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40,382 |
So I have just accepted (via some online function on the website) an offer of PhD admission into a prestigious US university. I have also been in telephonic and email contact with staff at this university. I still feel like it is rather informal. The department told me more information would arrive in April.
What I want to know is, is the offer I have accepted binding on the part of university? I have (and am about to decline) concrete offers from some UK groups and I am worried that I will be burning bridges. Can a US university rescind their offer? Does this ever happen? Am I just being paranoid?
For example, as I am still in master's program, my other offers usually said that I was admitted on the condition that I obtained a sufficiently good grade in my degree etc. My US offer does not make mention of anything like this - not that I plan on doing badly but it is good to know. Would the department think it odd if I asked along these lines?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40389,
"author": "Blair MacIntyre",
"author_id": 28128,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28128",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "As far as I know (at least here at Georgia Tech) all the conditions (if there are any) are included in your offer. I have never heard of us rescinding an offer after it has been accepted. If there is a deadline, though, you must accept by then or the offer may no longer be valid.\n\nThat said, I think nobody would be offended if your asked, if it puts your mind at ease. I would not mention the \"getting good grades in your MS\" or similar things.\n\nJust send a note to whomever you have been in contact with and say something like \"I'm very happy to have been accepted into the program, and am looking forward to coming. I am pretty sure I've completed everything I need to do to accept admission, but I just wanted to check one last time. I have a number of other acceptances I'm about to decline and I just wanted to check that everything is in order with my admission before I decline the other offers. Thanks for your help and understanding!\""
},
{
"answer_id": 40390,
"author": "Anonymous Mathematician",
"author_id": 612,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/612",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "Graduate admissions offers in the U.S. can sometimes be rescinded, but I've never heard of it happening except in extraordinary circumstances. I've known of cases where it was because the applicant failed to graduate, was dishonest in their application, or committed some sort of academic misconduct, but I can't think of any other reason. However, as Juhevna noted in the comments, the offer is not conditional on getting sufficiently good grades (unless this is stated explicitly).\n\n> \n> I still feel like it is rather informal. \n> \n> \n> \n\nThis sounds like it's about as formal as I've seen. I don't think you have anything to worry about. The only worrisome scenario would be if you received an oral offer and gave an oral acceptance, with no documentation, but that shouldn't happen if the department is handling things properly (and indeed it doesn't apply in your case).\n\n> \n> The department told me more information would arrive in April.\n> \n> \n> \n\nIt's common to send a detailed information packet for incoming students in April, after all the offers have been accepted/rejected. That way the department can deal with it all at once, rather than handling each student individually. This packet typically includes things like registration forms, insurance information, housing forms, etc. (Anything they feel could be useful to students making a decision would be sent earlier.)"
},
{
"answer_id": 148029,
"author": "eric_kernfeld",
"author_id": 38930,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/38930",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "Anyone with better knowledge of the law is welcome to correct me here, but I think it's valuable to answer the question in terms of what universities are legally obligated to do, not what they usually end up doing.\n\nIf by \"binding\", you mean \"legally binding\", then the answer is \"maybe\". US courts have primarily treated the student-university relationship as a contract, but they do sometimes deviate from that model. For many US states, a signed job offer is not binding unless it contains a clear or implied long-term promise of employment. I'm not a lawyer; I learned this stuff from the following sources:\n\n<https://www.repository.law.indiana.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2819&context=ilj>\n\n<https://www.tonybeshara.com/tips/accepting-an-offer-new-employees/>"
}
] |
2015/02/22
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40382",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28045/"
] |
40,385 |
I would like to ask a researcher in a foreign institution to do my master thesis ( 5 months worth of research in Experimental Physics ) under his supervision.
I have written both a motivational letter and a short, coincise email stating what my intentions are.
Should I only send the coincise email, and wait for them to ask me for a motivational letter + curriculum, or should i attach those to the mail?
Otherwise, would it be better if I wrote the motivational letter in plain text under the mail, so that if they want to read it they won't have to ask me for it?
I know from my previous advisor that he often rejected such proposals if they were not coincise enough because he did not want to waste time. He told me that he mainly answer those who "tickle" his interest in few words, but I would like to hear more opinions.
Here is the short mail I was thinking of:
>
> Dear Professor, I am a graduate physics student at the University of
> QuantumState currently on my first year of my master.
>
>
> During my four years of studies I developed a keen interest in the
> peculiar laws that describe lower dimensional quantum systems,
> alongside a passion for the challenges that are encountered in the
> experimental study of such systems. I would like to dedicate my master
> thesis to an experimental study in this field, in particular, I would
> like to do so under your supervision in your research group.
>
>
> Alongside my interest in the field ( and I know that your institution
> is one of the top research centers in the area ), I also have a strong
> personal desire of moving to Copenhagen: if during my stay you would
> find me a suitable addition to your group, I would be more than
> looking forward to apply for a Doctorate position at your institution.
>
>
> The timeframe allotted by my university for work on the master thesis
> is the period going from february 2016 onwards (usually 5 months). I
> know that it is very early, but to do the research in a foreign
> institution my university requires me to obtain a statement of intent
> from the external advisor long before.
>
>
> Attached you find a more throughout letter about my interests and Ideas, and my curriculum.
>
>
> Best regards,
> Me Myself
>
>
>
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40393,
"author": "Blair MacIntyre",
"author_id": 28128,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28128",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "I do not know what the customs are in physics, but professors get requests like this a lot, and most of them feel like form letters (i.e., as if a student is sending out a bunch hoping someone will be interested).\n\nIf you want to get noticed, be very explicit as to why you are interested in this person and their lab, and if your desired research aligns with projects you know they are doing, say so with explicit references. Your paragraphs above sound very generic, something you could have sent many places.\n\nAlso, please consider:\n- if you are excited about a large project the professor is doing and would be happy to do a project for the professor that they need done, say so. Typically, if you have an idea already, that might be less appealing than being interested in doing something that the professor wants/needs to be done. Of course, having as specific interesting idea also shows you understand the area and the professors work.\n- if you have funding and will not cost the professor anything, say so. Oftentimes, professors don't have spare funding to pay for a visiting student (especially one they do not know) ever if they wanted to.\n- I would somehow (perhaps in the longer document) give an indication of experience you have (don't just tersely list it on the resume). A big question a professor would have is how much experience you have and how likely you are to be able to do something good in a short few months.\n\nI would also definitely include the attachments of the long statement and resume in your first message. If the professor gets through your note and is interested, they would probably appreciate knowing more about you before replying.\n\nRemember: the most precious commodity to a professor is their time. You need to convince them that the time they will invest in you is worth it."
},
{
"answer_id": 126202,
"author": "Patrick 2",
"author_id": 105399,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/105399",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "Given the fact that professors or even post-docs receive bulks of these emails (most of them mass spam mails), you really don’t want to waste their time looking through numerous attachments. \n\nWhen I applied for for my master thesis at top-tier institutions in the US/UK, I went with your first suggested option: **a short and concise mail with 1 attachment**. This worked for me and led to a visiting research stay at the MIT.\n\nThis short mail with the most important and relevant information should replace the classical motivational letter in my opinion. It is important that each line of your mail provides sufficient value so that a professor continues to read to the next one. So it’s good to refrain from standard phrases. Besides being short, the message really needs to be individualized. I tried to show that I familiarized myself with his specific research such as recent publications. Aspects of the message were mainly motivation, the research idea/topic, my qualifications and how I can contribute. As already mentioned by Braor your chances increase significantly if you state that they don’t need to fund you.\n\nWith this email I would recommend at most 1-2 attachments e.g. your CV or already published papers. In a further note you could still offer to send further documents such as transcripts, writing samples or what else could be relevant in your research area on request.\n\nIf you are interested in the application beyond the questions about attachements, it might be worth to look here <https://www.termabroad.com/> , where we wrote a little guide about the application as a visiting researcher e.g. for a thesis.\n\nBest regards"
}
] |
2015/02/22
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40385",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12239/"
] |
40,392 |
I got in a dispute with a professor I TA'd for, and now my department is not giving me TAships. What should I do? I am required to teach more classes in my department in order to satisfy a graduation requirement. In addition I do not have research funding and I'm dependent on TAships to make money.
Nobody actually told me I wouldn't be allowed to TA again, but I suspect I have been blackballed by my department (and there's no way for me to know, since the application process is opaque, and they can just keep rejecting my applications without telling me why).
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40400,
"author": "user6726",
"author_id": 28972,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28972",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "The first thing would be to meet with the department chair to get the story. If that doesn't yield a satisfactory result, many universities have an appeals process, and you could call on that avenue. If teaching is an actual requirement, then they would need a pretty compelling reason to effectively terminate you without just cause and doing the Due Process thing, although this depends on the legal system in your country, of course. But you would have to be pretty blameless (e.g., if the dispute was over a significant error on your part as a teacher, that could be the end of the discussion)."
},
{
"answer_id": 40403,
"author": "Patricia Shanahan",
"author_id": 10220,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10220",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "I agree with the idea of asking, as suggested by @user6726. However, as a matter of general office politics I suggest a couple of refinements:\n\nIf you have an advisor, that is the first person to ask. If not, if there is someone with general administrative responsibility for graduate students, try them. You can always escalate to the department chair later if necessary.\n\nRegardless of who you ask first, if you really are blackballed make them bring it up. You have a question along the lines of \"I need more TA assignments for graduation, but have not got an assignment the last X cycles. What do I need to do to get an assignment?\" That opens the discussion without accusing anyone of anything. If they tell you that you are never going to get another TA assignment then it is time to escalate to the department chair and your union, if any.\n\nIn a comment, I asked about talking to professors. Depending on the department's rules and customs, the professor who is responsible for a course will have some amount of influence over TA selection for the course. Even if you have been deliberately blackballed, asking a professor you do get along with about being a TA for one of that professor's courses may break the logjam."
}
] |
2015/02/22
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40392",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30773/"
] |
40,397 |
Is it possible (if not usual) to do consulting work during summers while working as academics in Aus/NZ universities? I guess the more important point is, is it allowed by the universities to earn extra money/work through outside consulting work?
Thanks,
Zotn
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40400,
"author": "user6726",
"author_id": 28972,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28972",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "The first thing would be to meet with the department chair to get the story. If that doesn't yield a satisfactory result, many universities have an appeals process, and you could call on that avenue. If teaching is an actual requirement, then they would need a pretty compelling reason to effectively terminate you without just cause and doing the Due Process thing, although this depends on the legal system in your country, of course. But you would have to be pretty blameless (e.g., if the dispute was over a significant error on your part as a teacher, that could be the end of the discussion)."
},
{
"answer_id": 40403,
"author": "Patricia Shanahan",
"author_id": 10220,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10220",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "I agree with the idea of asking, as suggested by @user6726. However, as a matter of general office politics I suggest a couple of refinements:\n\nIf you have an advisor, that is the first person to ask. If not, if there is someone with general administrative responsibility for graduate students, try them. You can always escalate to the department chair later if necessary.\n\nRegardless of who you ask first, if you really are blackballed make them bring it up. You have a question along the lines of \"I need more TA assignments for graduation, but have not got an assignment the last X cycles. What do I need to do to get an assignment?\" That opens the discussion without accusing anyone of anything. If they tell you that you are never going to get another TA assignment then it is time to escalate to the department chair and your union, if any.\n\nIn a comment, I asked about talking to professors. Depending on the department's rules and customs, the professor who is responsible for a course will have some amount of influence over TA selection for the course. Even if you have been deliberately blackballed, asking a professor you do get along with about being a TA for one of that professor's courses may break the logjam."
}
] |
2015/02/22
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40397",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30777/"
] |
40,412 |
I am department head. An adjunct professor teaching two courses in my department left without notice. He did not deliver the grades to me.
We have no staff in that field to give the final exam again. Even so, I wouldn't know how to convince the students to take the exam again, and I do not know what to do with the class activity, which should be part of the final grade.
