, and bring a copy of your transcript from your undergrad studies. You may be able to get specific advice of things you could do in your application that will get your application through graduate admissions.
Keep in mind that proving concurrency between institutions is usually much harder to do than it should be, speaking from personal experience, so a lot of coursework coming from another university is evaluated first, and sometimes students are conditionally admitted to a graduate program. Normally there's two ways that happens -- a student is requested to concurrently enroll in required undergraduate level classes, or a student is requested to enroll in those classes in advance, and prove a passing grade. In the case of the second, enrolling in classes in a community college if lower division, or at your original undergrad university through an open university agreement if upper division, and passing the classes, then including that additional transcript with your application, will help your application more than you realize.
EDIT: Wanted to add. Don't skip speaking with the department head. They should be able to give you a list of classes they might see glaringly missing. Because math requirements vary between schools, don't assume you'll have to do several levels of Calculus before you can be competent enough. They'll be able to tell you what is an absolute requirement for the application to be approved and by which means you're more likely to get it evaluated as valid, such as taking the class at their feeder community college, which normally has a transfer agreement with the university and is pre-evaluted.
Upvotes: 0
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2020/05/03
| 1,427
| 6,095
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<issue_start>username_0: My research group started a new research direction in a somewhat of a classical engineering field (which heavily relays on experiments/tests). I noticed that reviewers who review our work seem to be extra harsh with their assessment and tend to favor a direct “rejection” without clearly explaining what is wrong with our works or even giving us a chance to respond to their comments/questions. I see a common trend in their reviews in two separate papers so far:
1. Consists of 2-3 sentences max
2. Terms like “I feel that this work does not have merit” and “to the best of my knowledge, I don’t see how so and so”
3. The review takes 9-12 months to be completed - while papers in these journals are constantly being published with 6 months.
My assessment is that reviewers are holding very tightly to traditional methods and do not seem to accept our new approaches - and hence the poor reviews we keep getting. I don’t think that they don’t understand our work, since it is clearly explained + been presented in international conferences with great success. Regarding point no. 3, perhaps it is possible that editors are having a hard time to find “suitable” reviewers(?).
I am seeking any thoughts, tips, or experiences you have to cope with such behavior.<issue_comment>username_1: So the reviewers take unusually long time, don't understand parts of your work, or don't see the merit in it? As you say, it's a likely sign that the editors have a hard time finding suitable reviewers. This suggests that you should make heavier use of recommended/excluded reviewers, if the journals allow it. Pick them strategically, but also honestly, and motivate your choices. It's not necessary for all traditionalists to die if you can get more open-minded referees... On occasion, it might also be worth appealing a rejection if there are clear signs of reviewers misunderstanding the paper. Though the probability of success seems to vary a lot between fields and journals, so your mileage may vary.
It may also be the case that your papers don't have clear enough explanations of why your approach has promise or is valid. You might well explain what you're doing clearly, but fail to convince someone else that it's worth doing in the first place - especially if existing methods in the target field work fine. Typically the case for a really novel approach needs to be more convincing than that for some incremental work. Directly benchmarking it against existing methods is often useful. Try to find any patterns in reviewer responses of the "I don't see how so and so" kind and address them head on. Also try to get critical feedback from colleagues to help find any gaps in your arguments.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: I don't know how radical your proposals are, but a bit of perspective and history might help.
When a field develops what they think of as the "standard model" then pretty much everyone adheres to it. This happens in many fields, not just physics. In mathematical analysis, the standard model begins with the Peano axioms and a huge amount of mathematics spreads out from there. The model itself influences thought processes and it can be difficult to think in terms of a different model. But [Non Standard Analysis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonstandard_analysis) simply starts with a different set of axioms and requires different thought processes to obtain insight.
The history of breaking models has a classical example in Einstein's work. Prior to the theory of relativity, physicists were pretty much all committed to the idea of [Aether](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aether_(classical_element)). Since the most important scientists of the day adhered to this model, it was difficult for other ideas (Einstein) to come forward.
It wasn't that people (reviewers) were bad people or hostile to new ideas for bad reasons, but, rather, that they just couldn't get their minds around something radically different. They are just immersed in the current model and become committed to it.
And, in extreme cases, the "old guard", who are very prominent, need to leave the arena before the "young Turks" can come to the fore.
However, the suggestion of user username_3 in a comment is valuable. If you really have a new model of thought, spend a lot of effort in building a collaborative circle around those ideas. A sort of underground. You may find it difficult to get published in the near term if your ideas conflict with the way "everybody" thinks, but, with sufficient mass and momentum, they may come to the fore eventually.
I'll note that the arts are like that also in many ways. People (Picasso and Braque) sometimes break the mold and create something entirely new. But Cubism took a while to catch on. Renoir was gone from the scene. (Not an art historian, so I may be making a bit of a leap here.) The new movement flourishes in the cafe's in Montmartre and Montparnasse, not in the top galleries of the day. Music has its moments also.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: So to enrich my suggestion above:
* Knock at the door of those departments that either are working near to your field, or where you expect influecers and maybe reviewers are located. (It is always helpful to find out who is editor for a journal and to analyse his network)
* Try to get personal contacts there, in asking good questions about their field and then also asking them in giving you adivce or at least a discussion. (If you are a group, you may give each member some targets)
* Provide such a value that they are interested in your collaboration (or one of your members), w.r.t. to your field.
* Then spread the word ("value selling"), invite them for an internal, non-paper based review or discussion, meeting etc. Get them on board. Again, you must provide some value for them - there is no free lunch, even in academics.
This will take time, and as @buffy posted, you may need to wait for your time.
* Prepare and work as good as possible to get into first results. Nothing is more convincing than success.
Upvotes: 0
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2020/05/03
| 1,604
| 6,842
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<issue_start>username_0: I submitted a paper together with other people to an important journal. A couple of days ago we received the answer from the editor and the paper was rejected (I was 3rd author) with very bad comments. One of the reviewers wrote that the paper was lacking innovation or originality. Another one sent us more than 20 comments. To be honest the comments weren't really appropriate because we did particles loaded with gold or FITC and one of the comments was "It seems that the FITC and gold are encapsulated inside the nanoparticles, not the other way around." He did not understand a lot but still, he also did a lot of interesting comments.
Anyway, the main author yesterday emailed the editor saying that the reviewers do
not have enough knowledge to correct this paper, that they are unqualified and that people like this should not correct this kind of work. This person sent the email to the editor without speaking to any other authors, therefore we discovered today what happened and some of us still don't know.
Do you think that the journal, following this email, can do something to the authors of the paper? Like, e.g., sue us? or ban us to publish there? or stuff like this?
What should we do now?<issue_comment>username_1: Papers get rejected. It happens. Sometimes they get rejected for good reasons. Sometimes they get rejected for bad reasons. Sometimes they get rejected for a mix of reasons. And, yes, when there's a not great referee's report, appealing to the editor is an option, but it rarely works. The best course of action is generally to take the useful critical comments and use them to improve the paper. And make sure to have explicit detailed explanations added which address any of the misconceptions. Then, send it to another journal, probably a journal slightly less prestigious to the one one sent it to the first time.
But you definitely need to make some of the changes. Not only will some of them almost certainly been good changes, but you make get one or more of the referees again. It is really tiring to referee a paper for one journal, and then a few months later to referee the paper again for another journal and find that the authors have made none of the changes one recommended in one's previous report.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> Do you think that the journal, following this email, can do something to the authors of the paper? Like e.g., sue us?
>
>
>
Sue you for having had a research colleague privately express the view that someone is unqualified for a piece of work they did? No, of course not.
>
> ....or ban us to publish there?
>
>
>
Yes, they could do this.
>
> ...or stuff like this?
>
>
>
Those two things are completely different. The journal editors could do any stuff they have authority/control over and no stuff they don't have authority/control over.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: What do editors do when authors send them angry emails questioning the competence of the reviewer? When I edited a journal, if the author provided technical arguments against the reviewer's comments, I would forward those to the reviewer(s) and see what they say. If they didn't, I would usually say something generic about our faith in our peer review process and apologize that we cannot accept the paper. Either way the dispute does not usually escalate beyond the three of us (author, editor, reviewer).
Filing a lawsuit would be unprecedented. Banning you from submitting is more conceivable, but still unlikely. After all, it's to their advantage that authors submit potentially-publishable papers there. If it happens my guess would be that the author wrote something that crosses into the realm of personal attacks: for example, "tell your reviewer to take a gun and shoot himself".
In any case it is not something to worry too much about - after all it's not you that sent the bad answer - unless the author did write personal attacks, in which case you could send the editor an email distancing yourself from the author's behavior.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_4: Editors have better things to do than sue over angry rebuttals. After all, they can simply decide not to publish the paper and that’s punishment enough.
The editor sent the paper to referees, who also function typical readers with (presumably) an interest in the topic else the referees would have declined. It is unlikely that *all* referees were not qualified.
Unless a rebuttal points to technical problems with the report, it usually is a bad idea to attack referee: what is more likely is that the text while correct might not be clear to a typical reader.
The concrete proposal would be for this person to write a short email to the editor apologizing for the outburst. I would also recommend all authors prepare a point-by-point rebuttal and explain why some comments are not applicable.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: * If a referee did not understand your paper, it indicates that it was not written clearly (this is the mindset you should take, especially if you want later people who read it to understand it)
* Worst thing what can happen is that this criticism is forwarded to the referees. I know some researchers in higher position who are vengeful. These people decide who can attend conferences, survey grant applications and also are referees for multiple journals.
Of course the chance of this is not so high, probably people will just remember your name but not the incident so this could be a good thing.
My suggestion would be that the person who sent this email sends another one to retract the email and apologizes. Also the head of your group should send an apology that he didnt instruct the author well enough and this wont happen again.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_6: To me there are two important criteria:
* Did the main author send their angry email while giving the impression that they were speaking in your name too, or only in their own name? (e.g., do they say "I" or "We"? do they sign with their own name only, or also yours?)
* How bad was their email? i.e., is it just some understandable or reasonable disagreement with the reviewers, or something worse like aggressive personal attacks?
If the email was especially bad, and/or gave the impression to be speaking also in your name, you could send a quick email to the editor to clarify that this email wasn't written or approved by you.
In terms of consequences: most likely nothing, and certainly not a lawsuit. In fact, if the journal takes any measures except against the specific person who sent them the email, I'd argue that this is misguided.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_7: If the Idiot Reviewers misunderstand your work, that is prima facie evidence that your work can be misunderstood. Revise it.
Upvotes: -1
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2020/05/03
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<issue_start>username_0: One of my TAs is accusing me of cheating.