The registrar is forcing me to deliver the grades, but I have no idea what to do.
Does anyone have any experience to share? What do department heads normally do in this situation?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40414,
"author": "Anonymous Mathematician",
"author_id": 612,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/612",
"pm_score": 7,
"selected": false,
"text": "I assume you've already tried to convince/pressure the instructor to provide enough information to assign grades. Assuming he's not dreadfully ill, it would be incredibly unprofessional for him to refuse, but sometimes people are unprofessional. If you don't know him well, is there someone else in the department who could try to talk some sense into him? Was anyone else involved in the course, such as a TA or grader?\n\nOnce you've convinced yourself that you just can't get the grades, you need to take this up with the administration. It's a really awkward situation, and you shouldn't be improvising a solution. Whatever you do should be discussed with and approved in advance by the dean (or whoever has a similar level of responsibility in your university). Presumably this issue has arisen before, and the previous decisions will serve as a precedent. If this is the very first time, then you'll be setting a precedent. Either way, you don't need to take sole responsibility for figuring out what to do, and you shouldn't."
},
{
"answer_id": 40432,
"author": "paul",
"author_id": 30811,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30811",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "Assuming the following:\n\n* the old prof is gone for good\n* there are no available grades in the system\n* the exams went with the prof, and possibly destroyed\n* we are talking about last fall's term, so the course has finished and the students have moved on\n\nIt looks like a possibly unrecoverable situation. The students did their part, not their problem the tests didn't get marked and they are entitled to the credit and the grade.\n\nTo phrase it in a contractual issue, the students contracted with the university for the education and agreed to prove their competence within a specified time period. The university in turn agreed to provide academic credit and a grade. The students did their part, the university cannot demand extra work from the students due to a failing on it's part. That the professor absconded with the final exams is **not** the student's problem.\n\nI would say that unless it is a critically important course, like \"Infectious Diseases 320\" or \"Nuclear Physics 440\" where an incorrect grade could be disastrous, assign a grade near the student's average in other courses. Some students may rightly feel they are entitled to a higher grade, those same students will likely understand the situation and agree to rewrite the final. \n\nRemember that \"fair\" in many cases is what everyone agrees with. If I think I deserve a B+, and you offer me one based on my semester average (along with a crystal-clear, full disclosure explanation of what happened) I will be ok with it. If I think I deserve an A I may consider wether that grade will actually make a difference and take the B+ rather than rewrite the final.\n\n(and it looks like someone borrowed my assumptions)"
},
{
"answer_id": 40449,
"author": "GWP",
"author_id": 30830,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30830",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "If the materials to base the grades on are missing or stolen, the dean should be dealing with this. In addition to the issue of the materials being missing, this brings into question the competency of the prof and whether this course was properly taught. Your school/department could lose accreditiation if this is handled incorrectly.\n\nPersonally, I think the fairest thing would be to administer an exam to determine the competency of the students. Credit for the course should be awarded on a pass/fail basis. \n\nAny students who wish (i.e. those who think this was their strongest/most time consuming course and were counting on it for a grade point average boost) should be allowed to retake the course at no charge for a grade. I would suggest scheduling an additional evening session to help accommodate them."
},
{
"answer_id": 40470,
"author": "Keith",
"author_id": 15586,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/15586",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "Seems to me that how this is handled is beyond a department head's level of responsibility. \n\nIf you consider some of the solutions given, would it really be appropriate for your department to handle it differently from another department anywhere in the university? This situation has the potential to significantly impact the reputation of the institution.\n\nSo, you could \"manage upwards\"; in the corporate world this is easy, but depending on your university this line may be unclear:\n\nIdentify a set of possible approaches and their corresponding pros and cons. Take these to your supervising authority and have a decision made and signed off. This may require consultation with the legal department."
},
{
"answer_id": 40471,
"author": "Joshua",
"author_id": 13438,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/13438",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "Assuming the following\n\n* the old prof is gone for good;\n* there are no available grades in the system;\n* the exams went with the prof, and have possibly been destroyed;\n* we are talking about last fall’s term, so the course has finished and the students have moved on.\n\nIf the class isn’t absolutely vital, assigning all students who weren’t failing going into the class “Credit” might be acceptable. You can get that information from students’ copies of previous assignments returned. If the former professor isn’t answering, the wheels of justice turn so slowly that you won’t get them back in time."
},
{
"answer_id": 40475,
"author": "Bryan Ritter",
"author_id": 30821,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30821",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "Ideas:\n\nYou can give the students full refunds for this class, and let them take it again for free whenever you can offer the class again. \n\nDoes your school offer some sort of no credit option, like 'auditing' a class, that doesn't give a grade, but basically says hey I've taken this class. This could be given at least as a temporary grade until everything is decided about what to do.\n\nYou can let the students resubmit whatever work they've done for a new class, if what they have isn't enough to get a 'good' grade in the current class.\n\nIf it's a class required for graduation, and can't offer it anymore you could ignore rather or not it's required for graduation for these students."
},
{
"answer_id": 40495,
"author": "Dennis",
"author_id": 30862,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30862",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "There is probably a university wide policy for this, or at least for similar cases. \n\nIn my university the policy was that if exams got lost etc. a student would get the 90% mark (few students could have achieved this realistically) and to accomodate the top students a free chance was given to do a resit.\n\nIf you don't have anyone that can facilitate a resit, you may need to reach out to other universities, but in practice most students will celebrate their mark."
}
] |
2015/02/23
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40412",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30784/"
] |
40,420 |
It is common that PhD students have teaching duties as TA. In this case, the person ultimately for the course (the **instructor of record**) is a faculty member. I should note that I am talking only about enrolled PhD students at the same university as where the undergraduate course is taught.
In some places, it seems that PhD students can serve as the instructor of record, but at many other places they are not.
What are the reasons why PhD students are not permitted to be instructors of record at some universities in the USA and Europe?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40681,
"author": "RoboKaren",
"author_id": 14885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14885",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "My institution (which is a highly ranked R1 private university) tries to differentiate itself from other universities by advertising that all of our professors teach and that the undergraduates -- if they choose to come here -- will learn directly at the feet of the greatest scholars in the world (blah blah blah..). \n\nMy cynical quip aside, we try very hard at least nominally to ensure this. All professors in the arts and sciences teach their own classes (research staff at the medical school are of course exempt), although some teach less than others. \n\nVery few graduate students are permitted to be instructors of record -- only just a handful of 6th and 7th years are given this right, and only in very focused seminars.\n\nFor us, it's a bit of a matter of pride -- what differentiates us from some of the other R1s. But like most things in the neoliberal academy, there has been talk of bringing in adjunct faculty and other changes that will certainly dilute the claim made in the opening paragraph above."
},
{
"answer_id": 101600,
"author": "Anya",
"author_id": 85436,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/85436",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "This will obviously vary among countries, institutions and also departments.\n\nAt my department (a Norwegian University (magic fairyland where \"PhD student\" is a regular, well-paid job), CS dept.) I did my first lecturing as a PhD student (a Master-level, seminar-style course) and was also the official \"instructor\" (together with another PhD student). The year after, while still working on my PhD, I was employed to teach a major undergrad course, also as the official (and solely responsible) instructor; I had no supervision or follow-up: no one pre-approved my lession plan, checked on my lectures, looked at the exercises I made or even checked the exam and the grading. Fortunately, it went well, and I was given the course again the next years (as a post doc), and I'm still teaching it now (as associate professor).\n\nOn the other hand, at our neighbouring department, they don't even let PhD students and post docs be officially responsible for small stuff like supervising bachelor students.\n\nIn general, good teaching requires both skill, knowledge and motivation. If you're lucky, your personality and previous experiences will be enough to do good or even great teaching, even if you're an inexperienced PhD student (or perhaps not even that – I've had 2nd year Bachelor students deliver awesome lectures!). It's quite a gamble, though, and an inexperienced lecturer can just as easily be a disaster (then again, the same goes for an unmotivated experienced one).\n\nSo, it makes sense to provide fresh lecturers (whether they're PhD students or newly hired staff) with guidance and supervision until both they and the department are comfortable with them taking full responsibility. Educating and training people is part of a University's mission, and that also applies to training lecturers – a department shouldn't just pick random PhD students to lecture courses and hope they eventually hit on a rare, talented \"great teacher\".\n\nSo who should be the \"instructor on record\"? The person(s) who's actually responsible for the teaching, no matter the title. Having a rule that says \"a PhD student can't be ultimately responsible for a course\" is probably meant to avoid having courses taught by underqualified lecturers and sort of makes sense from a bureaucratic perspective (could even be that my own University has more-or-less this rule). Doesn't really help, though, if the department appoints a nominal \"official instructor\" and gives the actual job to a PhD student anyway."
}
] |
2015/02/23
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40420",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30799/"
] |
40,421 |
How could I verify that a person is a student/faculty/researcher at a specific department of any university in world? I could ask the user to verify the official email address provided by that university to him but not all universities in world provide a email address to their people. A considerably large percentage of universities do not provide.
What could be other ways to collect only verified people in some group for a university department ?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40430,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "There is no good *fully automated* way of doing this, because there is no central clearing-house are too many ways the humans maintain imprecise machine-readable records. \n\nIf you are willing to have a human process, you can deal with a lot of the problem cases with a combination of Google and phone calls. That still won't ensure that an institution that you personally aren't familiar with is real, given all of the [diploma mills](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diploma_mill) in the world, but it will at least reduce the likelihood of giving access to a legitimate institution to the wrong person."
},
{
"answer_id": 180792,
"author": "Daniel Hatton",
"author_id": 128581,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/128581",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "If:\n\n* the university has an https website whose certificate has a chain of signatures back to a certificate authority you trust; and\n* members of the university have authority to edit their own profiles on that https website; and\n* you're confident that the university's IT security is good enough to stop third parties from editing university members' profile pages,\n\nthen the following might do the job:\n\n* the person whose identity you're trying to verify creates an authenticated-PGP private/public key pair linked to an e-mail address they do have;\n* they place the public key on their profile page on the university's https website;\n* you obtain the public key from the https website;\n* they then send you a cryptographically signed e-mail;\n* you verify the signature;\n* now you can be confident that the e-mail came from the same person whose profile page bears the public key."
}
] |
2015/02/23
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40421",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/965/"
] |
40,422 |
I have been feeling miserable about my PhD degree situation for a bit of time, and I just started therapy. So far I've tried not to take drastic decisions such as quitting, because I know I am strongly influenced by my condition, but lately I can't think about anything else.
I wonder if it is possible to convert my contract in a research assistance, or what is a graceful way out so to continue deserving recommendation, or what is an adequate resign notice period, etc., but I know it would much better to finish the PhD degree, and so continue trying.
Is talking about quitting possibilities with your supervisor a point of no return?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40423,
"author": "Dave Clarke",
"author_id": 643,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/643",
"pm_score": 7,
"selected": false,
"text": "Talking about quitting with your supervisor (or someone else in your supervisory committee or department) is not a point of no return. In fact, it can be **a turning point**.\n\nPhD students all go through ups and downs and part of the job of the supervisor, and others in the department and university (head of department, counsellors, etc) is to help you get through the rough patches. \n\nIf you do not talk about it and things get so bad that you actually quit, then it may be a point of no return.\n\n**Full disclosure**: I quit my PhD. The first my supervisor heard of it was the day I quit. Luckily, someone else gave me another chance a few years later."
},
{
"answer_id": 40429,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "Absolutely not. Even quitting may not be a point of no return, if you have a good relationship with your advisor. I know of a student, for example, who actually withdrew entirely for reasons of mental health, but was explicitly told that their return would be welcomed if their circumstances changed. What is most important is to find a way that you can be honest about your struggles and planning. If you don't feel you know how to talk safely to your advisor about this, you should start by talking with your therapist, who can help you plan an approach and figure out how to talk about it without revealing information that you wish to keep private."
},
{
"answer_id": 40431,
"author": "Dan",
"author_id": 30807,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30807",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "This question resonated with me, so I signed up just to answer. The short answer is that one would hope that it shouldn't be a point of no return. But, of course, it depends heavily on your supervisor’s temperament.\n\nI was in a similar situation where I was deeply unhappy with the direction and content of my PhD research and despite my best efforts at raising these concerns I struggled to alter things. This was partly due to having two supervisors with not entirely overlapping areas of expertise. However, my main (on paper) supervisor and I met for a coffee in a neutral location, i.e. off campus and not his office, to discuss things. He was non-judgmental and supportive and, having done a PhD himself (naturally), he understood the situation. I did end up leaving the PhD programme but it was not because I couldn’t discuss things with my supervisor (I’ve since completed my PhD at a different University).\n\nSo my suggestion would be definitely do not simply quit, you should feel able to discuss issues with your supervisor. After all (at least in the UK) supervisors are expected to provide some level of pastoral care, as well as directing research. If you'd feel more comforatble suggest a neutral location. Further, I’d reiterate what Dabo Ylirce said in that I don’t know a single PhD student who, at one time or another, wasn’t fed up with *some* aspect of their PhD."
},
{
"answer_id": 40581,
"author": "Laurence",
"author_id": 30938,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30938",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "There are few points of no return, else we'd all be lying at the bottom of cliffs.\n\nAre you going to GET the PhD? If so, finishing it and putting up with being miserable for a bit longer is an option you should consider. If you're convinced you're going to flunk it, talk to your supervisor, it's what he's there for. Maybe you'll be reassured that in fact you're doing OK. Maybe he'll agree you should try to succeed at something less ambitious.\n\nIf you have the choice, not too long in the future, of having a PhD or not having a PhD, which would you prefer?"
},
{
"answer_id": 40599,
"author": "Jan-Christoph Schlage-Puchta",
"author_id": 30965,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30965",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "I would assume the answer to this question depends on the area. In mathematics (where I work) or humanities your supervisor will most probably try to help you not to quit, and if you do quit welcome you back after two years. In other disciplines, where Ph.D. students consume significant resources, things are different. The supervisor might well think \"If I let someone play with my 12 million dollar gadget, and he quits, then I wasted a lot of money. Better invest this into a student who actually finishes.\""
}
] |
2015/02/23
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40422",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/13036/"
] |
40,424 |
I saw on a conference website that the "delegate registration is up to the end of March".
I'm wondering what that "delegate" really means?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40426,
"author": "DCTLib",
"author_id": 7390,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7390",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "Provided that you are talking about a computer science conference, this most likely means that for every accepted paper, one of the authors should be registered by the deadline in order not to get the paper removed from the program (and the proceedings). The presenting author would then be the \"delegate\" of the group of authors.\n\nIf it is already known that the paper will be presented by a non-author, then the respective person should also be registered by that date."
},
{
"answer_id": 43318,
"author": "Noemie Martin-Pascual",
"author_id": 32935,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/32935",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "Usually, this definition is extended to all the attendees of a conference, not just the presenters. So the delegate registration would be for anybody wanting to attend the conference"
},
{
"answer_id": 85408,
"author": "Tracy Leparulo",
"author_id": 69734,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/69734",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "In the context of an event there are a few things to consider. First\nit may depend on the \"type of event\" for example: conference, summit, symposium, forum, expo. But typically it is referring to someone who registered for the event. A delegate is usually used at an association or membership event. There usually consist of a membership overall. However I have seen delegate used to describe someone with the basic attendee level. For example: delegate, premium, vip, sponsor etc. I've also seem delegate used instead attendee. This is a tricky one because there seems to be no consistent way."
}
] |
2015/02/23
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40424",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28084/"
] |
40,425 |
Let's say a person really wants to go to school **X** for his PhD, but he was not able to get admission in this round of applications. However, he has an offer from another school **Y**, where a person with strong ties to school **X** has agreed to be his advisor in case he attends **Y**. Is there any good strategy that he can use that will help him get into **X**, if he applies again next year?
At the same time he would still like to attend **Y** and do research with said person at **Y** in case **X** rejects him again. Applying as a transfer student doesn't seem like a very good option, since transfers happen in graduate school only in very special circumstances. Could applying as a freshman work out? Would admission committees view him more critically if they know he is already a graduate student at another institute?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40457,
"author": "Amatya",
"author_id": 6674,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6674",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "I know more than a few people who have transferred schools. A couple of them passed their comps (comprehensive exams) and then got admitted into better schools. They had to start over at the new school but had the option of testing out of the comps/qualifiers etc at the new school. This is not encouraged, because you're screwing over your old school but nobody is going to hold it against you if you can make a significant upgrade to your career. I knew somebody who went from Kansas State to MIT. That made a massive difference to his career post graduation. Also, it's a big positive for you if you can demonstrate to the new school that you can handle PhD material, pass exams, and get good letters from research faculty at your old school. Keep it on the DL and try to impress faculty at your current school and also the one person at your preferred school. Getting great letters will massively improve your chances.\n\nSome people I know actually flunked their comps (and were getting kicked out with a Masters) at the first school but started over at a much lower ranked new school. This is harder because whoever is writing your letters will have to explain why you're still a good fit for graduate school despite being unable to pass comprehensive exams. It still worked for some people, so that's also an option if you're really dying to get a PhD.\n\nA third reason people transfer schools is when they can't find anybody in their precise area of research. This happens between the 2nd and 3rd year when the student kinda figures out what they really love and want to work on."
},
{
"answer_id": 40467,
"author": "SuperElectric",
"author_id": 27393,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27393",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "I was able to transfer from Georgia Tech to MIT after a year. I initially went to GA Tech to study with a famous professor, who, once I got there, said that she was slated to move to Carnegie Mellon in 2 months. Nobody else at GA Tech was doing what I was interested in at the time, so I decided to go through the application process again. I re-used one of my rec writers from my app to GA Tech, and got 2 new rec letters from GA Tech profs I had worked with. I was able to do this because of a great program GA Tech had at the time (I hope they still do), wherein first-years do 3 mini-projects with 3 profs in their first semester. 2 of those profs provided recs, one of which had come from the MIT department I ultimately got accepted to.\n\nTo do something like this, you'll want to do the same and hit the ground running at University Y, starting research projects immediately despite your first-year courses. This will give you recs, and also give the admissions committee at X something new to consider.\n\nOne tricky thing is if/how to present your intentions to the profs you work with at X. If they know you're planning to jump ship, they'll be less invested in you. It's probably best if you don't come in saying that you'd like to leave for X ASAP."
}
] |
2015/02/23
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40425",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30803/"
] |
40,442 |
I was looking for some information on the site that might help for applications to the [GRFP](https://www.nsfgrfp.org/). I found [JeffE's answer](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/1457/24682) to an old question extremely useful. However, I noticed that some of the advice he gives appears to be somewhat outdated. For example, the answer claims that it is a very bad idea to provide more than 3 recommendations, since any extra recommendations will be ignored. However, the [NSF site](https://www.nsfgrfp.org/applicants/application_components) now states:
>
> Applicants are required to submit **three** reference letters. There are **five** slots available for applicants to list reference writers. Applicants are **strongly** encouraged to utilize all available slots.
>
>
>
Have there been any other changes to the application criteria in the last few years that might invalidate any of the points in the old answer? Is there anything new to consider?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 43270,
"author": "Mr. W.",
"author_id": 32915,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/32915",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "First off, as a single data point, I was awarded the GRFP this year with only three reference letters.\n\n> \n> Each application consists of the following components: a 2-page personal statement; a 2-page description of past research; a 2-page description of proposed future research\n> \n> \n> \n\nCurrently, the GRFP requires a 2-page Graduate Research Plan Statement, and a 3-page Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement. This latter essay combines and shortens the previously required 2-page essays.\n\nThat's the only thing in JeffE's post that is obviously no longer true."
},
{
"answer_id": 43283,
"author": "CephBirk",
"author_id": 24711,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/24711",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "I believe they strongly encourage you to fill all 5 slots so that you don't get stuck in the situation where one of your 3 references fails to submit your letter by the deadline. If only 2 letters are submitted then your application is incomplete and thrown away. By filling all 5 slots, you are hedging your bets in case this happens.\n\nTo my knowledge, they still only actually look at 3 in the review process."
}
] |
2015/02/23
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40442",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/24682/"
] |
40,443 |
In a technical course, our professor refused to introduce any textbook. He officially stated (included in the course syllabus) that all the course content will be discussed in the class, and cover all questions in the final exam.
I think this is a trick to bring the students to the class instead of relying on self-study.
I do not have problem with this method, as I regularly attend the class, but it would be easier to have a textbook.
My question: can a professor do this? Isn't it the essential right of students to have appropriate textbooks for each course?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40444,
"author": "user6726",
"author_id": 28972,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28972",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": false,
"text": "There is no \"right to have a textbook\". Students do have a right to pick a different professor, or a different major, if they want. You should assume that the lack of a textbook for the course means that the instructor has evaluated existing texts as not appropriate."
},
{
"answer_id": 40445,
"author": "yo'",
"author_id": 1471,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1471",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "I don't see why should there be such a right. In most places, only things that have been presented on the lecture can be examined. If you are present at the lecture, you take your notes and study from them.\n\nIf you miss a lecture, then (first it's your problem and second) you either ask a mate to have his notes copied, or come to the professor, explain your reasons (should be something serious: illness or good family reasons, as always) and ask for references that cover the lecture you missed. The prof (in most places) need not give any, but usually they will."
},
{
"answer_id": 40446,
"author": "JP Janet",
"author_id": 28045,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28045",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "I can't say I see how it is required that a Professor prescribes a text. I have had lots of classes where the only material was that given in lectures. \n\nHowever, if you want some additional clarification, I would email the Professor and politely inquire if there are any references he considers relevant to the course. I cannot imagine a reasonable academic would be unwilling to advise you - his notes almost certainly draw from somewhere. In my experience, the biggest problem is that the course material is often concocted from many somewheres over many years. Still, I am sure the course leader could refer you to something, even if it is a list of chapters spread over multiple books.\n\nThe thing is, if the Professor has not a set a text, this a sign that focus of the course (read assessment) will be based on the class material only. Hence you risk going down a rabbit hole working off other material, and I would try and be sure that the stuff you look up is in the scope of the lectures."
},
{
"answer_id": 40447,
"author": "Penguin_Knight",
"author_id": 6450,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6450",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": false,
"text": "This actually sounds good! Whenever I met professors like this, I'd look forward to his/her lectures. Most of the time, they have good confidence, experience, and mastery of the subject and can pull off very systematic lectures and discussions. I would perhaps try to see this as a very positive sign and start appreciate the professor.\n\nAs for \"trick\" to get students to attend. What most of us merely want is to have our teaching done in an effective manner (though \"effectiveness\" can be subjective, and would need to be optimized to fulfill both students and professor. But the professor is the driving force of the teaching process, as a student I'd respect the decision.) If coming to class is the most effective, then we'll make students come to class. There is no trick, for we don't get paid by how many show up in the class. We just want to see you and address your questions.\n\nThink another way, this is a person who would rather deal with more potential questions and varied reactions in class than stuffing you a text and ask you to survive yourself. It's likely a good sign. (Or, he/she may have copied the whole text into the lecture and read each slide out loud, though I tend to think most people are good first.)\n\nAs for the text-deprived, they can always get their own text. The syllabus should have provided enough headlines for you to match with the book's contents page, allowing you to make an informed decision when buying or borrowing textbooks. Also, a search for syllabus with similar course title will also get you ample amounts of sample syllabi, most of which probably did suggest a text.\n\nAdditionally, just because there isn't an assigned textbook doesn't mean the professor will not recommend any reference book. Perhaps later into the semester you can ask if there are any desktop references or web resources he/she will recommend.\n\nLastly, some personal experience: good textbooks come by more often due to chance than effort. Sometimes the authors may use different terminology, have different inclusion or organization of the topics, use different software so the examples don't apply to the students, or everything is good but they haven't updated the book for 10+ years, etc. Sometimes there is just not a suitable text."