The professor had shared a 2-question quiz through our online portal (Google Meet). One of the questions contained a 9-digit sequence. Somehow, I misread this sequence and ended up solving the problem using a different 9-digit sequence. My incorrect sequence exactly matched the sequence used on a different version of the quiz, which had been administered to a different section of the class several days before. I do not know how similar the two sequences were; I assume they were very different.
I understand how bad this looks, but I actually did not cheat. I am baffled as to how this could have happened given how careful I normally am about reading the question. I have no history of cheating in other classes.
I don't understand how I can prove that I did not cheat. The other question of the quiz was, of course, exactly as given on my quiz, so I'm thinking I may argue along the lines of "if I were to cheat why would I do it on only 1 question", although this seems slightly weak to me.
One complication is that the professor said that anyone suspected of cheating will be required to take an incomplete on the class and do the exam whenever university resumes. This is not ideal, as I am bound to forget a lot of material. On top of this, the classes I am taking next semester require this one as a prereq and this will derail by entire class schedule. I don't think there are any classes I can take for my major without this prerequisite filled.
The professor is offering that I can admit to cheating and then he'll give me a warning for the final and get a 0 on the quiz. Assuming the warning for the final does not come with the above requisite of webcam, should I falsely admit to cheating?
While I am normally against false admissions, I need to resolve this quickly, as the final is the day after tomorrow. Also, given how bad this looks, if I don't accept this and am found guilty, then I will probably fail this class and have to retake it anyways.
*Update:* For anyone who finds this later, I requested the Prof to let me take the exam without a webcam, given that it may be dropped later. He agreed and also stated there would be no need to drop it later. After the exam, I laid out many of the points given below, which the Prof said he would take into consideration and look into overturning the decision. I had an easy out, where I could take the 0 on the quiz and still get an A in the class, but there is a lot of good advice below for those who are still stuck.<issue_comment>username_1: **First, some background.** I think the larger context to your story is important and potentially gives you a fighting chance, not to prove your innocence (that sounds impossible), but to make the TA understand the very real possibility that they are accusing you falsely.
The context is, of course, the covid-19 pandemic. The issue is that professors and other teaching staff are now deathly afraid that with the transition to online teaching, the spread of student cheating is undermining the whole enterprise of higher education and their ability to meaningfully assign grades. I can tell you that I and all my colleagues are deeply worried about this and have spent a huge amount of time and energy discussing this and thinking what can be done. There have also been numerous discussions on academia.stackexchange on this topic in recent weeks. (*If anyone wants to edit this answer and add some links to relevant posts, please do so - I don’t have time to do this currently but I think it could be a really useful resource for people in OP’s situation*.)
The flip side of this coin is that some instructors have become so hypersensitive to cheating and so determined to fight it that we’ve also seen a number of complaints just like yours by students claiming that they are being falsely accused of cheating. [Here’s](https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/148236) a recent example (*again, anyone, feel free to edit the answer with other examples if you have time to look for them*). Faced with an instructor convinced that they are guilty and with little idea of how to “prove their innocence”, these students are, like you, faced with the Kafkaesque and unpalatable option of admitting to cheating they did not commit as a way of minimizing the damage.
**Now to my actual answer:** I suggest that you collect examples of stories posted online like the ones I pointed to, from academia.se, Reddit, or anywhere else you can find them, and send an email to your TA with links to these stories, to help make the case that in their zeal to punish cheaters they may unintentionally end up punishing some completely innocent students, and that they need to reconsider their approach. Tell your own story and include a link to this discussion as well. I don’t know if it will work, but it’s worth a try. The main point is that the fact that there are other students in your situation is strong evidence that instructors are overreaching in their (well-intentioned, of course) fight against cheating on online exams. Good luck!
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> I'm panicking right now, as I was supposed to be studying for finals
>
>
>
If you did not cheat, you do not need to be panicking.
I recommend these steps:
1. Tell the professor that you did not cheat.
2. Tell them that right now you need to focus on studying for your exams.
3. Tell them that you look forward to straightening the matter out after the exams.
4. Request to take the exam at the normal time. Point out that the professor can always require you to take the in-person exam later, so it is possible to resolve the accusation later.
5. Go back to studying.
After you have taken your exams, then learn and follow your university's procedure for resolving these disputes. Keep it calm and logical.
If you are still feeling panicky when you need to study, talk to your university's counseling service.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: You say you didn't cheat. I have no reason to disbelieve you, so I start at that assumption.
My position would be to refuse to go along with any coercive suggestions about "admitting" to cheating. I would say something like "You have the power to punish me for something that I didn't do, but you don't have the right."
I wouldn't try to explain how it might have happened that some answers were as they were. The paper stands for itself. The paper may lead to suspicion, but not proof, but I wouldn't even say that. You can't prove a negative. Don't even get into any conversation where you try to do that. You answered some questions incorrectly. End of discussion.
I would escalate it to the department or dean's level. I would demand a retraction, even an apology. "You don't have the right. I did nothing improper."
If they don't back down, talk to a lawyer. Don't *threaten* to talk to a lawyer. Just do it. It will cost you money, of course, but might save your reputation.
YOU HAVE NO RIGHT.
---
Background: The current pandemic situation has left many courses in chaos with instructors not yet having any valid way to evaluate students. People are falling back on things that (sort of) work in face to face situations and trying to adapt them to a new situation with *no evidence of validity*. I find this maddening. The system is now broken and more broken in some places than others.
---
Another worry I have is that admitting to cheating in these circumstances might (though I don't know) result in a notation in you permanent record.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: >
> as the professor has said that anyone suspected of cheating will be required to take an Incomplete on the class and do the exam whenever university resumes
>
>
>
The university is likely to have standard procedures in place for handling cheating allegations. Look online for an "Office of Academic Integrity" or something similar.
If you decide to not falsely admit to cheating, you could contact this office, say that you've been accused of cheating when you didn't cheat, and ask for their advice. The professor's policy seems likely to be against the rules.
Moreover, I'd try to think about how you produced exactly a list of nine numbers which you presumably hadn't seen. For example, did this come from a homework question which you had solved, and which was reused for the quiz? Although you won't have to *prove* your innocence, you'll have an easier time if you can explain this coincidence. Good luck!
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: I think the other answers that emphasize not worrying about this while you study have a lot of wisdom, but if it were me I’d be *trying to figure out what actually happened.*. It’s frankly completely implausible that you “misread” the numbers and got all of them exactly as in the previous version. If each question has 5 reasonable answers the odds are 1 in 2 million, and if each has 10 answers its 1 in a billion!
So what actually happened? One possibility is you cheated and are lying to us. One possibility is this isn’t actually about a sequence of 9 numbers, maybe only 3 changed and then it’s plausibly bad luck. Or maybe the TA actually gave you the old quiz. If this were an in-person quiz it’s very plausible that the last quiz in the stack was from the wrong pile. But I don’t know how these were given out. I’d hope the actual truth had a better chance of clearing up the confusion.
Upvotes: 2
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2020/05/04
| 1,313
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<issue_start>username_0: **Context:** A friend of mine is ending their first year in a community college (in France, called *IUT*, 2-year diploma) near my school, and apparently the school administration is quite lenient about cheating during exams ; I asked a few other friends of mine that are currently in second year there, and they have confirmed that **nearly everybody cheats** during exams, mostly because the questions **don't change** from one year to the other, allowing students to get the exams in advance and preparing for the questions. An important part of the exams are Moodle quizzes, which **show the correct answers** after submitting, and **don't get modified** from year to year **either**.
**Problem:** My friend does not want to cheat, for obvious reasons. The problem is that the way this kind of college works (in France) puts students in competition with each other ; your ranking among the other students is very important and is a determinant factor in your chances of being accepted in engineering schools after your second year (which is what most people in that community college do).
Multiple people have already tried reporting the cheating to professors and the college's administration, to no avail. Most professors don't seem to care, and the few that say they do care about cheating never act upon it. This results in mediocre (excuse the harsh term) students having an unfair advantage over good students trying to keep their integrity. This whole situation, combined with the Sars-Cov-2 lockdown has had quite a toll on her mental health.
My stance is to never cheat, but I'm having more and more trouble telling her to stay strong and do the same. It's gotten to the point that not cheating can have a significant negative impact on her future, and I couldn't help but feel responsible if she were to fail her year because of other people's dishonesty.
What is the best behavior to adopt here?<issue_comment>username_1: Don't do it. Do what you are told to do and nothing less. See my one and only question if you would like more clarification on why.
[I did something I am not proud of, and was rightly accused of cheating by the instructor. What is next for me?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/148585/i-did-something-i-am-not-proud-of-and-was-rightly-accused-of-cheating-by-the-in)
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: Unfortunately, with the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to online/virtual learning mediums, it is much harder to determine when people are cheating or create exams that are fair and reliably determine students aptitude without going overboard as to enforcing the rules. I definitely agree with you that ideally, students should be helping, rather than competing, with each other.
The way I see it, you have two options:
1. Become a part of the pack and cheat for the grades. Obviously, this is very morally wrong, but as they say, life isn't fair and there will be times where you have to step over others to get where you need to go. This will carry risks that you do get into trouble though if you're unlucky enough, so I wouldn't follow this approach.
2. Do things the right way and take a slight hit in terms of grades. Again, there will be consequences to this, but in my opinion, at least in the US, your grades are just a number/letter and it is more about what you know rather than how high you can get a number ranking. Even if your grades are lower, you will feel like you earned those grades and be able to better assess yourself as to what you know.
I don't know how things work over where you/your friend lives, but you should definitely do what is best for yourself. In this case, I'd stay towards doing the right thing and putting your best and most honest effort forward. This will put you/your friend in a better position over the others who do cheat in the long term.
Best of luck and stay safe during these unprecedented times.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: Unfortunately, in this kind of situation, it might be best for your friend to look around for a different educational institution. It is all very well to say "just stay strong and don't cheat", and of course *she definitely should not cheat*, but it is still demoralising to work in an environment that systematically incentivises bad behaviour and punishes good behaviour. Particularly given that her relative standing and future opportunities are being harmed by being compared to a substantial number of students who cheat, it would be good to look around for other places she can go.
Now, if there is no escape from this school (i.e., if your friend has no opportunity to go somewhere else) then I would suggest she try to set herself apart from the other students by doing some kind of extra-curricular project that cannot be faked. If she can use her coursework knowledge to create some valuable project that she can exhibit to show her skills (e.g., writing a good paper on a topic, building a working go-cart, creating a diorama of how a smelting plant works, etc.) then she will have something to show recruiters for later schools so that she can demonstrate her knowledge and ability.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: Is the school in some way accredited? In addition to informing the ethics board (if one exists) at the local institution, it might be wise to inform the accreditation agency. University administrations become quite attentive when accreditation agencys breathe down their necks....
Upvotes: 2
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2020/05/04
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<issue_start>username_0: As fas as I see it, one way to known if certain scientific article is important or relevant, is to see how much cited it is .. For example, let's take ***<NAME>***
He's known better known for an article called:
>
> Uber das Gravitationsfeld eines Massenpunktes nach der Einstein'schen
> Theorie
>
>
>
He published this article in 1916 and from this paper, concepts like ***Schwarzschild Black Hole, Schwarzschild Metric, Schwarzschild Radius, Schwarzschild Coordinates*** were originated
So, all of these topics are in wikipedia and one should expect this article to be highly cited, and it is, according to google scholar it has ***1331 citations***, so it is an important or relevant paper
Schwarzschild publised other topics, like this article:
>
> On the deviations from the law of reciprocity for bromide of silver gelatine
>
>
>
In this article originated the concept of ***Schwarzschild's Law***, one might think that that scientific concept is not as important as a ***Schwarzschild Black Hole***, so, if you see how much cited it is, according to google scholar, it only has 62 citations
From here, we can do a conjecture, the more cited a research paper it is, the more relevant or important the scientific work it is, and if a Scientific Work is important, it is going to be possible to find that topic on places like wikipedia.
My problem comes with certain topics that sometimes I find, for example this one: ***Fubini–Study Metric***. Since it has its own article on Wikipedia, one should expect that the paper where ***Eduard Study*** introduce this concept to be highly cited, but when you see where it was originated:
>
> Kürzeste Wege im komplexen Gebiet
>
>
>
published in 1905, you only find that according to google scholar, it only has 14 citations ...
For a topic with a wikipedia article almost as big as the one of Schwarzschild Radius, this doesn't make any sense to me ... What's going on? Google Scholar is not giving me the corerct number of citations? Does it really has only those citations?, Does the concept was not originated on that article (Wikipedia says it was)?<issue_comment>username_1: The size of a wikipedia article says nothing. A large article just means that there is a single or a few people on the internet who are interested enough in this topic to write it down. So even obscure topics can get a large article on wikipedia.
The number of citations is also very complex. There is often a bandwagon effect, where an article gets cited because it got cited a lot before. This way an important article could get eclipsed by a less important one. Science is done by humans, and humans are imperfect.
So if you want to know a field, you should know the highly cited articles or books, manuscripts, or whatever the usual form of publication is in that field is. But you should also keep an eye out for the "forgotten" literature. The problem is, that there is just too many articles to read them all. Fortunately, you are not alone. If all researchers in a field keep an eye out for these hidden gems, then there is a fair chance they will eventually be found.
To find out if "Kürzeste Wege im komplexen Gebiet" is such a hidden gem, you will just have to read it and make up your own mind if you consider this a worthwhile article.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Wikipedia is a volunteer encyclopedia. People write whatever they want to write about. Someone found Fubini–Study metric interesting enough to write a big article on it (you can look through [the article's history](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fubini%E2%80%93Study_metric&offset=&limit=500&action=history) to see who they are). This doesn't mean the subject is very notable, only that it meets Wikipedia's so-called "[general notability guideline](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Notability#General_notability_guideline)". Therefore there's no reason to expect that the scientific articles that initiated the Fubini-Study metric to have a lot of citations.
As an illustrative comparison: the relatively obscure [Bowling Green State University](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowling_Green_State_University) has a much more comprehensive article than the more highly ranked, bigger, and richer [University of Tokyo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Tokyo). This doesn't mean that Bowling Green State University is somehow more notable than the University of Tokyo; more likely it means that among Wikipedia editors there are more BGSU alumni than UTokyo alumni - which shouldn't be surprising, since these Wikipedia articles are written in English. Compare the [same](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%9C%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AA%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B0%E3%83%BB%E3%82%B0%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%83%B3%E5%B7%9E%E7%AB%8B%E5%A4%A7%E5%AD%A6) [articles](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC%E5%A4%A7%E5%AD%A6) in Japanese.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Citations are a poor metric for judging the quality or importance of a paper. The number of citations varies widely field by field: to stay with your example, papers in physics get **a lot** more citations than papers in math. It is impossible to compare.
This is especially true for old papers. For something settled as long ago as the Fubini–Study metric (more than a century!), people will prefer to cite modern accounts written in more accessible language. You wouldn't cite Leibniz or Newton when talking about differentiability, would you? I expect that their papers (if it even makes sense to talk about such things) to have abysmal citation metrics compared to modern standards. And yet nobody would even dare suggest that calculus is not important.
You also seem to be under the impression that the importance of a topic is the same as the importance of the paper where this topic was introduced. This is not the case. Maybe Study defined his metric as some kind of afterthought in his original paper and didn't really see the value in it, but 50 years later someone discovered something life-changing about it and now nobody can get enough Fubini–Study metric. In this situation, the original paper would barely get any citations, and the more recent paper would get tons.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: I agree with the other answers that your general premise is flawed. But even if it wasn't there were some other errors you made.
First of all, you are comparing a math paper with a physics paper. While the two are somewhat adjacent, the publication culture in both is quite different. In particular mathematics tends towards few but longer papers. As a result there are inherently less citations. 14 is not great, but personally, I'd still consider that a well accepted maths paper, especially for its time.
This leads to the next point, if at all, citations are only a measure of how well an idea was received in the next few years after publication. As soon as an idea becomes "general knowledge" and possibly enters some of the text books, people stop citing the original paper. Sure you'll need to attribute ideas, but calling it Fubini-Study metric does exactly that. To illustrate this point, searching google scholar for "Fubini-Study metric" gets me 7040 results. People are using the concept, but they don't feel the need to cite the original paper, in the same way you wouldn't cite Euklid's elements whenever you use the Pythagorean theorem.
Finally, note that google scholar isn't especially good with correctly parsing references, especially if they aren't in a machine readable form, which is never the case for older papers. [Springer](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF01457616) for example lists 35 citations and I don't believe that either number is even close to correct.
Upvotes: 2
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2020/05/04
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<issue_start>username_0: Imagine a post-pandemic world where we can travel. You’re invited to give a talk at a university. You would present your research in front of room of faculty and grad students, have numerous one-on-one meetings, and go to lunch or dinner with some folks. **Why should you go?**
As the presenter, what are the goals of invited talks? How should I understand my objectives during these visits?
I’ve heard the saying that “Every talk is a job talk.” So I would treat these visits with a degree of seriousness and focus as if these folks were considering hiring me. But aside from that high bar for seriousness, what other reasons/attitudes do people approach invited talks with?
I see some possible reasons: Stay current on what people in my field are working on. Increase the visibility and impact of my research. Cultivate relationships with potential tenure letter writers. Brainstorm around potential research collaborations. What else? **Why should one travel around to give talks at universities?**
I’m a junior faculty member in the social sciences, and I recognize that some specifics vary by field and career stage, but I’m sure some lessons are broadly applicable.<issue_comment>username_1: I would assume that if someone has invited you to talk, they have found your research interesting. The talk is, perhaps, intended to be just the first contact in what might develop over time into a rich collaborative relationship.
I think that would be especially valuable to a junior faculty member. If you were a well established, senior, member of the academy they are more likely to be saying that they want to be associated with you and your reputation. For a junior member it is the other way about. We think you can add something here.
A circle of collaborators is one of the most valuable assets of a faculty member, especially one on the way up in the academy.
There is another possibility, however. Some places will have a young faculty member who doesn't yet have such a circle, and the existing members of the department aren't in fields closely enough related to provide support. They might invite people in just to support that person and give them both ideas and potential colleagues. I've seen this happen in practice, actually.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: As someone who has given a fair number of talks and has now had the "pleasure" of giving an online talk, I can say that the advantages of in-person talks include the following.
* You can have informal chats with people from the audience. One of the main problems of online chatrooms is that there usually can be only one discussion at the same time. This precludes informal chats like this because no one wants to monopolize the only communication channel. Also there is a whole paraphernalia around talks, you go to lunch with interested people or whatever and can have more talks. If you're really treating them as job talks, then you want to talk about stuff other than research with people. Departments don't want to hire people who cannot integrate well; being someone that is pleasant to be around is a big plus, and you can't prove that if you just come, give your talk, and leave.
* (In the same vein, giving a talk in person is the opportunity to visit the university/department and see if you'd enjoy working there.)
* If it's a conference (i.e. >1 people come to talk) then you can meet the other presenters. It may be a nice way to meet people who have the same research interests as you. Also sometimes a good way to arrange meetings with existing collaborators who work far away.
* You can meet people who don't come to your talk. Sometimes people are busy and aren't free at the precise time of your talk, but you can run across them in some corridor or something and talk with them. And somehow the busiest people are the ones you often want to meet, for obvious reasons. Maybe the department's big shot has ten meetings that day, but you can still catch her for ten minutes and leave a good impression.
* Usually around the talk I would have long conversations with some people (usually the one who invites me) about our respective current research. Sometimes this can even lead to collaborations. It's hard to do online because this sort of discussion is "open ended" in some sense: you just talk about whatever goes through your head at that moment. I don't think anyone would consciously schedule an online conversation to do this, but it's extremely valuable.
* People are apparently afraid to ask questions during talks. During a normal talk I usually have lots of questions during and after; at my online talk and the ones I've witnessed, much fewer questions are asked.
* Giving an online talk is just awkward. Not many people enable their webcam, and nobody other than the presenter has their mic on. It's very difficult to know if your audience is reacting positively or negatively to what you're saying. It's very destabilizing.
* There are also technical things. Having pre-prepared slides is good, but there is always some moment where you want to write something more on the board that you hadn't thought of, or some picture, or some motion you want to show off using your hands. It's difficult with an online talk.
* Lastly, and some people may not want to openly admit this because it's a bit selfish, but if you enjoy traveling and visiting new cities, being invited to do it is always nice.
Of course a lot of this is a bit on you. I was once an insecure PhD student, and I tended to just stay hidden in my hotel room the night before, in the guest office if they had one the day of the talk, give my talk, not dare talk to anyone, and leave. Don't do that. Take advantage of the fact that you're there in person.
I would say that the only advantage of online talks is the ease of planning. As someone who also organizes a weekly research seminar, inviting someone is now as simple as shooting them an email. The other person just has to think about whether they want to give a talk that day or not. No travel to think about, no hotel no expense reimbursements, no administrative hurdles, no nothing.
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Others have made excellent points already, but I might want to add an additional insight from the student perspective.