},
{
"answer_id": 40448,
"author": "RoboKaren",
"author_id": 14885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14885",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "No, there is no mandate.\n\nI taught an introductory course last semester and deliberately decided to not use any textbooks at all -- only journal articles that the students could download from the library database. This was because I wanted the students to learn what my field was through the most recent, cutting-edge materials available. \n\nMy university (I believe it is a [federal rule](http://www.studentpirgs.org/resources/textbook-price-disclosure-law)) says that I must list all the required textbook titles and prices before the beginning of the term so that the students can shop classes based on price. But there is no requirement to *have* textbooks and the fact that my class was listed as $0 for required texts was a bonus."
},
{
"answer_id": 40450,
"author": "Nate Eldredge",
"author_id": 1010,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1010",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "As an extreme case, I'll mention the [Moore method](http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore_method), developed for mathematics courses. In a class taught according to this method, students are given only basic information (definitions, etc) and are expected to derive all the standard results in the subject for themselves (either individually or collectively).\n\nIn the traditional version of this method, not only is there no assigned textbook, students are *forbidden* from referring to any textbooks or other resources on the subject, for the duration of the term.\n\nThis teaching method is certainly controversial (no need to post comments saying you think it sounds terrible) but I think most institutions would consider it a legitimate approach if a professor chose to adopt it. \n\nAs I've mentioned in a few recent answers, professors generally have wide latitude in making pedagogical decisions for the courses they teach, and institutions tend to avoid creating regulations that would constrain that latitude."
},
{
"answer_id": 40451,
"author": "Steven Schulman",
"author_id": 7789,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7789",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "I have taught at universities which did not require textbooks, universities which did require a textbook but did not prescribe which one, and universities which prescribed the textbook. Perhaps the concern is that instructors in future courses should be able to presume student who completed a specific course has been exposed to a specific curriculum. Ideally, this should be true independently of the university or the instructor. In practice, it is not always so."
},
{
"answer_id": 40453,
"author": "Community",
"author_id": -1,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/-1",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "I think this varies from one type of school to another, so I'll give the picture at my school, which is a community college in California. Every course is required to have extensive curriculum information that is approved by a curriculum committee, is maintained in a database, and is publicly available. This is important for us because our students transfer to four-year schools, and four-year schools need data so they can decide what courses to accept from us. Part of the required curriculum data is a list of one or more textbooks, and there are specific requirements, e.g., at least one of the texts listed must have been published within the last 5 years. This 5-year requirement is imposed on us by our accrediting body, which is very authoritarian and loves to micromanage. One can have a list like text A or B or C. It could be A and B and C. It could be A and (B or C).\n\nHowever, this is only a requirement on the info that goes into the curriculum database. If I decide to use a different text, or no text, and nobody in my department has any objections, then nobody will know or care. When we change textbooks, for example, the change always happens first, and only later, when we get around to revising the curriculum data, is it reflected there. (This may be as much as 6 years later.)\n\nI think the basic idea, which is reasonable, is that listing texts indicates very precisely what type of course it will be, including breadth, depth, audience, and level of intellectual sophistication.\n\nNote that there is no wide consensus on whether textbook selection falls within the sphere of academic freedom. For example, the AAUP's 1940 statement on academic freedom is silent on textbooks. In a large department, for a course that is taught by a lot of people, textbook selection is usually a formal and somewhat political process. This is partly for practical and economic reasons (e.g., not wanting students to get stuck with a book that they can't sell back), but also often for reasons of control. E.g., tenured faculty may feel that part-timers should hew closely to a certain prescribed structure."
},
{
"answer_id": 40479,
"author": "Akavall",
"author_id": 13088,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/13088",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "There is no such requirement that I know of, and there should not be. The professor's job is to teach the material. If they can do it without a book, great!\n\nI taught intro to statistics as a graduate student, and I could not find a book that I really liked. They were too wordy with real life examples, and they provided formulas with little or no intuitive explanation. So, I knew that I was going to rely on my notes from intro to statistics class (which was very good and almost entirely lecture based) that I took myself as a student. Given, that my class would be entirely based on the class lecture and the notes, I felt bad requiring a $100+ book, which would hardly be used.\n\nI \"recommended\" a book stating clearly that it is not required and I was not super impressed with it.\n\nMany people thanked me for not using a book in their evaluations."
},
{
"answer_id": 40512,
"author": "Scott Seidman",
"author_id": 20457,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20457",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "Damned if you do, damned if you don't. If you can't find a good text, and pick a mediocre one that doesn't help, the students won't like you wasting their money. If you don't specify a text in this case, the students think they're being tricked into attending class.\n\nTo answer your question, profs are generally free to do as they choose with respect to texts. In response to your feelings on the matter, if you work out the math, in the top US private schools, you're paying about $200/lecture that you choose to miss. The pedagogical approach the profs tend to take work best if you're in class. If you don't mind missing out on that, and don't mind paying for lectures you're not attending, and can accept that you might well grade lower than your class-attending peers, then your approach to class attendance works well for you."
}
] |
2015/02/23
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40443",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30826/"
] |
40,466 |
I'm 34. I received a degree in computer in 2008 and have been running a business ever since. Recently, I decided to apply for a postgraduate program in healthcare in January.
To show that I was interested in health care, I completed a one year certificate course in a related field last year. A few days after I had submitted my application form and two strong recommendations, they arranged an interview for me.
The interviewers were friendly at first, and the questions were not very tough.
I was feeling confident until the senior interviewer (Prof. Joe) suddenly asked me if I wanted to become a nurse. I said yes. He smiled but then told me that all successful applicants last year were twenty something (at least 12 years younger than me.) I was taken aback by his comment. Was that a negative connotation?
Edited to add:
1. I had read the professional recognition information on their web. The programme is accreditated by the nursing council and graduates are eligible to apply for registration as nurse, so I could not understand why he asked if I wanted to become a nurse.
2. The certificate course tutor had told us about the average age of nurse population.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40472,
"author": "aeismail",
"author_id": 53,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/53",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "I think the faculty member who mentioned this is treading on very thin ice. Age should **not** play a role in US admissions processes (nor in the admissions processes in most other countries. The statement that only candidates in their twenties were being admitted could potentially get the school into trouble if that's done intentionally."
},
{
"answer_id": 40473,
"author": "M.Dax",
"author_id": 28944,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28944",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "Are you sure you're not reading too much into this? It seems to me like all he was doing was quoting a stat. More often than not, it's industry and not an academic field, that tends to discriminate (sometimes without even realizing it!) based on age. I have to agree with one of the responders though that the professor was treading on thin ice, and in retrospect, he probably wishes he hadn't!"
},
{
"answer_id": 40496,
"author": "Penguin_Knight",
"author_id": 6450,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6450",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "This is by no mean to be a controversial answer, just how I usually would deal with this situation if I found myself in a seemingly disadvantaged situation. Basically, I agree with one of the comments that perhaps the interviewer was trying to see how you'd respond.\n\nIf we know that we are different from the rest in any way, be it much older, younger, taller, shorter, of a particular race, ethnicity or upbringing, do try some soul searching and elaborate what it truly means and how it truly can benefit you, the peers, and the organization. Time to time I found people (myself included sometimes) set off the discrimination alarm a bit too prematurely and close up or just being stunned. Instead, We all would benefit from taking a serious look on what we might get discriminated at, and up-play that property if a chance comes by. \n\nFor example, in OP's situation, I'd suggest gearing the discussion to elaborate what packing extra 12 years of business experience can bring to the table. You may be more worldly, more sensitive to customer's (aka patient's) needs, more mature, etc. Then, proceed to talk about perhaps one general stereotype for being a more mature when entering a job... e.g. you'll lose 12 years of pay grade compared to your peers, how would you feel about that? Most of your future peer in the same rank with you will be a few generations younger, how successful have you been working with younger folks? Proceed to debunk them, and casually say that you wish this year there will be a successful candidate in his 30s.\n\nThese are all just suggestions; I feel it's important to show that a candidate has thought about the situation thoroughly, and be able to dissolve an apparent unfriendly remark with grace. And this is probably important for nurses as well: impatient, angry, and suffering patients (and their family members) can say something a lot worse.\n\nDon't get too bogged down by those mean age statistics. If you truly feel you've found your calling, give it the best you can. Best of luck!"
}
] |
2015/02/23
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40466",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28585/"
] |
40,468 |
I'm looking to tour a few grad schools in the near future, but I can't find any dates for tours for any of the schools I'm interested in.
The school I attend has tours for potential grad students, but I'm not sure this is a thing all schools do.
Do grad schools typically have days where they hold tours?
Should I contact the schools I'm interested in? If so, who should I contact?
(I have not yet applied, I'm about a year away from that.)
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40469,
"author": "zeldredge",
"author_id": 30837,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30837",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "If you are in the middle of the graduate school application process, they will generally tell you (upon acceptance) when their open house is. If you are thinking ahead (e.g., to next year), I would send an email to the office of graduate admissions, or perhaps to the chair of graduate admissions for the department you're interested in. They may not have organized large-scale tours for prospective graduate students who have not been admitted, but I imagine they might be willing to work with you to get you on a campus tour, set up a meeting with professors whose work you are interested in, etc."
},
{
"answer_id": 40490,
"author": "MrMeritology",
"author_id": 17564,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17564",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "\"Tours\" are different from \"open houses\". On \"tours\" there is zero chance you'll meet or hear from any faculty. At an \"open house\", there is 50% chance you'll hear from one or more faculty, and 25% you can actually talk to faculty during the reception. It would be very rare (and delightful) that a graduate applicant \"open house\" would have most or all of the faculty.\n\nRegarding \"open houses\", there are three possible methods to find out about them.\n\nFirst is to look at the Department's web site, and check under \"Events\" and/or \"News\". (Sadly) They might only give 2 weeks notice for \"open houses\". \n\nSecond, the department might have a mailing list where you can add your email address to receive regular (daily or weekly) emails on upcoming events.\n\nThird, the open house may be not associated with the department but instead it might be hosted by the School, College, or equivalent. You may need to add your name/email to a mailing list for these events.\n\nRemember: Departments are notoriously irregular in their \"customer service\" in this regard. Almost no academic departments have incentives to perform their operational processes effectively."
},
{
"answer_id": 40491,
"author": "nivag",
"author_id": 14115,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14115",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "Most graduate schools will hold some sort of open day/evening/session. Where you can find out more about the course/program you are interested in and possibly meet faculty and current students and go on a tour or similar.\n\nThe way these things are organized varies from place to place and I have seen events organized at the university, department and group level. The smaller events tend to have greater interaction with faculty/students but may miss general impression of the institution.\n\nInformation about when these events happen is generally available on the university/school website. However, it is not always obvious and may be hidden somewhere in the graduate admissions or events section and may not be up to date.\n\nIf you can't find the information you want you could contact someone at the university. Whoever is in charge of graduate admissions is probably the best bet. But, if you can find any email that is to do with admissions enquiries they should be able to help."
},
{
"answer_id": 40498,
"author": "Yasha",
"author_id": 28181,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28181",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "Why not just set up the time yourself? Look through the faculty and find the professors that interest you, and then contact them. That's what I did - I met professors individually, spoke about my research interests, and asked them about theirs. They were almost always extremely kind and helpful, and I did this at about 5 schools. You could even call the department and ask if they have a department administrator or coordinator who might help you coordinate a scheduled day.\n\nNot only did this help me get a sense of what the schools were like, but I found out later that, when my name came up in the admissions pile, it was recognized, and helped me get in."