**Q: Why should one travel around to give talks at universities?**
*To add back a little bit of diversity and to highlight other approaches.*
Some universities / departments have a very strong bias towards one end of the spectrum (in terms of who they hire, what they are teaching).
Invited talks are a great opportunity for students to learn something about what the rest of the world thinks / researches.
Economics is a good example for this, as there are at least two bigger approaches to the whole subject. I know of a department where students are allowed to take a course that solely consists of invited talks (those talks are basically picked by students of the later semesters) to introduce other approaches and topics.
This course is in high demand, and is very well received by the students.
With this answer, I want to highlight the *giving* aspect of the topic.
I think the *gaining* part is nicely highlighted already.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: The question that you have to ask yourself is: why did someone - and for the bigger and more reputable events, it's usually a panel of fairly distinguished individuals doing the selection - invite *you* to give a talk in the first place? And did they suggest a topic to you or leave it up to you to decide what you wish to say?
The point is you have been invited because the person or panel organising the talk believe that you have something important to contribute to the event. That at least a good portion of the intended audience will be interested in hearing what you have to say. If the topic has not been made clear, then you can focus on your main current or recent area(s) of research, provided they are concordant with the theme of the talk.
Let me try and address your main question - what's "in it" for you? I don't think you should view it primarily as an opportunity to impress potential future employers, although that may certainly come to pass - the primary goal is to give the best presentation that you can. As an academic, your overarching goal should always be to advance the frontier of scientific knowledge. Your presentation is therefore to *publicise* and *explain* your research so a wide body of people in your field (or something closely related to it) are aware of what you've done and are continuing to do on a certain research question.
If you've done this well, it will certainly improve your image and recognition among both your peers as well as potential "hirers" (even though the latter shouldn't be your primary motivation, as I said).
And, as others have mentioned, it can well spawn fruitful collaborations (beginning with the informal chats after your talk) from those in the field and even some people in other fields who just happened to sit in on your lecture. That sort of thing can lead to some truly unexpected and high impact multi-disciplinary collaboration if everything is aligned just right.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: Many good answers so far. A few more points that motivate me, personally, to give invited talks:
* It's fun.
* It gives me a venue to practice new material. I'm pretty open with many of my ideas-in-progress, especially in the relatively non-public environment of a department seminar, and so I can either try new ways of presenting my ideas and work, or present new in-progress ideas that need revision. Both the direct process of preparing to present the material, and the feedback and questions I get in the ensuing discussion, help me refine the pitch for the next talk, paper, or grant proposal.
* It's a way of spreading ideas to people who might not otherwise see them. A well-attended department seminar includes quite a few people who are unlikely to go to the same conferences I do, and may not ever look up one of my papers if it weren't to see what this week's speaker is up to. This is especially important since my professional and scholarly goals include promoting attention to ethics and social responsibility in my profession broadly, not just my particular specialty.
* It lets me meet interesting new people, including junior students who haven't yet started giving conference talks.
* It demonstrates broader interest in my work, particularly if the host institutions are more prestigious than mine (pre-tenure review have commented favorably on my invited talks).
* It gives me more extended opportunity to talk with colleagues than is often possible in the conference setting, and I like visiting their labs and meeting their students. It also provides more opportunity for providing feedback on student work-in-progress; while I can talk to a student at their poster, or chat in the coffee break, when I visit their group they can present at more length the project(s) they're working on and get more detailed feedback.
Upvotes: 3
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2020/05/04
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<issue_start>username_0: Let us assume that a professor is handling a course on statistics for undergrads.
They conduct exams and evaluate the answers and award marks to the students.
Suppose that the professor committed some mistakes, unknowingly, during the evaluation of a student's answers in one of the exams, and as a result, there is an error in the final grade of the student in statistics, and it is not noticed by anyone, including the student.
If the student realizes the mistake done by the professor in the next semester, then is the professor still responsible for the mistake that was committed? Or is the professor not responsible for their actions since the student was calm throughout the semester?
If the professor is responsible, then what is the action they need to do if the administration does not allow to edit the grades after freezing them?
Assume that the professor distributes the answer sheets after their evaluation for clarifying doubts of students regarding her evaluation. And the student can approach them at that time in case of any issues i.e., wrong marking.<issue_comment>username_1: Yes, the professor is responsible for mistakes she made. Not noticing a mistake doesn't excuse it. But the current situation is no longer under the control of the professor as you state the question. It is up to the administration to correct the error.
Of course, the professor should make an appeal, along with the student, for an exception to any rule.
So, in giving an evaluation to the professor you can validly complain about the mistake, but not about the rules made by others. For that, you need to complain elsewhere.
In general, people are responsible for their own actions and omissions, but not those of others. But they should also work to correct past mistakes however they can.
---
The lead question has been edited, so let me add:
While the professor should *try* to help the student fix any errors that were made, the rules might not allow it. However, I would consider systems with inflexible rules, not permitting errors to be repaired, as unethical. It saves someone a bit of work to forbid such changes, but the accuracy of the record and the fairness to students are values that far outweigh such considerations.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: My impression, at least at the universities that I've been involved with, is that grades can be corrected after the fact. The procedure would be something like the following:
1. The student contacts the professor, says "I believe there was a mistake in my grading, for the following reason: [Reason goes here.] Would you be willing to double check this?"
2. If the professor agrees that he/she made a mistake, then the professor follows an official process and requests of the administration that the grade be changed. Generally, I would expect this request to go through.
In particular, I would recommend (politely) contacting the professor as soon as possible, but whenever the mistake is noticed.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: At my university, professors are "obligated" to post their final grades within a certain deadline. I said "obligated" because this has generally been my experience, but I have heard stories about how some didn't post their grades until the start of the next semester.
That said, there *is* a possibility that there could be a grading mistake. When professors do upload grades, they upload them into a central database. However, they make sure to get it right the first time since it is not as easy to change the final grades once they have been entered. In the rare situation that a grade *does* need to be changed, professors can submit a "grade change request" form to our registrar, which will allow a grade to be changed in the central database. One example I saw first hand, was that in an undergrad distributed systems/cloud computing course, the professor had extended our final project deadline to essentially coincide with the ending of our semester, but he still had to get grades in by a certain deadline. To compensate, he submitted whatever grades he had before a certain day, and any grade changes necessary after that day he would fill out forms to submit to the registrar.
**So yes, professors CAN change grades, but they will likely have to go through a process that is more tedious than it may seem.**
Upvotes: 2
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2020/05/05
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<issue_start>username_0: While most university style guides mention "List of Figures", "List of Plates", "List of Tables", I haven't found a concrete definition of what might be included as a Figure or Plate in a thesis. Majority of theses seem to use Figures to label everything that is not a table but I wanted to know if I can separate image cutouts, code snippets and photographs e.t.c. into Figures or Plates properly. Thing is, I just don't have a clear guideline on where each might fit in these two types of listings.
See: [Uni 1](https://brocku.ca/social-sciences/social-justice-and-equity-studies/wp-content/uploads/sites/156/FGS_eThesis_Format_March_2013-1.pdf-1.pdf), [Uni 2](https://www.usi.edu/media/646024/ma_thesis_guidelines.pdf), [Uni 3](https://www.uregina.ca/gradstudies/assets/docs/pdf/ARRANGEMENT%20OF%20A%20THESIS.pdf), [Uni 4](https://www.umes.edu/uploadedFiles/_WEBSITES/Grad/Content/guide%20to%20the%20preparation%20of%20theses%20and%20dissertations%202009-2010.pdf), [Uni 5](https://www.ucmo.edu/offices/graduate-education-and-research/thesis-and-writing-resources/thesis20182019.pdf)<issue_comment>username_1: My understanding was that figures include maps, graphs, diagrams, and plates are reserved for photos or illustrations.
Though plates are less used these days, instead using figures for everything as you say. Code snippets if short can be included in text, or presented as you would a formula (indented), without a caption.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: I would be surprised to see anything called a plate if it wasn’t printed on a different kind of paper from the rest of the text.
More specifically, every “plate” I have encountered has been an image printed on glossy paper to improve its appearance and allow for more color and detail, when the main text has been printed with black ink only on rougher paper.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Code should not appear in either, it should appear in a separate "list of listings." Similarly, you could put photographs in a separate "list of photographs." You can introduce as many categories as you need, but be conservative.
For LaTeX, you can define custom floats (e.g., for photographs) and you can list all such floats. In some cases (e.g., for code), custom environments already exist, use those.
Upvotes: 0
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2020/05/05
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<issue_start>username_0: Suppose I am the only instructor for a subject.
I need to conduct an exam. I am confused between the following two approaches for designing questions.
Approach I: Questions with single line answers such as boolean answers, multiple-choice questions, etc., note that the answers to these types of questions do not occupy more than one line.
Approach II: Questions that demands explanation, subjective/objective explanations, etc.,
The advantages of approach I is at least trifold
(I) Marking is objective
(II) less evaluation time
(III) No partial marking
But, recently, one of the elder professors of my campus, opined that approach I is a **bad** way to conduct exams and he told that approach II is needed because of the reason that studies of students should be research-oriented and hence explainability or presentability of the concept is very important for a student and hence approach II is preferred a lot over the approach I.
I am really concerned about the bolded part, I mean, is it really a bad way?
Assume that the subject I'm dealing with has the flexibility to support both types of questions.<issue_comment>username_1: Put both types of questions in the exam.
So, some students get the highest grades because they can answer both types well,
Other students get lower grades because they answer type 1 well but poorly answer type 2,
This gives a range of grades based on the students performance.
Deliberately not going in to the discussion about whether exams are a suitable test...
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_2: *It depends on what you want students to learn.* Use open ended questions for learning critical thinking. Either approach is good if you want students to learn facts.
Nearly always, at the graduate level, you want students learn "critical thinking" from the analyze/evaluate/create parts of the [Bloom Taxonomy](https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/) of learning. Frequently this is the case at the lower levels of education as well.
Open-ended questions are necessary to demonstrate the ability to create, and can make it easier to tell if students are analyzing and evaluating.
If your goal is for students to remember a list of facts, then multiple choice questions are an efficient (but not necessarily better) way to test that.
"Understand" or "Apply" are often best addressed with open-ended questions, but could be addressed either way.
Upvotes: 2
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2020/05/05
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<issue_start>username_0: **TLDR:** *In a course where students are required to do exercises, a programming project and write a report in small groups, the lecturer announced that grading will be based on 'creativity' and how funny or interesting he thinks the results are. How can I cope with this as a student?*
---
I am taking a mandatory course where a programming project and exercises are carried out in small groups of students. Over the last years, the projects were relatively similar from what I've heard, and the course is known for a comparatively large workload with no deadline or fixed extent.