}
] |
2015/02/24
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40468",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6473/"
] |
40,476 |
Suppose a person spends their PhD at an institute with a high ratio of PhD students to other students, resulting in a very low teaching load for PhD students, resulting in no or almost no teaching/tutoring. Suppose he/she spends years in postdocs, where each postdoc is funded by supervisor grants, and involves no teaching. She/he does great science but does not acquire other skills or experience.
Consider that tenure-track positions always require stellar experience in research, teaching and getting proposals funded — all of the above.
Is it harmful to an academic career if research is great, but all done on other people's grants and with no teaching experience to speak of? If yes, how could one prevent or overcome this?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40477,
"author": "RoboKaren",
"author_id": 14885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14885",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "It depends. At my [R1 university](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research_I_university) where the only thing that counts is research, you would be an ideal candidate for our hiring committees. \n\nAt other **R1s which balance research against a modicum of teaching**, you might face a little bit of an uphill struggle. It might be good if you could at least pick up some teaching experience or certification1 to help you in the job market.\n\nYou face the most problems at **small liberal arts colleges**, where you would face two issues:\n\n* The concern that you don't know how (or really care) to teach\n* The concern that you would think yourself ultimately destined for R1s and thus leave the SLAC at the first opportunity possible\n\nYou would have to counter these two prejudices in your job letter and interviews.\n\n---\n\n1. Even at my august institution, we're realizing our graduates are having problems on the job market because they have little to no teaching experience. So we have instituted a teaching and learning center where they can take seminars and workshops on pedagogic methods. They get a little annotation (certification) to this effect on their transcripts. Certainly not comparable to the teaching experience that doctoral students receive at public R1s."
},
{
"answer_id": 40478,
"author": "Brian Borchers",
"author_id": 4453,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4453",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "The answer depends a lot on the particular institution but even within an institution there are likely to be significant differences between academic departments. \n\nIn mathematics, many post-doc positions include some opportunity for the post-doc to teach a bit (e.g. one course per year.) I'd advise anyone in that situation to take advantage of the opportunity to get some teaching experience. Several universities have positions for early career mathematicians that combine a half time teaching load with plenty of institutional support for research- these look really good on a resume. Visiting Assistant Professor (limited term non tenure track teaching only) positions are also quite common in mathematics. These are a great way to get teaching experience, but you'll have a hard time doing any research while in such a position. \n\nIn the mathematics department that I work in, teaching experience is a significant issue. However, I've been on search committees in other STEM departments at our institution where most candidates had no teaching experience to speak of and this wasn't an important issue. \n\nWith respect to grant funding, it can be quite hard for post-docs to get experience writing grants since they typically aren't allowed to be PI on a grant while in a post-doc. However, any experience in writing proposals (even just helping your advisor to write a proposal) is a big plus in my opinion."
},
{
"answer_id": 40524,
"author": "Fomite",
"author_id": 118,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/118",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "At many institutions, research is all that matters. If you're at an institute with a light teaching burden for your PhD students, it stands to reason that there may not be all that much teaching for the *faculty* to do. For example, at my graduate institution, faculty taught at most a class or so a year.\n\nSimilarly, if you have clearly *thought* about grants, have a submission plan, etc., they may overlook not having submitted grants if there was a rational reason for that, like recognizing the need to support a much larger grant effort over funding a smaller postdoctoral-level grant.\n\nBasically, it doesn't need to kill your application, but you should be able to articulate what direction you will go in the future for research, teaching and grant writing."
}
] |
2015/02/24
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40476",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1033/"
] |
40,482 |
I am an undergraduate in computer science. I worked on a professor's project, and he submitted it to a conference with me being the second author (he and I are the only authors). If it is accepted, I would really love to attend the conference (I have never done so before), both for knowing what other people are doing and establishing some relation with other professors. However, I am not sure whether it is even appropriate to ask my professor. We are keeping a very friendly relationship, and I don't want asking him for this thing to make him perceive me as "conceited" (or something else).
For my contribution to the research, he came up with the theory, and I did most of experiment and data analysis and visualization to empirically support it. It amounts to about 25%-30% of the total length of the paper.
I am completely unclear about funding issue. Do conference organizer provides some compensation? Or should I ask for university for support (I guess they will be at best reluctant since I am not the first author)? Or should I ask for my professor to use his funding? Or do I need to pay my travel expense myself?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40483,
"author": "seteropere",
"author_id": 532,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/532",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "It is perfectly fine for the second author *(if it matters: many people do use alphabetic ordering where second author does not necessarily mean less contribution)* to present the paper. **It is not only appropriate but encouraged to attend**. I have seen many professors attend with one or two of their students.. Tell your professor that you are interested in presenting the paper or at least attending the conference in case of acceptance. \n\nAsk him to help you with the funding. He may point you to different resources available on the department/university or even national level. Many conferences have student discount and many do waive the registration fees if you volunteered at the conference. Look for this information into the conference website."
},
{
"answer_id": 40484,
"author": "Dave Clarke",
"author_id": 643,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/643",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "Firstly, there is no reason (apart from funding) stopping a second author from attending. The conference organisers would love it, they want as many people to attend as they can get.\n\nSometimes conferences offer a small amount of funding for students. You should check out the conference web page and see whether you are eligible. As an author on one of the papers, you have a chance.\n\nBut otherwise you will have to find funding from elsewhere. Your supervisor should be the first person to ask, then maybe the head of the research group you are in, then the head of department. Perhaps there is university-level funding available too. These people should be able to point you towards that. There's probably also an office somewhere who collects information about such grants. \n\nAs a general rule, avoid paying out of your own pocket unless you have to."
},
{
"answer_id": 40486,
"author": "xLeitix",
"author_id": 10094,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10094",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "As others have already stated, it is perfectly acceptable to show up at a conference when you are not the first author of your paper, or even if you have no paper at all at the conference.\n\nDepending on your research group and how well-funded it is, funding your trip may or may not be a problem. Your first partner in such attempts should certainly be your co-author, and there is nothing wrong about asking him whether you can go and to what extend his grants or the university can support you. The prof. will also know about other funding sources you may apply to. For instance, you could apply as a student volunteer for the conference (usually levies the conference fee), or you could ask for a travel stipend from the conference organizers (although these are often indeed reserved for first authors, at least in my field).\n\nAs a sidenote, most professors around me are actually really happy about undergrads that want to go to conferences, as it shows that the undergrad really cares about research and wants to see how it is being done. People *love* that, because both, in my Swiss current and Austrian previous university, getting good undergrads to stay for a PhD was a perpetual concern and worth quite some money in up-front investment to professors that had some travel money to spare.\n\n*(PhD admission works different to the US around here. Most of our PhD students come from our own pool of undergrads, and it's definitely a students market (i.e., few good students, lots of professors looking for them). Good undergrads are basically wooed by professors to do a PhD with them.)*"
}
] |
2015/02/24
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40482",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27699/"
] |
40,487 |
I am a first year graduate student in a computational math program. Based on my background (I just finished a one-semester graduate real analysis course), instead of reading a specific textbook, my supervisor suggested me starting reading papers. And if I find unclear concepts, I can refer to some books in library, learn the specific knowledge and come back to the paper.
In general I agree with this method since I think this is the most effective way to learn a new technique, that is, applying the new knowledge directly to my research. But I am not sure what I should do if it's a pure math concept, instead of a numerical scheme. For example, say the existence of weak solution of a particular PDE. After reading the relavant chapter or chapters of a classic book which I borrowed from the library, should I try to do the exercise after those chapters before moving back to the paper? Based on the suggestions [here](https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/164002/are-the-exercises-necessary-to-understand-the-subject-of-a-mathematical-textbook?rq=1), I should try to solve as many as exercises in that book to make sure I understand the theorems and techniques, and this is what I usually do in my undergraduate study.
But I have several concerns about this approach. Firstly, it may be time-consuming and may delay the research process. Secondly, unlike reading an undergraduate textbook, I started the reference book in the middle, while the exercises may require some previous chapters' techiniques, which I may not know and may not be directly related with my current research.
So may you share your experience about how to deal with this senario? Do you come back to the paper immediately (say after knowing the statement of a theorem) or do you spend some time solving exercises? If the exercises involving previous chapters' concepts, do you usually read previous chapters as well or do you just skip those exercises? I know it's good to learn more things, but given the time constrains and tons of things I need to learn, sometime it may not be practical.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40488,
"author": "xLeitix",
"author_id": 10094,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10094",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "You are definitely looking at the wrong factor here. The question for you should not be *\"Should I solve the examples?\"*, but rather *\"Do I understand the technique well enough to confidently apply it to my own research?\"*.\n\nIf the answer to the second question is **yes**, you don't need to waste your time on doing more examples. If the answer is **no**, you need to study the technique more before applying it, and doing the examples may or may not be a good way to do it. However, in the second case, doing the examples cannot be \"too time-consuming\", as you will need to spend more time on learning the technique anyway. At the end of the day, it isn't about \"solving as many examples as possible\", but about understanding the material well enough. As a young researcher, you should be advanced enough to tell when this is the case.\n\nThat being said, the way how you phrased the question makes me wonder to what extend you actually understand the technique. Specifically:\n\n> \n> I started the reference book in the middle, while the exercises may require some previous chapters' techiniques, which I may not know and may not be directly related with my current research.\n> \n> \n> \n\nOf course one needs to know the concrete example to be sure, but if you are unable to do the examples because you have not read the previous text book sections, it seems to me that your understanding of the overall area is not all that great yet."
},
{
"answer_id": 40494,
"author": "Ander Biguri",
"author_id": 16023,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/16023",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "It depends in your learning process. My philosophy is in general: \n\n```\n*To be able to say that you understand something, you need to be able to code it.*\n\n```\n\nThis leads me to code lots of things in order to fully understand them. While it seems time consuming, once I have code it I realised that I do understand a lot of the high end research in the field and It saves me a lot of time that would be spent into trying to understand each specific paper using the technique I coded (or variations).\n\nHowever, you can not code everything. There are THOUSANDS of methods in each field. My recommendation: Solve the textbook problems that will be relevant to your work, the ones that you are going to use/modify."
},
{
"answer_id": 40500,
"author": "sevensevens",
"author_id": 14754,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14754",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "> \n> instead of reading a specific textbook, my supervisor suggested me starting reading papers. And if I find unclear concepts, I can refer to some books in library, learn the specific knowledge and come back to the paper.\n> \n> \n> \n\nThis is how you learn to read papers. When you first start, there will be several gaps as your undergraduate classes couldn't prepare you for every grad-level sub-field there is. You can fill in the gaps with reference books, your advisor, or other knowledgable students.\n\nDon't worry about missing something out of one of the reference books. Either you'll notice it when a paper makes a claim you don't understand (will be common at first), or your advisor will realize you do not understand it.\n\nFocus on understanding the papers you read. There is no way anyone would have time to read multiple text books and keep up in grad school. It feels overwhelming at first, but stay focused, and it will get MUCH easier."