An anecdotal example told by the lecturer is that someone wrote a 170 page report and implemented his own wireless transfer protocol (which is only partly related to the course contents). Students from the last semesters took up to around a year in total to finish their projects.
This is my final semester where I take courses (hopefully), and the only semester I am able to take this course specifically. After that, there will be my masters thesis.
In the introduction to the course, the lecturer has mentioned that he does not want to keep the old format of long reports about the basics, but rather wants students to write 'creative' blog posts in addition to a report to be turned in. In particular, he is looking for us to write about things he likes or perceives as funny (but is still related to the topic, which according to him has a lot of potential for this).
In addition to the report and programming exercises, he lecturer wants students to write creative written blog posts about topics closely related to the exercises. These posts are supposed to contain funny and interesting information, as in "we accidentally made a mistake but the outcome looks/sounds funny" or "during the exercises we found out/made an assumption and verified it by xyz".
I want to mention that this is the [same lecturer who fell asleep during two of my talks he had to grade](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/139862/the-lecturer-supposed-to-grade-my-presentation-fell-asleep-while-i-held-it-shou), and I was previously dissatisfied with his grading on one of these. Now I have a new task where the desired outcome is unclear, and the task description is very subjective. During the introduction, I have explicitly asked for fixed deadlines and a statement about the extent of the project and report (as in, how many pages and such). He replied that he would 'probably' write down a few sentences about the task soon.
My worry is that there will be a lot of work for me, since i would like to get a very good grade. In addition, I fear that my work won't result in what the lecturer wants, and I am worried that I might get a worse grade than desired due to 'creative' grading.
My questions are:
* Should I communicate this to the lecturer?
* If yes, how?
* How can I effectively deal with this unclear task in a way that will not leave me frustrated and overworked?
---
I understand that me being unsatisfied with a grade is not so much a problem and rather common in students, but my main concern is that I don't want to do unproportional amounts of work and then be given an average or worse grade.<issue_comment>username_1: I don't think you really need to think in the shoes of the lecturer since finding something creative will solely depend on your delivery of work. Try something that appeals to you rather than trying to guess what their likes are because it will only give you stress on realizing maybe this isn't what the lecturer likes.
Plus, you're gonna have a bad time figuring out what should be the best design.
Just choose what is best for you since you're gonna enjoy the times you spend with it
try thinking your lecturer as a close person to you. Maybe this tip will give you a boost
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: My first impression of what you describe is that the instructor tries to achieve two things:
1. he wants to avoid teaching you to write long reports, which could be
a good thing; there are many fields where writing long reports
should not be a priority.
2. he is gradually allowing more freedom as students progress through the curriculum.
The latter is what I do as well: for first year bachelor students I give very short strucutured exercises, and last year master students get an exercise to do some analysis of your choice on a topic you like with data you found using one or more of the methods we discussed in class as appropriate. I do of course reward creativity in the latter exercise. This is (at least for me) the goal of a university education: at the end they should be able to do tasks like these on their own. This does mean that each time you make a step in that direction, you will push students outside their comfort zone, but that is the point: you cannot grow if you stay in your comfort zone. This also means that if you give students more freedom, the exercise by necessity become less structured and the grading less predictable.
So one possible solution to your problem is a change of perspective: Don't focus on the grade, but instead view this as an opportunity to grow. You might fail, but failure is also very much a part of learning. Moreover, failure in a project does not necessarily mean failure of that class. One of the courses I learned most about as a student was one where I had a cool idea, but I could not get it to work. Eventually, I had to hand in what I got. I got points for the idea but also lost points for the fact that it was not done, which I though was fair enough. More importantly, I use the lessons I learned from getting stuck in that course till this day.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: tl;dr: your **lecturer is right** in principle. Commit time and effort to your project and try to be creative.
In higher education, students are expected to develop the skills which enable them to apply a number of techniques, compare the results, evaluate their effectiveness, synthesise new methods, or even suggest new approaches to a problem. Your lecturer is right to expect students to be creative.
In the last decades academia is under an increasing pressure of corporate managerial culture: education is considered as service and students are treated as customers. This creates a new kind of relations. Some students expect to acquire complex skills without spending sufficient time practising them (*without feeling overworked*) and expect first-class grades without committing themselves to the work required. Some students, supported and encouraged by academic managers, require more strict and deterministic rules to be set for academic assessments, such as precise specification of assessments, past papers to be provided with model solutions, and new assessments to be very predictable. Under this pressure, academics are forced to remove creative elements from their assessments and ultimately from their courses. As the result, many students don't develop the creative, teamwork and communication skills which are important for employers.
Even if your lecturer was not very efficient in communicating expectations, they are right in principle: they actually want you to use education as the opportunity to develop right skills. You want security and a good mark. Your think as a consumer; your lecturer thinks as an educator.
So my suggestion is: trust your lecturer; commit time to the project; try to be creative as much as possible. For this, learn at least 3 different methods to solve the problem, reproduce them, and try to create one more from scratch. Compare the results and present results in an engaging and visual way. Plan at least 5 hours of work for 1 minute of final presentation or 1 page of final report.
Upvotes: 7 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: >
> Should I communicate this to the lecturer?
>
>
>
If you are not sure what the lecturer wants you to do, then yes you should communicate that.
>
> I have explicitly asked for fixed deadlines
>
>
>
You should be able to set deadlines for yourself, within the limits provided by the lecturer.
>
> and a statement about the extent of the project and report (as in, how many pages and such). He replied that he would 'probably' write down a few sentences about the task soon.
>
>
>
That is a reasonable thing for him to do.
>
> If yes, how?
>
>
>
If you do not get the information you need, try writing an outline of your report/blog, and ask the lecturer for feedback on it. Do this very early. You might do it twice. But do not do it every week or more.
>
> How can I effectively deal with this unclear task in a way that will not leave me frustrated and overworked?
>
>
>
If the lecturer does not give you guidance when you ask for it, you will be frustrated. There is no avoiding that.
How much work you do is your choice. Unfortunately we don't know the relationship between work and grades.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: I am surprised, or, better said, appalled, by the answers given so far. It looks like the general consensus is that the instructor is right and you should just shut up and comply. I strongly disagree. If this is a technical course, the instructor should only grade technical accomplishment. Extra credit for "creativity" or "humor" are OK, but those are subjective and therefore should not be used when evaluating a technical skill.
Sadly, I think you are in a difficult situation: if the instructor thinks it's OK to put those requirements on a technical project, my guess is he is not the type of person you can hope to convince by rational arguments. I would go to someone above him and file a complaint.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_6: Although I generally agree with the gist of other answers in respect to "learn to be independent, especially from grades" I **strongly** disagree about the instructor being right here.
As I can read from your other questions and your name, I assume you are German. Since I am from Germany, too, I am a hundred percent sure that everything this lecturer uses as basis for his grades is inherently wrong and frowned upon in academic context. There has to be - and this is not just my opinion - an objective measure to grade the students by. This is usually written in exam regulations for the academic institution.
Since your professor seems to be a rather problematic character you should however not confront him with this, if you want to get a good grade afterwards. Ask him nicely, if he doesn't comply, politely insist. If he still sticks to his "I am the king, make me laugh"-thing, go tell on him.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_7: The merits of these type of "creative" assignments seems to be up in the air amongst the answers here. However, regardless of how valuable this assignment is towards your education I believe I can give pragmatic advice towards your 3rd question.
While I think free-thinking and creativity are great things, I fully understand the stress associated with open-ended assignments. The requirements are fluid and unclear, yet the potential consequences of failing are glaring. This is how I've always dealt with it.
>
> How can I effectively deal with this unclear task in a way that will not leave me frustrated and overworked?
>
>
>
Do your work early. As early as you possibly can. As username_4 said, you should communicate the direction of your project with the instructor early. Ask for their opinions of your outline *in writing*, so that you can refer back to it later if they changed their mind when grading.
When you're close to being finished ask them to quickly glance over it. Nothing too formal, so as not to waste their time, but make sure the essence of your work is sufficient. Now polish it up and turn it in.
Upvotes: 3
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2020/05/05
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<issue_start>username_0: My supervisor gave a lot of feedback (in actuality they are mostly complaints) about a part of my thesis (while I have let others read my work and they were more understanding of what I wrote). There are a few helpful things but overall I found lots of her comments are related to not having a deep understanding about the science and the "end goal" of such experiment i.e. how the data can be used to best contribute the world (She is not a big expert in this area of research albeit having some experience).
She seems to dwell excessively on the "writing side" i.e. simply write a publishable "technical report" following what others have reported in similar experiments (which there are tonnes of things I dont like and I am not alone, there are numerous critique papers in this field of research that criticizes how things are unreliable. She attributed it as I have not read others' works because my format and content seem to deviate from others, but in fact I have read tonnes of them but I just found too many flaws).
I am more on writing for a full account and for the sake of science and advances (I know it may sound naive, but I really gave a lot of thoughts before I decide how my data should be used and interpreted but she thought they are excessive and didnt understand why I need to write them). While her comments may be useful in the sense of publishing a manuscript in a certain journal, however, I am under the impression that a thesis should be more free and more of a full account of what I can make the most out of my research, rather than straight up a manuscript catering to a certain journal.
However, there is no way I can pass my thesis without passing my supervisor, so how should I approach it?<issue_comment>username_1: Would you rather pass your thesis, get a degree, and start to get control of your career or get blocked? It seems to be an easy choice.
Don't lose track of the fact that this work isn't, hopefully, going to be the best work you ever do in your life, only the first (or an early one).
Fighting with a supervisor who can be a block is seldom (never?) a good path to success.
Take her advice on this. Get finished. Get a good letter of recommendation. Move on. Make you own choices then, when it doesn't have negative consequences.
Think of "getting done" as the big win, not winning an argument.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> While her comments may be useful in the sense of publishing a manuscript in a certain journal, however, I am under the impression that a thesis should be more free and more of a full account
>
>
>
You did not mention your field of research. In some fields, a thesis is a collection of manuscripts that could be published separately in a journal. If you are in one of those fields, you should certainly write that kind of thesis.
The reason a thesis is written like that is because you and your supervisor will be judged based on your journal publications more than on the content of your thesis. The thesis proves that the journal articles are coming.
You can have it both ways:
1. Write journal article thesis.
2. Publish journal articles in good journals.
3. Write comprehensive thesis.
4. Graduate.
My interpretation of your supervisor's advice is that you should never do step 3 before step 2 because step 2 is important and step 3 is a luxury.
I did all four steps in that order. My supervisor should have told me not to bother with step 3. I got no benefit from doing it.