},
{
"answer_id": 40546,
"author": "Pete L. Clark",
"author_id": 938,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/938",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "I wanted to put in a word that mathematics really is hard and takes time to learn. \n\nIn particular, in my experience -- which is, I must say, almost exclusively with *pure* mathematics, but in many programs in the US the distinction between pure and applied only emerges later on -- relatively few first year math PhD students are reading papers independently. Unless I very much misremember, I did not start reading \"serious\" math papers until my second year. For what it is worth, I was a student at Harvard, and I entered with a BAMS from the University of Chicago. I was not poorly prepared compared to my American peers. Also for what it is worth, \"one-semester graduate real analysis\" is what I took as a third year undergraduate. And then I followed it with another semester. And by the way I was a student of number theory. As I recall I spent the first semester of my first year studying for my quals, passed them at the beginning of the second semester, and spent the second semester learning about elliptic curves, local fields and schemes from **textbooks** of Lohvemman, Serpo and Hartshorne. The idea of plunging into papers without having learned this material: well, it might have added some drama, but almost certainly it would have added to my total time to degree.\n\nI have very mixed feelings when I hear people on this site say things to early career graduate students like: \"don't get too bogged down in any one thing\"; \"you can read textbooks forever; time to start reading papers\"; \"only spend as much time to learn something as is needed to apply it to your own work\"; and so forth. It is not that such sentiments are not applicable in mathematics: I have said all of these lines myself. It is rather that in mathematics this kind of advice gets given out much later in the day: some of it is great advice for mid- and late-career grad students, and some of it sounds more appropriate for postdocs. On the other hand I have seen a lot of students -- including talented ones -- get snagged because they prioritize \"their research\" over basic learning. I did my PhD thesis on moduli spaces of abelian surfaces with quaternionic multiplication. *I didn't know what any of those words meant as a first year PhD student.*\n\nNow I write all this knowing that the OP is in applied math, which depending on what that means could either be identical to the pure math experience, wildly different, or anywhere in between. But he is asking about pure math knowledge and seems to have the intuition that it will not come so quickly or easily. I think the most honest, helpful answer is: it does not come so quickly or easily to pure math students at top places. So if you're expecting it to come quickly and easily to you, then you're setting yourself up for disappointment. A certain amount of patient, textbook-driven linear learning will pay immeasurable dividends down the road. How much? Good question: that's what advisors are for.\n\nWell, after all this I may as well take a crack at the precise question asked. Should you solve exercises in textbooks you read in order to gain background on your research? **Sometimes**. I think that whenever you're reading a math book and get to some exercises you should at least look over them and get a sense of how close you are to being able to solve them. This is an important clue to how much of the material has sunk in. On the other hand, how much time should you spend solving any one \"problem set\" when you're reading the text in \"research mode\"? Not very much *unless you see how solving that particular problem is relevant to your work* (in which case: lots of time, potentially). If you don't know whether the exercises are relevant to what you're doing, you either haven't read closely enough or are reading too linearly: you don't have to read textbooks in order or one at a time. Grab several off the shelf at once. Play them off against each other. Often what you actually need is something that most texts will hint at, drive somewhere near, leave to you as an exercise....but the right textbook will do it wonderfully. Or maybe no one text will say exactly what you want, but together they will. Being able to \"triangulate from multiple sources\" is, I would say, an intermediate research skill: I know many PhD students who don't seem to have mastered it (e.g. for complete lack of trying!), but it is one well worth developing if you're trying to dive head-first into the literature.\n\nGood luck."
}
] |
2015/02/24
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40487",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/18259/"
] |
40,489 |
If someone is on a tenure track in a science or engineering department at U.S. institution (Tier 1, if that makes the question more focused), and it is time to review his case to be tenured and promoted to associate professor, what is a typical range for the number of the external reviewers for his file? Does the number vary if the case is for professorship promotion?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41384,
"author": "Ari Trachtenberg",
"author_id": 15885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/15885",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "The actual number varies by institution and, frankly, does not matter that much. The real questions are:\n\n* *Are you known in a community?* Do people in your academic community generally know of you and, more importantly, your work.\n* *Does the university want to keep you?* It is always possible to find people who will write either effusively positive or cynically negative reviews of anyone and everyone. Such reviewers are generally known to people who seek their reviews.\n\nThe first question is loosely tied to the visibility of your research, and the second question is loosely tied to your value within the university (often including teaching, grant funding, collegiality, and the like)."
},
{
"answer_id": 41385,
"author": "mako",
"author_id": 5962,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/5962",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "The numbers vary enormously between universities and departments and, from my experience, seems to correspond at least roughly with the prestige (and tenure rate) of the institutions. At the very high end, I've met faculty in the humanities at both MIT and Columbia whose told me that their case required (or will soon require) 25 letters!\n\nMany top large research schools including the large state university that currently employs me will request in the order of 4-8. I'm under the impression that the majority of universities will request between 2 and 5."
},
{
"answer_id": 41399,
"author": "David Ketcheson",
"author_id": 81,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/81",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "At my institution, (which typically takes its cues from Tier 1 US institutions and is led by scientists who all come from Tier 1 US institutions), the dean solicits 6 names from the faculty member and another 6 names are determined by him or people in the program. From this list of 12, it's necessary to obtain at least 6 letters for the case. It goes without saying that none of the 12 names can have any significant ties to the candidate. All of the 12 should be full professors at \"peer\" institutions, which means institutions of the same or higher research caliber as your own. Typically most of them are highly distinguished, such as people who hold leadership positions in societies or journals or who have won major awards for their research.\n\nThe above is for promotion to associate professor. I believe that for promotion to full professor the number of letters is higher.\n\nIf you are interested in a particular institution, look up the rules in their faculty handbook (which is often publicly available)."
}
] |
2015/02/24
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40489",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/9547/"
] |
40,497 |
When I search for papers using some keywords in academic databases (like Google Scholar), there are lots of papers, but I would like to read literature reviews first because I’m new in that area. (By *literature reviews,* I mean article-length papers that analyze existing work on a specific topic.)
So I think it would be helpful for me if there were a way to find literature reviews using the keyword or using the paper’s title. I want to categorize papers I’ve found by its document type (research, survey, review, etc).
What I've tried is using a specific academic database (ScienceDirect), which provides an advanced search, in which one can filter the paper by its type (original research article, review article, short survey, etc) – but I feel some limitations of this method.
I think I can also do this by adding the word *review* to my keywords for searching or by reading a paper’s abstract, number of references and guessing whether it is review article or not.
Is there a more efficient way to find review articles by the keyword?
(My research area is computer science.)
**UPDATE**
"feel some limitations" in my post, I'm not sure but it seems that ScienceDirect only searches for literatures that belongs to ElseVier company. I think It doesn't cover the journal articles well, comparing to e.g) Google Scholar so I said I feel some limitations of it
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41742,
"author": "Todd Booth",
"author_id": 26573,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/26573",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "Google Scholar does not offer as concise query commands, as for example, Scopus and ProQuest. Note that there is a bug in Scopus. When I use commands such as the following, they don't work unless, I add an extra space \" \", at the end of each line. Here is one of my Scopus queries, which shows you an example, of exactly what you are looking for. The keyword fields are ar:artical, cp:conference contribution, comp:computer science.\n\n```\n( \n ( \n ( DOCTYPE(ar) AND PUBYEAR AFT 2008 ) OR \n ( DOCTYPE(cp) AND PUBYEAR AFT 2010 ) \n ) AND \n\n TITLE-ABS-KEY \n ( \n \"design science\" and \"literature review\"\n ) AND \n\n ( \n SUBJAREA(COMP)\n ) AND\n\n LANGUAGE(English) \n\n)\n\n```"
},
{
"answer_id": 52192,
"author": "fileunderwater",
"author_id": 7223,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7223",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "To me, using academic citation databases (such as *Scopus* or *Web of Knowledge*) is the obvious choice for these types of searches, since they have option for filtering on article type (which Google Scholar doesn't have). You haven't explained why you \"*... feel some limitations..*\" when using *ScienceDirect*, so it is hard to know exactly what you feel is lacking. If your issue is that it is a closed subscription platform, you can also use [*PubMed*](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed), which can also filter search results on article type (as *review[Publication Type]* in advanced search or by clicking on \"Review\" in the left panel when viewing search results). The main issue with *PubMed* is that it has a smaller coverage than the other databases, at least in some fields of science."
},
{
"answer_id": 131633,
"author": "Tripartio",
"author_id": 20418,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20418",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "You can simply search for \"review\\*\" as a required keyword in the title, abstract or keywords in a subscription scholarly database. There are three important aspects to my answer:\n\n* **Search for \"review\\*\" as a required keyword:** In addition to all your keywords of interest, you should connect them to \"AND review\\*\". This will get you all articles related to your topic that also mention something about \"review\". A literature review might be called \"a literature review\", \"a systematic review\", \"reviews the literature\", or other related terms, so \"review\\*\" (don't forget the \"\\*\") would be needed to capture all these.\n* **Search in the title, abstract or keywords:** Do not do a full text search, or else you will return far too many irrelevant results, since most articles probably mention \"review\\*\" somewhere. However, I expect that the vast majority of literature reviews would mention that keyword in their abstracts, if not in their title or keyword list. Such a search would return some articles that are not standalone literature reviews, but you always want a search strategy that returns a little too much, and then you can manually filter the results. That way, you don't miss anything.\n* **Search a subscription scholarly database, not Google Scholar:** Google Scholar is great for many things (I use it almost every day), but absolutely not for this kind of search. Google Scholar does not allow you to search only in the title, abstract or keywords. It only allows title searches, or abstract searches for articles in the last 12 months (or something like that). I believe that this is because publishers allow Google to index their texts only on the condition that it is not allowed to be as useful as paid subscription databases. So, it can only return thousands of results for this kind of search; you can't use it for the higher precision strategy I describe here."
},
{
"answer_id": 152164,
"author": "Aaron Tay",
"author_id": 126705,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/126705",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "There are a couple of methods to do this. I detail all 4 methods here\n\n<https://medium.com/a-academic-librarians-thoughts-on-open-access/4-ways-to-find-review-papers-systematic-reviews-meta-analysis-and-other-rich-sources-of-82898aebb6e7>\n\n1. Use built-in filters that exist in databases like Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science. However these tend to have somewhat selective in coverage, and as I write this in 2020, [Microsoft Academic](https://academic.microsoft.com/home) (Microsoft's answer to Google and almost as large), has a autogenerated vocab that includes labels for \"[Review Articles](https://academic.microsoft.com/topic/140608501/publication/search?q=Review%20article&qe=And(Composite(F.FId%253D140608501)%252CTy%253D%270%27)&f=&orderBy=0)\", [Systematic Reviews](https://academic.microsoft.com/search?q=systematic%20review&qe=%40%40%40Composite(F.FN%3D%3D%27systematic%20review%27)&f=&orderBy=4&skip=0&take=10) and [Meta-analysis](https://academic.microsoft.com/topic/95190672/publication/search?q=Meta-analysis&qe=And(Composite(F.FId%253D95190672)%252CTy%253D%270%27)&f=&orderBy=0) which can be used for filtering.\n2. Do a keyword search and hope to match title, abstracts etc. This is the main method used for Google Scholar. As noted this can be quite inaccurate beyond the first few results, because Google Scholar has limited search synatx to do field searching.\n3. Advanced boolean searching - using a complicated and advanced boolean search query on a syntax capable search engine, one can create a search with high precision and high recall to find such articles. I detail [a method here](https://medium.com/@aarontay/finding-reviews-on-any-topic-using-lens-org-and-2d-search-a-new-efficient-method-d601e3e07d73).\n4. Using bibliometric citation mapping to identify review papers - The idea here is that if intutively if you see a lot of papers that you are interested in are cited by this one paper, it is likely this paper could be a review paper (and even if not it is probably relevant). Tools like [CoCites](http://www.cocites.com/) exploit this to try to detect such papers."
}
] |
2015/02/24
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40497",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30853/"
] |
40,502 |
This is probably a question quite opposite to the general vibe of people in academia, but oh well.
I am a UK-based PhD student and as I progress through my programme I notice more and more that my tutoring duties bring me a lot more enjoyment and fulfilment than research. Thus I started to wonder if there are ways of becoming a university lecturer without actually pursuing research.
I am observing many researchers who are, honestly, quite appalling lecturers and are quite vocal about not enjoying working with students anyway. At the same time, however, it seems that UK universities don't hire people who don't do research - at least I was unable to find any.
Most jobs I looked at involved research and, obviously, usually PhD-level jobs assume at least some level of research duties in them. At the same time I wouldn't want to be a teacher at a level lower than university, since I enjoy talking to students who chose the course more than to people who were forced to take it by the general curriculum. I was also a little bit afraid that in the academic world the job of a full-time tutor may be in the long run frowned upon, as "They is doing everything you are and ALSO doing research!"