Other fields of research are different.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: I am an undergraduate but if I know what I want, I KNOW WHAT I WANT. it is your thesis after all, and you are the one which life it is going to affect.
I wouldn't let this go like she wants.
Of course fighting and bad attitude is not a good choice but I would try to let her know that it is YOUR decision, after all.
Comments and suggestions are more than welcome but thesis is a huge thing for me, I wouldn't let my thesis represents anything else than myself.
Unfortunately, our mentors are often experts in other fields cause there is no time to commit yourself to everything, but they tend to put themselves on the top cause they have the title. So sad.
Fight for your idea. Try to be civilised. Good luck.
Upvotes: -1
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2020/05/06
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<issue_start>username_0: My master thesis advisor gave me an ill-defined question. His expertise is in mathematical optimization, but he wanted to shift to heuristic optimization so he assigned all his graduate students topics in that field although he actually doesn't know much about it.
He assigned me a problem. I had a feeling that it was ill-defined. I worked on the problem he assigned me for a year but now the numerical results affirms that I was right.
I am not sure how to deal with the situation. Should I waste more time trying to re-formulate the statement of the problem? I feel it's unfair for me to be both the student and the mentor! What is his job, really? If I'm to do everything on my own...
He doesn't know anything about this field he forced his students to work in.
However, if I quit probably no one is going to believe that it is his fault as a mentor and won't find anyone in the department to write me a recommendation letter to start fresh somewhere else.
So, what are my options now?
Is it advisable to tell the truth to other professors? Will they believe me?<issue_comment>username_1: You (and some of the commenters) have a misconception about mathematics, and even research in general. You need to dispel that and present what you have done and learned in a way that satisfies your advisor so that you can finish your degree.
### Comments about research in general
If your advisor knew the answer before giving you the problem, then it wouldn't be research. Research is an exploration of the unknown. All research questions are "ill formed" at the start. People notice an anomaly or a missing piece of theory and ask "What in the world is going on here?". There are not immediate answers. Einstein said “If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?”.
Since you are exploring the unknown the results could come out to be anything at all. You start with an idea that "might be true". If you set out to "prove that it is true" then you are doing propaganda and not research. You want to take the attitude that "How do I show whether this is true or not?". Starting with preconceptions can easily lead you astray into scientific misconduct. Reality is brutal.
And no, in doctoral research you don't need "positive" results. You need to discover the truth. Learning and establishing that some hypothesis is false is just as valuable as *knowledge* as knowing that it is true.
### Comments about mathematics in particular
Mathematical research shares a lot with research in general. It is a search into the unknown to find truth. But establishing that, for example, [Fermat's Last Theorem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermat%27s_Last_Theorem) was false would be precisely as valuable as showing that it is true. Possibly even more so, if it led to new insights. But it is what it is, not what you want it to be.
And, again, if your advisor knew the answer to the question posed to you, then you wouldn't be doing research but only, perhaps, confirming something already known.
### What to do
You actually have written your solution within your question. You say "I worked on the problem he assigned me for a year now but now the numerical results affirms that I was right". *That is a result.* It is precisely what mathematics is about. Write that up. You have been successful at doing mathematics. You haven't failed. You have succeeded. You have insight into a problem. Perhaps you have insight that no one else in the world has at the moment.
Upvotes: 7 <issue_comment>username_2: In my opinion, a student needs *guidance*, especially for a Master thesis or at the beginning of a PhD.
I know very well what it is like when your advisor just gives you a general idea what to research, but does not really answer your questions or read the material you have already written. So I understand that the OP suffers.
If the advisor gives you a problem, but doesn't know the research area well, it is quite possible that the problem is either trivial or much too hard, and the advisor cannot guide you on the way.
So while some people might think it is good to just throw the student into the ocean and tell them to figure out "swimming" themselves, I consider it bad practise.
So what does that mean for the concrete problem of the OP? Learn to swim, even if it is an awful kind of swimming. Write up what you have, show what you have done and what you found out. It may not be great, but don't spend another year on polishing it.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: You did not mention your country but at least if you are in Europe the **contents** your Master thesis do not matter. The Master **degree** does, of course, but nobody cares about what is in the thesis if it remotely makes sense.
Have a chat with your advisor and turn it into a *"I proved that X and Y do not work"*. It is perfectly fine.
Have a quick look at other master theses in your department and give one or two a closer read. You will see 50% of introduction, 40% of graphs (big graphs), 5% of acknowledgements and 5% of actual findings (if any of substantial nature).
This is absolutely normal - we are talking about a Masters, something zillions of people get and one cannot expect each of them to be a breakthrough and reveal a new scientist every time.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: Lots of people are trying to tell you about negative vs positive results, but they might be a bit wide of the mark - it sounds like you see your difficulty as having an ill-defined problem statement, not a negative result for a well-defined problem statement.
Previous answers are correct that "X is false" is a perfectly good result, even if you were hoping that X might be true. However, "X isn't a properly defined problem" isn't a publishable result, so I understand your concern.
You have shown *something* numerically. Could what you *have* shown be formed into a suitable problem statement? It's difficult to comment without knowing any details, but if e.g. you were given the problem "solve optimization problem X", and you subsequently discovered problem X doesn't admit a unique solution, you could pose a question "Do optimization problems of type X always admit a unique solution", for which you have found a perfectly good (negative) answer. Your advisor should be able to assist you with such a re-framing, even if he's not as familiar as he should be with the details of the new field.
Finally, as username_3 is saying, don't lose too much sleep if your Master's thesis isn't the greatest piece of research ever. A Master's is a baby PhD, no-one's Master's is all that good. If you're capable of anything beyond simply following your advisor's instructions, you're doing better than most Master's students. Keep on your advisor's good side, don't make a fuss with other professors, and just quietly go to a different advisor/institution for your PhD, that's my advice.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_5: I think this question has already been given a perfect answer.
But I would like to add something that I think might be highly important in your specific case:
**Do not trust numerical results.**
Before saying to your advisor that he is wrong, or even worse, trying to alert other people of this, make really really sure that you can trust the simulation results.
And then don't trust them :)
If you have a formal proof of something that's great.
If you have a numerical simulation that supports your point of view, it's highly doubtworthy. I've often seen small changes in parameters or a tiny bug in the code completely change results.
Even if your code is flawless, other people will probably not believe that.
There's a huge replication crisis in computer science, numerical results can often not be replicated.
Unless your code has been peer reviewed and ideally re-implemented by another team, people will assign very low credibility to your results.
I would advise to report this as neutral as possible.
Make a really clear definition of the question that was originally stated.
Explain your simulation in detail.
Provide results.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]
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2020/05/06
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<issue_start>username_0: I graduated with a bachelor in math/physics with a cgpa of 2.74/4.00
but didn't study many courses of abstract mathematics mostly computational math . I applied for a master's in the same Uni. and about to graduate. I had a little exposure to abstract math (some real analysis, measure theory and functional analysis) during the pre-master courses (seven courses) I scored 3.8/4 as a cgpa
I want to shift towards abstract mathematics. How can I make the shift?
I'm trying to apply for good schools abroad in the UK and the US. I'm trying to apply for a master's in abstract mathematics but some of the courses in the programs I'm applying for requires a pre-requisite that I don't have so how can I do it right?<issue_comment>username_1: From what I have seen in the past, it is not impossible and happens in a good number of cases that students switch from Pure to Applied Maths and vice-versa, as in your situation. At this time of the year, it may be a bit late to apply for Masters in UK as a good part of the offers have already been sent. Nonetheless, it would be good to apply to hone your writing skills and get a grasp of the application process at the universities you are interested.
Regarding your shift to Pure Maths, it may be good to contact the academic staff in charge of the programme you are applying to. In this way you can find out exactly what they are looking for and what "concessions" they could make regarding people missing 1-2 prerequisites that could have actually been informally completed through other courses you'd done.
Additionally, your personal statement should clearly include the motivation behind your switch and back it up by courses you have taken within your credit allowance (I presume the Masters you are about to complete forces you to take applied courses rather than pure). In light of this, it may be wise to talk your switch also to your prospective referees for applications. It could give them a heads-up and might benefit your applications by having more tailored letters of recommendation.
As a side note, the UK and US offer great Mathematics programmes, but these are not the only options. As an EU student, I would be also looking at very good and reputable Maths schools from Germany and France, just to name a few (a lot of the programmes are taught in English). If your long term goal is to enter graduate school, it may be good to check possible supervisors/research groups you'd like to join and check the backgrounds of the PhD students. This would give a glimpse of the knowledge and preparations graduate schools are expecting from applicants. By doing this you may discover that some students (particularly US and some in UK) jump from undergraduate to PhD studies and this could also be your case.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: For application to a US doctoral program in pure math, I think you would be well situated, other things being equal. This would be especially the case if your chosen field is Analysis or something related. However, the path might take a bit longer than if you had studied a broader spectrum of math.
The program you would be entering would have two essential requirements (perhaps a few minor ones). The first is to pass a set of comprehensive examinations. These are intended to assure that you have breadth of knowledge. The second is to write an acceptable dissertation. This is to show you have the ability and insight to delve deeply into a narrow aspect of math. There might be a few other options at a few places, but this is the standard.
One comprehensive exam will probably be in abstract algebra or some sub field. Another might be in Topology. But there will likely be at least three such exams, and one or more of them might be orals. In fact, there might be two levels at some places: written exams and orals.
But a US doctoral program also normally comes with a fair amount of advanced coursework. This is intended primarily to get you through the qualifying exams. Many US students starting a doctoral program won't have a masters, so the coursework is intended to give them the necessary breadth.
You may be ready for the Analysis qualifying exams, but would probably need the coursework for any others. It would take some time. If you are ready for that, it might be worth applying.
Also note that most math doctoral students in US work as TAs. This provides funding for them and assistance in teaching undergraduates. This adds to the time required to earn the degree, of course.
Note also, that in some cases the pure and applied math departments are separate. In others, they are joined in a single department. It might be a consideration in your case.
Upvotes: 1
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2020/05/06
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<issue_start>username_0: I have been working under the supervision of a Professor at a german University for a couple of years on a research project that could be published soon with me as a first author.
However I am not enrolled in any PhD program. Is it possible to get a PhD if I were to write a PhD thesis based on the work I have done so far without having to enroll on a program.
It seems now like a waste of time to enroll into a PhD program and have to do an additional 3 or so years.<issue_comment>username_1: Your best bet is to talk to the professor that is supervising you. Course work is less of an issue in Germany, so you might be able to speed up the process considerably if the professor is willing to accept your research as a basis for the thesis. Whether or not that project is suitable as a basis for a PhD thesis depends on the research that happened and your exact role in it. Maybe your work can count as an entire thesis, maybe it can count as an entire thesis if you do some extra work on, maybe it can count as a chapter, and you need two or three other projects to complete it, maybe it is just not suitable. We don't know, but your supervisor can tell you.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_2: I would imagine it depends quite heavily on the department. In Denmark at the Department for Social Sciences, you may submit a Phd-thesis without being enrolled in a Phd programme. But I would imagine the barrier being quite high, so you should probably be able to show quite an excellent academic performance through your thesis.
<https://samf.ku.dk/phd-skolen/english/applicants/submitting_a_phd_thesis_pursuant_to_section_15_2/>
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: There are three different things you need to figure out independently:
* Does the 'Prüfungsordnung" (rules of examination) of the university/departement allow this? There will be a few paragraphs what the requirement are to receive a 'Doktor' degree (German Universities usually cannot issue PhD, might be nitpicking, but some ppl here are very serious about it). SOmetimes the only requirement is to have been immatriculated for 1 semester.
* Assuming this is allowed, is your Professor willing to accept such a thesis?
* There is a bit of a catch 22 also: A Doktorarbeit has to be novel. If you published in a journal, it might not be considered novel anymore. Some departements allow cumulative thesis (stapeling your 3-4 papers together, and writing an introduction). A lot of departments dont allow this
Expect your thesis to be under more scrutiny, and remember during defense the board of examineers is allowed to ask any question on the science subject you want to get your degree in. The question might be more probing if you are 'external' (because they dont know your level of competency). Be prepared for question you last heard (apart from you defense preparation) last time as an undergrad (or master student).
While this might sound discuraging, it is not meant to. Go for it! (but you must address each of these points)
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: I would be very surprised if a university allowed you to get a PhD without being enrolled in a program. When universities give out degrees without enrollment, it is generally in the form of things like "honorary doctorates" which are frequently given to commencement speakers and very different from a real PhD. That said, prior work can greatly expedite the process, particularly if you are working with the same advisor. For example, there was a medical doctor who had been doing research with my graduate department who enrolled in our PhD program. He was able to get his PhD by basically continuing the work he had been doing with our department for another two years. He also took a few classes and of course did the milestones such as qualifiers and orals, but it was significantly expedited compared to the 5-7 years which is typical for that department.
However, I would question your motivation for taking this route to a diploma. In my experience people who have done research with PhD labs who do not have PhDs fall into one of two categories 1) people who are still developing 2) people who have gained expertise through another route.
People in category 1) are the most common. These are individuals who have gained some research experience by working in academia. However, in most cases, while they may have the same number of publications as might be expected of a graduate student,the process of getting those publications is very different. They have generally been given a project that is better defined and with a clear path forward. A PhD student on the other hand would have had a higher level of expectation define their own project and a will likely have to try more avenues before finding one that works out. If this is the case for you, then your experience will certainly help you out, but it is not sufficient to receive a PhD. In fact, many PhD departments (such as my own) consider this type of research and publication record a prerequisite for *enrolling* in the PhD program.
The people in category 2 are more unusual. These individuals really are thought leaders in their fields who have made a significant impact in those fields. Despite not having a PhD, they are sought out as collaborators and are frequently asked to give talks in their area of expertise. This is the category I would put the medical doctor I previously described in. In general, these people don't really need PhDs as the recognition of expertise that it conveys has already been granted to them by the members of that academic community. While I certainly could understand the desire for the title, it is unlikely their career will be significantly impacted by holding it. If this is the case for you, you should have no trouble finding an institution who will jump at the opportunity to collaborate with you in exchange for an expedited PhD process.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_5: I would be surprised if submitting a thesis based on a single paper were enough.
In North America, the cover page of the thesis usually indicates that the work is submitted *in partial fulfillment* of the requirements for the degree. The other requirements are usually courses; it’s not so uncommon to have talented undergraduate publish as a first author, but this does not grant them a PhD.
It is regrettable that you should think it a waste of time to enrol in a PhD program. Learning is best done through contact with a mentor, and through discussion with others. Publishing is overly focused to provide the fully enriching perspective achieved through the patient training that is recognized by the degree.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_6: 1. Talk to your professor.
2. I got my PhD (technically Dr. rer. nat.) at the University of Hamburg and only officially enrolled about a year before I defended my thesis, even though I actually started working on my research about 3 years before that at a Max Planck Institute.
3. Your mileage will vary. Talk to your professor.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_7: It depends on the university (or even the department). You need to read the exact regulations ('Promotionsordnung', etc.)
In most German universities, enrollment is optional. (I would even say, it is not very common.) You rather just submit a thesis; sometimes there is a requirement to indicate your intention to submit a thesis some months in advance. In any case, you need to name a supervising professor.
Whether or not your university/department requires additional publications or exams is very different. Often, the requirements to submit a thesis are (intentionally) left underspecified, which means that it's up to your supervisor to decide whether or not your past research is enough to make a thesis. If your supervisor thinks that 3 more years of research were appropriate, then it's their proper judgement that that time is not 'wasted.'
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Until a few years ago, "PhD programs" were unknown in Germany, and I am not aware that any large number of faculty boards in Germany have abolished the classic *Individualpromotion*. Actually all these novel (or often not so novel) "programs" I know are just a recommended addon, on which nobody formally forces you.
You can apply to be accepted as *Doktorand* by your *Fakultät* (or "Fachbereich", the department, not the university) on one day, and submit your thesis on the next. Maybe the board will find it a bit weird to vote on both on the same meeting. ;)
Upvotes: 1
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2020/05/06
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<issue_start>username_0: I've seen books of <NAME> (biogeographer) and other fine nonfiction writers, that don't use any references or footnotes/endnotes - not even bibliography. Instead, they put a "for further readings" section at the end, where they "talk" about related books, papers and articles, and they don't seem to express directly that they used any of those books for their writing.
1. Is that enough to be "respected" (or recommended to friends or family) by the academic community?
2. Doesn't he incur in plagiarism in any way?
3. What method would you use if you were writing for the popular?<issue_comment>username_1: I don't see an issue in many (most?) cases. Especially if they are writing for a popular rather than academic audience. The question is the tradeoff between readability and the need for specificity in such works. Let me give an example.
While I'm a mathematician who taught CS until retirement, I read quite a lot of books on anthropology and archaeology. I don't read scientific papers, but try to follow advances as reported in the press as they occur.
There are two kinds of books. One in which an author will give a narrative covering what is known about a topic (say early humans in what became North America) without inline citations. These can be very readable, I find. There is no danger of assuming plagiarism since the author(s) give the further reading section which lists the source. Most of the ideas presented are "in their own words" rather than copied from sources, and most represent a scientific consensus along with some information about where the consensus breaks down.
Other authors, writing on the same topic use a large number of inline citations, with footnotes or (usually) endnotes. I find these to be much harder to follow and it is often necessary to go to the endnote as more is presented there than just the source, such as a few additional ideas. They may be a bit more precise, but for the audience, not essentially so.
So, in some sense, your question is, whether popularizers of science are respected or not. Some are, others not, of course. Great story tellers are valued, I guess. But it is a choice that an author makes. The ones I read are careful not to plagiarize, but are a bit less specific about which ideas come from which source. However, once a scientific consensus is achieved, even with some dissent, it seems less vital for these types of work. The "further reading" gives you a sense about how the consensus arose.
But if you are writing at the edge of the known world, the rules about citation are much more vital, since a consensus has not yet emerged.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Your question does not address an attribute of a *person* (in this case: <NAME>), but of a *publication* - or to be more precise, of the *social system* (e.g. system of scientific publications, system of popular books).
If X writes a paper for a scholarly journal, X needs to use footnotes or in-text citations because the scientific system requires the ability to trace the origins behind a statement. Otherwise, the system will reject the paper (through peer-reviewers and editors).
But if X writes for a popular press, such references are not required; editors may even reject book proposals if they seem 'too scientific'.
Thus, <NAME> uses footnotes or in-text references when he writes for an academic journal ([such as this paper for the journal *Biological Conservation*](http://www.jareddiamond.org/Jared_Diamond/Further_Reading_files/Diamond%201975.pdf)). And Google Scholar tells us that this peer-reviewed paper has been cited more than 2.000 times in scholarly works. There therefore seems to be no lack of respect for Diamond's scientific outputs within the scientific system.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]
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2020/05/06
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<issue_start>username_0: (Edited with thanks after the early comments helped gauge the perception of the post.)
### This is the situation
I came across an article published in a reputable journal in the field of physics and engineering science.
1. The first author of this article is a member of the editorial board.
2. A handful of other co-authors follows. They are also affiliated to serious education establishments and hold positions with some standing.
3. Author and co-authors are associated by a grand research project. This lets me think that this article attracts and will attract attention for a while, at a minimum via legit self-citations.
4. Parts of the article had been copied and pasted, or slightly edited, from grey literature related to the same research project.
5. One of these parts is relevant for understanding the inner workings of their research outcome and, pragmatically, comparing my work and theirs. But
* some terminology is plainly wrong (apples-for-pears)
* some terminology is subtly wrong (community-bound misnomers)
* some formulas lack
* the references do not contain information integrating these lacunasTherefore, it is impossible for me to verify the work they did and take at face value some claims of the article relevant for my investigation.
6. I have reached out to the research team
* first asking for additional information (I had started my study from the item of grey literature of point 4)
* the first author acknowledged the apples-for-pears glitch but did not provide the lacking information
* I asked again for that integration I needed
* radio silence
* I then discovered the article, pointed out to the inconsistency with the paper, and urged the need for an integration, out of lack of alternative sources
* radio silence
* I moved on, carried an analysis of the topic at a considerable time overhead, and proposed to their judgement an integration for the lacking parts
* radio silence
To sum up, 1-3 describe the context; 4-5 describe the problem; 6 describes what I did in search for clarifications.
### Now onto the considerations
The shortcomings I have spotted must have passed several coarse filters.
The number of eyeballs (several co-authors and perhaps a couple of reviewers) that could/should have spotted at least some of these shortcomings from the outset is high.
I feel that the situation is particularly anomalous because of point 1.
That is, granted none is perfect, I would expect that associate editors are particularly strict ensuring that their own publications set a standard for the journal, or do not betray that standard.
In my view, this is surely no research misconduct, rather either a questionable research practice or a minor shortcoming, depending on judgement.
However, I feel this is not exactly OK.
I am also quite willing to wait for a few weeks for a satisfactory answer to come or for me to develop another perspective on the state of the play, also thanks to this community.