So I guess the tl;dr version of my question would be:
**Is it possible to have a career as a full-time university lecturer in the UK without research activities?**
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40505,
"author": "Jessica B",
"author_id": 20036,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20036",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "My institution has policies that talk about 'teaching and scholarship' positions. These presumably require more teaching than the 'teaching and research' positions. So I believe the answer is yes. I don't know what the availability of such positions is though. It is conceivable that nowhere actually hires on that basis now."
},
{
"answer_id": 40506,
"author": "sevensevens",
"author_id": 14754,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14754",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "It is completely possible to be hired as a full-time lecturer without a Ph.D. You can also become a prof at a teaching university, which may be more what you want.\n\nIf you go the full-time lecturer route, most universities hire lectures on a contract bases, but a few will be promoted to full-time lecturing positions. You will likely not have as much choice in the classes you teach as profs in your department.\n\nYour other option is to do research in teaching your subject. You get your Ph.D. by researching how best to teach the subject you are interested in, and once you've received it, you can apply to teaching universities that will pay you to teach without doing research. Teaching universities award tenure based on excellence in teaching, which encourages all faculty to have good lectures.\n\nNOTE: I believe the UK does NOT have tenure, but its still worth thinking about as both America and several other european countries have some form of it."
},
{
"answer_id": 40555,
"author": "Dan",
"author_id": 30807,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30807",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "Absolutely. Such positions are called *teaching fellowships*. I don't know how common such positions are in general but we had two in the department where I did my PhD. There are certainly quite a number on [jobs.ac.uk](http://www.jobs.ac.uk/categories/teaching-fellow-jobs/)."
},
{
"answer_id": 40564,
"author": "Ian",
"author_id": 22000,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22000",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "To add some more detail to @sevensevens answer, here is some detail from my UK institution (hidden inside our intranet, so I can't link):\n\nThe academic jobs have four areas where staff \"contribute\", one of which is education (the others are research, enterprise [consultancy or bringing in cash], and leadership and management [admin++]). All staff are expected to contribute to at least two at some level; an example they give for \"education led\" staff would be 70% education and 30% leadership.\n\nAs an example, to get to level 6 (senior lecturer / associate prof equivalent) on the education led path, the member of staff may (in addition to their standard teaching duties)\n\n* Develop and sustain major pedagogical and practitioner activity of high reputation in the UK and internationally, including through original research work.\n* Play a leading role in the debate nationally about teaching and learning policy, methods and practices through publications, conference activity and other appropriate media.\n* Act as coach and role model for teaching excellence locally through excellent practice and mentoring other less experienced teachers.\n* May disseminate and explain pedagogic research findings through leading peer reviewed national and international publications, conferences and exhibitions.\n* Develop links with external contacts such as other educational bodies, employers and professional bodies to foster collaboration.\n\nand are\n\n* Able to develop and lead key communications strategies,\n* Able to represent the unit/faculty/university at national/international conference sessions or senior management meetings as a lead expert.\n* Able to develop significant new concepts and original ideas within their field in response to intractable issues of importance to the research or teaching area.\n\nThose are a small selection of direct quotes (it's less than 20% of the set of points listed), which highlight the key point: if you want a *career*, with progression up the ladder and continued responsibility, then it is possible, but will require more than just being a good teacher/tutor to the students.\n\nI would finally note: there is a strong belief (backed up with significant evidence) that the teaching led route is not valued at anything like the same level as research led or balanced routes: promotion is slower, and teaching led staff are more likely to get the tedious admin jobs. There's been a push from the top to address this, but as yet it's not clear if that's (a) been successful, or (b) much more than PR."
},
{
"answer_id": 75121,
"author": "Dilworth",
"author_id": 8760,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/8760",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "**Yes**, it is possible to find universities in the UK that hire professor/lecturers who are only doing teaching. This is not very common, but do exist. These professors have no research responsibility, and so they usually teach twice than their research peers. \n\n---\n\nExample of such permanent teaching lectureship positions from the University of Manchester:\n\n<http://www.academiccareer.manchester.ac.uk/about/do/jobsandroles/>\n\n> \n> Could I focus on teaching-only posts?\n> \n> \n> Although teaching is part of the role of most academics, there are a\n> number of teaching-only roles. The majority of these are associated\n> with fixed-term positions, often part-time. However, some institutions\n> have developed parallel career routes, allowing academics (in\n> permanent roles) to remain focused on teaching and still progress\n> through grades similar to the conventional 'Lecturer to Professor'\n> route. This has traditionally been the case in the post-92\n> universities, but more recently has also been recognised within some\n> Russell Group universities.\n> \n> \n> Job titles may differ to reflect the teaching focus of the job, with\n> the term Teaching Fellow sometimes used to reflect a permanent\n> teaching-focused academic role (as opposed to those Teaching Fellow\n> posts which are fixed-term, teaching posts aimed at those aspiring to\n> an academic career - check the job descriptions carefully). \n> \n> \n> As a teaching-focused academic, in addition to your discipline\n> knowledge, you may be expected to conduct research and publish, but in\n> the fields of teaching and education, either generally or specifically\n> within your discipline. At senior levels, you would generally also be\n> expected to take a lead in the development of educational methods\n> and/or technologies based on relevant educational research.\n> \n> \n>"
}
] |
2015/02/24
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40502",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30872/"
] |
40,509 |
I know that using an origin other than 0 for numeric data is considered misleading. But for plots in academic publications, is it ever a good idea to break an axis so that patterns and outliers can be more easily seen?
Or would you always try to find an alternative (e.g., using a logarithmic scale, faceting, using multiple plots with different scales)? I'm looking for a general rule of thumb.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40514,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "In my own experience, the time when it makes sense to break an axis is when you have a mixture of two distributions, such that neither a linear nor a logarithmic scale can represent things clearly. For example, I have done this when dealing with an independent variable in which there was an exponential distribution of conditions, and also zero. (e.g., 0, 1, 10, 100, 1000): this is poorly represented\nin either log (where zero flies off the chart) or linear (where the lower values are compressed), but well represented by zero, then a break to logarithmic.\n\nFor a dependent variable, however, I have found that it is usually better to use two charts with different scales, or a \"detail inset,\" because it is important to give the reader a sense of the full range of the observed values, and a break reduces the visual impact."
},
{
"answer_id": 40516,
"author": "WoJ",
"author_id": 15446,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/15446",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "It also depends on the variation of the data. If you know, **from theory**, that your data will change from `10` to `20` and the changes there are the ones you are interested in, you can break the axis and focus on that range. Wherever `0` is is irrelevant, as you know that your data lies between `10` and `20`."
},
{
"answer_id": 40518,
"author": "gerrit",
"author_id": 1033,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1033",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "Sometimes, breaking an axis is the least bad alternative.\n\nIn one of my publications, reviewers were complaining that some of my lines were off the graph. But I didn't want to compress the y-axis so much that the lower values would be harder to tell apart. So, somewhat reluctantly, the final version of my graph looked like this:\n\n\n\n[Source: Holl et al. (2014)](http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2013JD020759)\n\nNote the unusual discontinuity around the value of 300%.\n\nIs it ever a good idea? It is not ideal. But in context, it might be a better choice than any other alternative. In the figure above, I had the choice between (1) extending the entire y-axis normally up to 500% (rendering the difference between 100% and 125% hard to see), cutting off the graph at 300% (with one line going out of the graph), or by stacking two graphs with different y-scales as shown. I originally chose to cut off the graph, but after a reviewer complained, I opted for the solution above.\n\nAs long as you make sure that it is entirely unambiguous what set of values each location in the axes relate to, it should be acceptable. As ff524 points out in a comment, you should also point out the discontinuity or break in the figure caption."
},
{
"answer_id": 40522,
"author": "Stephan Kolassa",
"author_id": 4140,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4140",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "I used to be a \"don't break the axis\" purist. I like to think that I have learned better. Nowadays, whenever I know that zero does not make sense for the data I am visualizing, I don't hesitate to break the axis.\n\nA little example: I recently started recording my weight (in kg) and reducing my calorie intake. Here is the time series. Does anyone think that the plot on the right is more informative? It isn't. Because zero is not a possible weight for a healthy 39 year old male.\n\n"
},
{
"answer_id": 40525,
"author": "410 gone",
"author_id": 96,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/96",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "> \n> I know that using an origin other than 0 for numeric data is considered misleading\n> \n> \n> \n\nYou've been told wrong. That's just nonsense. *Do* use a zero baseline when you're using *area* to indicate quantity, and a zero baseline gives you an area that's proportional to the quantity. That's typically bar charts, column charts and area charts.\n\nBut for line graphs, scatter graphs, sparklines, and any other charts where quantity is indicated by position rather than area, you're absolutely fine with a non-zero baseline.\n\nHave a look at plots of external temperature produced by meteorological organisations: how many of them have a baseline of zero Keltar? None. Obviously."
}
] |
2015/02/24
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40509",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10529/"
] |
40,511 |
I've recently finished in Masters in Neuroscience in Germany ( & bachelors in pharmacy), and I'm trying to find a PhD position in European countries like Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, etc. In most of them, I have to contact the professor I'm interested in working with myself. I've already emailed a lot of them ( app. 20, with 6 replying no positions available).
-The problem is, I'm afraid if my emails are too generic. Here's the part from my emails where I have some concerns:
"As you will see in my resume, I have steadily oriented my education and experience towards becoming an accomplished researcher of regenerative medicine/technologies for the nervous system. Being a pharmacy & neuroscience graduate gives me a unique perspective that is useful when exploring the regenerative capacity of the nervous system, whether through manipulating neurons directly, manipulating surrounding glia, or the use of stem cells."
For the rest, I clearly stated that I'm looking for a possible position in their group, what my previous accomplishments are, as well as who I am in a brief description.
Naturally, I only emailed professors whose research I like and is linked to what I want & mentioned in this paragraph. So, is it inferred that I like their research/field, or is it still to generic?
Of course I read their about their projects on their group pages, but I'm not sure if I can go as far as reading their articles, since it would take too long, they may have no positions, and I don't know how many should I contact. So I wrote it in a more general manner, and if a professor/group leader expressed interest, then I would read in a lot more detail about their work (their articles & reviews). But is this truly the only way for them to consider someone?
-Another point is how many emails. One acquaintance mentioned that he had to send upwards of 300 emails to find a position. I simply can't believe he can send that many emails, without them being a single copy, but with each professor's name. I think it would be in the range of 20-50 emails, but that's pure conjecture on my part. I need to know from your experience, since if they're not so many, then I can read more about the professor's work in detail.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40513,
"author": "aeismail",
"author_id": 53,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/53",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "Quite simply, if your email to me does not explain why you want to do a PhD **in my group**, I am probably not going to respond to your \"cold\" email, unless your CV is so outstanding (several papers, good grades, working with people I already know, etc.) that I can't help but take a closer look.\n\nSo you need to make sure that your email not only expresses your research interests, but also explains why your profile makes a good fit for the group to which you're applying.\n\nAlso note that if you're sending a \"cold\" email and the professor isn't in the process of advertising a position, you *still* may not get a response."
},
{
"answer_id": 40517,
"author": "user27206",
"author_id": 27206,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27206",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "The volume of emails requesting a lab position received by most professors in my field is large and unceasing. This means that you have at most a few moments of attention from the prof who is skim reading your email. \nBy far the majority of emails read along the lines of \"my name is X and I would like to do a PhD in your lab\", usually followed by \"I have graduated from [insert foreign institution] and would value the opportunity to perform my PhD in your lab\". There is usually no information that describes why the work your lab undertakes is an important part of the decision process that lead the applicant to email the prof. Nor is there a description of what the applicant brings in the way of unique ideas/approaches that will forward the work the prof performs. \n\nCold emails from excellent candidates will always have to compete with those from less exceptional candidates, and are out numbered by the latter by at least 20:1.\nSpend the time to personalise the email. Suggest approaches/experimental plans that will address areas of interest to the prof. If possible, go to scientific meetings and initiate a face to face contact that will notify the prof for your intent. Maybe try writing a traditional \"snail mail\" letter (you know, written on paper and sent by post) - this at least will force the recipient to spend a moment or two longer on the correspondence and may provide a novelty factor that aids in distinguishing you from the rest."