### Now onto the questions
In this meantime, at any rate, I would like to gather views from this community on **why**
* you would recommend to inform the editor-in-chief of the shortcomings in points 4-5 and motivate a request for revision?
* you would rather recommend not to do this?
(I am neither an associate editor or an editor-in-chief.)<issue_comment>username_1: It sounds like some mistakes were made, but that there is no reason for you to take more action, because I see no clear benefit to action. I suggest you find other resources that will help you with your research more efficiently.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Reading your post, I did not understand exactly what the problem is with their article. It may be sloppily written, but your post comes across like you are looking for reasons to complain about it.
It is unfortunately common for articles to be poorly written. Of course, depending on the journal one expects varying quality, but even in top journals writing and presentation quality may not the primary concern for publication.
On the other hand, if you have comments on how an article can be improved, you have to be very careful when emailing the authors. Unsolicited criticism does not usually go over well.
>
> 2. A handful of other co-authors follows. They are also affiliated to serious education establishments and hold positions with some standing.
>
>
>
This does not seem relevant to the question.
>
> 3. Author and co-authors are associated by a grand research project.
>
>
>
Similarly, this doesn't seem to be relevant.
>
> 4. Parts of the article have been copied and pasted, or slightly edited, from grey literature related to the same research project.
>
>
>
Are you accusing them of plagiarism, or did they only copy from their own past papers? If the former, that is a major concern and you should contact the editor, but only about this particular point, not the rest. If the latter, note that [attitudes on self-plagiarism vary](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/2893/attitudes-towards-self-plagiarism) and while it is inadvisable, it is not always considered unethical.
>
> * some terminology is plainly wrong (apples-for-pears)
> * some terminology is subtly wrong (community-bound misnomers)
> * some formulas lack
> * the references do not contain information integrating these lacunas
>
>
>
These are issues for the presentation but not issues with the work itself. It sounds like you have a lot of ideas for how to improve the article, but as you are not the author of the article, there is no direct and easy way for you to do so. If you feel strongly about presenting their work more effectively, you could consider writing a blog post or other piece of exposition putting their work in a positive light and clarifying such issues.
>
> * I asked again for that integration
> * radio silence
>
>
>
Were you polite in your emails? Did you compliment their work at all? Did you express interest?
If not, I would probably respond with radio silence too. Yes they could improve the article, but they did not ask you for your unsolicited feedback. They are not obligated to answer your email.
>
> I then discovered the article, pointed out to the inconsistency with the paper, and urged for some integration
>
>
>
It sounds like you emailed the authors and just told them to change their paper. This comes across as rude. You need to be more tactful in your suggestions.
Upvotes: 3
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2020/05/07
| 1,015
| 4,563
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<issue_start>username_0: Recently I submitted a paper to a journal and I got the following feedback from the Editorial Office:
>
> The reference lists of manuscripts submitted to our journal should include a variety of English-language journals that reflect the diversity of resources in the scholarly field of the manuscript.
>
>
> I regret to inform you that it was found to be unsuitable for publication because the reference list did not contain sufficiently diverse, English-language sources.
>
>
>
Now, my question is, if some research is novel and does not have much information about it on the internet (for eg, a newly developed algorithm), then how will such papers get published, if the editors reject it on the basis of the size of the reference list rather than focussing on the quality of the manuscript?<issue_comment>username_1: >
> the editors reject it on the basis of size of the reference list rather than focussing on the quality of the manuscript.
>
>
>
I think that's a false distinction. From the view of the journal (and most publication outlets I know), one aspect of a manuscript's quality is that it needs to defend its novelty by appropriately considering related work.
The feedback does not mention the size of your reference list, but a lack of diversity, which indicates that your article is limited in the perspective of considered related work. For example, if your algorithm uses a new idea from X to solve a new problem Y and presents applications in Z, you should discuss papers about X, Y (or similar problems), and Z.
Upvotes: 6 <issue_comment>username_2: Often, most of the citations in a paper are not work that you directly rely on.
Of course you cite a paper if you use their model, their method, or if your model or method or algorithm is a direct extension of theirs.
But you also cite papers of people you solved (or attacked) similar problems or used related methods. You discuss what they have done and how it differs from what you do. Ideally, you can argue that some problems in the field are solved, but the one that you are working on, is not.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_3: tl;dr: Your **editor is right**: a limited bibliography reflects poor quality of the literature review. Improve your manuscript by finding relevant work of others and comparing your results with them.
Even if your algorithm is completely new — and this is a big if, because most new algorithms are actually variations and combinations of previously known ideas — you probably want to show that it is useful. To demonstrate this, you need to apply this algorithm to solve an important problem, and compare the results of your new algorithm with other methods that were previously used for this class of problems. Hence, you need to discuss the origins of your problem, the context in which these problems appear, what other methods have been proposed, and why are they not good enough, so your algorithm is needed. All these statements must be supported by references.
An overview of the research landscape is an important part of any research paper, and the bibliography supports this part and reflects its quality. If your bibliography only includes the papers of your research group, it is very likely that your research misses some aspects of a bigger picture. In this case your paper can mislead readers in believing that you are the only group actively working in this area. Your editors are right in rejecting it.
So my advice is: add more context about the problem (with citations), and about the work of others (with citations). Compare your algorithm with other methods used for the same problem. Clearly demonstrate in your manuscript why your new algorithm is not just new, but more useful, than previously used methods. Then submit the manuscript again.
Upvotes: 5 <issue_comment>username_4: Breadth
=======
Even if you specific algorithm has not been discussed, you should point the readers to related algorithms (maybe in other contexts), or to others algorithms that solve the same problem.
Language
========
The response has a weird focus on English-language references.
If you have a comprehensive set of references that are not in English, you might want to add some instances of
>
> This problem has been discussed in [normal references]. The closest work published in English we could find are [as closely related papers in English as you can find].
>
>
>
This allows you to include the relevant references and satisfy the editor's request of references in English.
Upvotes: 2
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2020/05/07
| 791
| 3,410
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<issue_start>username_0: From time to time, I see what I mention in the title. For example: "It has been suggested this figure may be in excess of 800 gazillion dollars (Smith et al. unpublished data)."
My question is why this is allowed in fields where statements usually have to be backed up by facts? Do reviewers get to see this unpublished data sometimes? Or, is it reserved for speculative statements and as long as you aren't indicating they are cold hard truths it is accepted?
I am just curious on the conventions for its use, since it seems quite contradictory to normal conventions for providing sources.<issue_comment>username_1: The point of a reference is to acknowledge where things came from. If Smith et al had the idea first, but didn't publish it, then you have to acknowledge that they came up with it first.
What you are saying here is "you'll just have to trust me on this one", and it is up to the reader/reviewer to judge if they believe it or not. Thus, you are very unlikely to see it used to support something that is important to the arguement. You are most likely to see it supporting speculation or scene setting.
The other place you might see it is "we didn't do this, because Smith et al told us they tried it and it didn't work and we didn't want to waste time and money on something that didn't work".
It is possible sometimes that a reviewer will see thing that don't make it into the final paper, but that would more likely with "(data not shown)" than "(Unpublished data)".
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: The fact that the data behind a claim is unpublished and unavailable obviously makes it hard to establish the veracity of the factual claim purportedly supported by that data. However, it does not necessarily mean that you can't confirm that *a factual claim was made*, and in some cases that may be relevant information for your paper. The example you give is:
```
"It has been suggested this figure may be in excess of 800 gazillion dollars..."
```
In some cases, the fact that a particular estimate of an unknown figure was made might be relevant information for a paper, even if only to give some context for the range of estimates people have come up with for an unknown figure. That is a weaker claim than if you remove the middle-man and just say that:
```
"This figure may be in excess of 800 gazillion dollars..."
```
In the former case, the claim is just saying that someone else made an estimate of an unknown thing; in the latter case, the claim *is the estimate* of the unknown thing. To confirm the first statement, you need only show that there is a work that makes this estimate; access to the data is not required. However, to confirm the second statement the actual data backing the estimate becomes important.
Now, it is probably not good practice to make the second claim above and then cite unpublished data, because it will leave your reader skeptical of the estimate, and they will blame you if it turns out to be baloney. However, if you just report to them that someone else has made an estimate, but the data purportedly supporting the estimate is not available, you are not weighing in on whether or not it is a good estimate. The reader will still read the estimate about the 800 gazillion dollars with skepticism, but they will be able to confirm your claim that someone made this estimate.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]
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2020/05/07
| 703
| 3,121
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<issue_start>username_0: I'm reviewing an article where the authors are kind of experts of a particular subject and published several similar studies in the field, some even in the same journal.
This apparently leads them to reuse part of their own content between articles, sometimes self-citing sometimes not.
E.g. there are a couple of paragraphs in the Introduction that are a copied almost verbatim from a study from the same authors (which they don't cite). They maybe changed some comma or a word here and there.
What's the best practice in peer-review about this scenario? Is this ethical? Can this be considered a reason for rejection?
It's mostly in introduction and material and methods sections and the study overall is novel enough, so I'd be inclined to suggest a self-citation. But I'm curious if there is a consensus about how to handle such cases.<issue_comment>username_1: This sounds like a clear case of self-plagiarism, and self-plagiarism is a violation of academic integrity.
Definitely a sufficient reason to reject a paper without considering any merits of the paper.
Possibly a sufficient reason to contact the institute of the authors and inform them about questionable research ethics of their employees.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_2: There seems to be no risk of *getting credit twice for the same work* here, as the papers are fundamentally different. It is possible that more modifications to these paragraphs would make them better suited for their role in the new paper, in which case suggesting that the authors do so is appropriate for the referee. However, rewriting the paragraphs just for the sake of it seems like a pointless endeavour. As a referee, you should not suggest that the authors waste their time on this.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: On the level of **research ethics**, this is a gray area. While self-plagiarism is generally frowned upon as a breach of academic integrity, the degree of the violation in this case seems very mild. Unlike in the much more severe case of claiming double credit for the same results, the only double-credit taken is for coming up with the precise formulations in the manuscript.
On the level of **style**, copying entire paragraphs within an introduction seems lazy, an impression one wants to avoid -- if the authors took such short-cuts already on the first pages of their paper, what other short-cuts did they take? Rejecting an entire paper on the grounds of copied paragraphs might be a bit too harsh; requesting a revision might be justified.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: If there are large portions of paragraphs which are taken directly from another source, as a referee you are duty-bound to point it out. I would put both papers in a plagiarism checker and provide the output to the editor as part of your review. State that one reason for your vote as rejection is that the article is not sufficiently original.
Continue reviewing as you see fit from there. It is possible the editor will allow them to revise if this is the only negative commentary you provide.
Upvotes: 0
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