},
{
"answer_id": 40530,
"author": "zelanix",
"author_id": 19434,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/19434",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "I agree fully with the previous answers, but there are a few things that I would like to add to them.\n\nNote that this can be very cultural and what works in one area may not be appropriate for another, but this is my take on things.\n\nFirstly I would always show some passion for the subject and demonstrate your background knowledge of the area. For example, in your case, *why* are you interested in researching the regenerative capacity of the nervous system? This may be obvious to you, but don't be afraid to spell it out. You can talk about benefits to society or possible applicability to other research or whatever you feel is appropriate. You mention many techniques, but *why* are they relevant / important? How is it related to the work in the specific research group? Always ask yourself *why* (and personally, I start by writing the *why* because it is the most interesting and compelling part).\n\nSecondly, and related, people are (on the whole) vain - show genuine interest in the person and their work. Don't over-compliment, but certainly show that you know *what* they do and *why* it is important. Then you can talk about why you are the right person etc. etc.\n\nOn the issue of how many emails to send, I would say quality over quantity. Take the time to tailor each one to the specific professor / research group and really appeal to them rather than just sending out hundreds of emails (I would certainly not be proud of having to send over 300 emails to find a PhD!) Also, don't be afraid to send a follow up email if you don't get a reply. You really have nothing to loose from this - showing that you have the passion by sending a follow-up will certainly not harm your chances.\n\nFinally, there is a lot of material around to help you with this. A particularly good (and classic) book is *How to Win Friends and Influence People* by Dale Carnegie - old but very very good (more about management, but the psychology is the same). There is also a lot of overlap with careers advice on how to write a good cover letter and how to send speculative job search emails so search online for these. Also, your previous University probably has a careers department so they can really be very helpful in providing honest feedback on your emails / letters.\n\n**TL;DR**: Always show your passion for the area and talk about the recipient (and their work). This is the best way to capture someone's interest. Talk about yourself last.\n\nGood luck with your search."
},
{
"answer_id": 40536,
"author": "Nick Vence",
"author_id": 30542,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30542",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "Stepping from a masters to a PhD program is a huge undertaking. While times are tough, research dollars are scarce, and busy under-funded professors may be unlikely to respond, consider consulting your advisor:\n\n* Take a printed copy of your application letter and ask for constructive criticism.\n* After sharing potential research groups you have targeted, ask him to recommend some others. Perhaps s/he might write a letter of recommendations to a colleague.\n* Read *How to Win Friends and Influence People.* It will accelerate your career.\n* Finally, keep your chin up. Changing institutions is hard work. Spend a little time every day doing something you enjoy, for a positive mindset will give you that extra edge."
}
] |
2015/02/24
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40511",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30873/"
] |
40,515 |
I am a first year graduate student with thesis topic on computational math, in particular inverse problem. Based on what I know, this area requires a solid background of functional analysis and numerical PDE.
Currently I am wondering what kinds of seminars I should attend. My department have weekly student seminars on analysis and theoretical PDE. Basically students presenting their work/research output to their supervisor. As [this post](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/39/will-people-judge-me-negatively-for-skipping-department-seminars/64#64) and the great mathematician [Terence Tao](https://terrytao.wordpress.com/career-advice/attend-talks-and-conferences-even-those-not-directly-related-to-your-work/) suggested, attending talks and conferences in different areas is beneficial. Hence I will try to attend other numercial analysis groups' seminars. But I was wondering whether it's helpful for me to attend those pure math seminars about analysis or PDE.
Though I found those seminars are interesting, my main concern is that being lack of suitable background, I may only be able to understand a small part of the seminar (a PHD student working on theoretical PDE once told me he can't understand his group-mates' seminar until his third year). The other concern is I will have less time for my own research . So in your opinion, what kinds of seminars I should attend? Shall I attend seminars in other departments (say physics or engineering) regularly?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40521,
"author": "Fomite",
"author_id": 118,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/118",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "You're not going to be able to determine which seminars are useful to *you* without going to some of them. And yes, some of them will be wastes of time. But I've gone to seminar series that should be extremely topical to me that never benefitted me directly, and some from peripheral departments that turned out to be very useful - as mentioned in one of the comments, even if you don't take away anything from the lecture, it's useful to know people. One day, you might find yourself in need of a graph theorist or some such, and it's helpful to have met them once, or be able to say \"I saw your talk...\" in an introductory email.\n\nAlso, selfishly, from an applied field, having applied participants in more theory heavy fields is helpful for teaching theory students how to present their topics to people outside their narrow subfield."
},
{
"answer_id": 40523,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "As an early-stage graduate student, you should go to whatever seminars seem interesting to you, so long as it isn't interfering with your research too much. A good way to think about this might be to budget a certain number of hours per week for seminars (I'd suggest 2 to 6 hours/week, depending on your load), and within that budget see which are the most attractive.\n\nOver time, you will figure out which ones are most interesting and useful to you and which are not. It will no doubt shift with time, as well.\n\nFurthermore, never be scared of going to hear a talk just because you aren't working in the area. You never know which interactions will turn out to be important. For example, half of my own research program ultimately stems from sitting in a lunchtime seminar series that had *nothing* to do with my thesis and that I attended just because it was neat to hear what was going on in that area.\nTen years later, here I am."
},
{
"answer_id": 110926,
"author": "Tommi",
"author_id": 13017,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/13017",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "Writing on inverse problems in particular, there is plenty of research of inverse problems for PDE from a pure mathematics perspective. For example, see the uniqueness results for Calderón's problem, enclosure method of Ikehata, and many results on hybrid data imaging (the recent book of Alberti and Capdeboscq is good).\n\nThere are a number of people who approach inverse problems for PDE from both theoretical perspective and the direction of numerics and functional analysis. There is plenty of space for collaboration and many conferences in inverse problems (e.g. Applied inverse problems, SIAM imaging, Inverse problems: simulation and modelling, Inverse days) have both theoretical and applied talks, and everything on the spectrum between them.\n\nI would say that if the analysis talks discuss the equations related to what you are working on, or equations with obvious use in modelling concrete physical situations, then you should certainly consider listening to them.\n\nFor seminars in physics or engineering, you should check if the subject matter is related to your own research interests. If you work on medical imaging and someone is giving a talk on EEG, go and listen at least once so you know what kind of questions they ask in their research and how they present the information."
}
] |
2015/02/24
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40515",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/18259/"
] |
40,519 |
I'm EPSRC ([Engineering and Physical Science Research Council](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineering_and_Physical_Sciences_Research_Council), the biggest UK funding source in the sciences and engineering) funded. Several months into my PhD an industrial sponsor came along. In exchange for additional funds they wanted me and the other PhD students in our group to spend some time during the PhD at their sites and work on industrial problems. This is known as a CASE award. I'm not sure what the university signed, but I have not signed anything. It was a verbal agreement with my supervisor.
I'm now in my 3rd year and writing up. The industrial sponsor has decided to renew their agreement with the university and just issued me with a contract (it states the university and industrial sponsor have agreed upon additional clauses as of early 2015). The clauses/contract that I've been asked to sign states that I will give the industrial sponsor all my intellectual property (to which I currently own) generated over the course of the last 3 years. It also states that the industrial sponsors will review all publications and stop me publishing anything they think will give them a competitive edge (Note I'm not and have never used any of their data, resources or industrial knowledge/work/ideas etc. this is my own work) - I'm just about to publish the remainder of my PhD and then submit my thesis in the coming months. I was in good position to finish early and focus fully on moving to the industrial site for the remainder of my PhD and work on the projects the industrial sponsors wanted me to look at. Clearly for any projects done while there, the IP would belong to the industrial sponsors - however they want everything, including the stuff I did before they even got involved!
Additionally signing the contract means that they can make my thesis closed - i.e. future employers are not allowed to see it. This could damage my future prospects as I was also looking at work outside of academia and they will no doubt want to know what I've been up to. This was never part of any agreement and I would have never taken on a PhD with these terms. Academia is all about the publishing and the free flow of ideas - this all makes me a very cheap slave!
Legally, where do I stand? I understand that as an employee issued with new contract I would have to either sign or walk away, unless it goes against the heart of the contract. But I'm a student and I'm in the last few months of my PhD, if I walk I get no qualification.
I've been told that they can't make me sign it - but won't go into detail as to whether it will affect my PhD or not? Again I'm EPSRC funded the industrial sponsors have paid me extra around 10% of the EPSRC stipend in exchange for me spending several unpaid months at their site working on projects of their choice. I've been told by my supervisor that it's in my best interest to stop resisting and ultimately sign the contract. Can they do this three years in? Has anyone been through anything like this? Anyone have any advice?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40527,
"author": "Stephan Kolassa",
"author_id": 4140,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4140",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "Unfortunately, we won't be able to provide you with legal information. (And you shouldn't trust random strangers on the internet that claim they can.) That said, it does sound extremely strange for a company to embargo your work done before they ever showed up.\n\nI would recommend that you approach your university's legal department. Ask them to specify explicitly what consequences signing or not signing the agreement proposed by the company will have on you and your obtaining a Ph.D. Ask them to answer *in writing*. This consultation should be free to you.\n\nIf you don't like the answer you get there, you can get an outside lawyer. This will be more expensive. And it may be hard to find someone who understands the specific situation, employment-and-academia-wise.\n\nHowever, the first thing this lawyer can do is review the information you were so careful to obtain in writing from your university. Your university's legal department knows this. Therefore they have an incentive not to cheat you, and you should be able to trust their information at least to a degree."
},
{
"answer_id": 40528,
"author": "410 gone",
"author_id": 96,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/96",
"pm_score": 7,
"selected": false,
"text": "Legally, you can't be made to sign a retrospective, retroactive contract.\n\nProfessionally, if your supervisor or the university person responsible for the CASE studentships decided to be obnoxious about it, they could make the completion of your PhD uncomfortable.\n\nAs long as you don't *need* the CASE money or the on-site experience, this looks like a useless deal for you; in your shoes, I'd be minded to talk to my supervisors, then the faculty graduate tutor. Explain without emotion that you didn't sign up for a CASE studentship; ask if they can give you a good reason why you should sign up, because from where you are, it's hard to see any value in it.\n\nThey won't want to stop you finishing. You're EPSRC-funded, and having EPSRC-funded students fail to finish causes a problem for the department when it seeks a renewal of the funding. So you do hold quite a lot of the cards, here.\n\nUltimately, it's going to be a negotiation. It would be very surprising, and rather irregular, if they did sign up with the sponsor having given the sponsor the belief that this contract will retroactively apply to all current PhD students: I've only seen the terms and conditions apply to those students who *start* their PhD as CASE students. My hunch is that it's more that someone is just trying to get something for nothing - a free rider."
},
{
"answer_id": 40538,
"author": "MKU",
"author_id": 30904,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30904",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "The problem here seems to stem from the blanket statements in the proposed contract.\n\nThe word here is : propose your terms i.e. negotiate.\n\n> \n> I will give the industrial sponsor all my intellectual property (to\n> which I currently own) generated over the course of the last 3 years\n> \n> \n> \n\nInstead of \"all intellectual property\" try to negotiate toward \"intellectual property in domain x,y,z only.\" You know what you've done for them, if there's no overlap try to give away what you don't need, maybe that will be enough?\n\n> \n> Industrial sponsors will review all publications and stop me\n> publishing anything they think will give them a competitive edge\n> \n> \n> \n\nTry to add \"each stopped publication will incur fixed penalty of £1e5, payable immediately.\"\n\nThis way you may not be able to show your work but you may prove it was worth for them to keep it for themselves."
},
{
"answer_id": 40541,
"author": "MKU",
"author_id": 30904,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30904",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "> \n> Clearly for any projects done while there, the IP would belong to the\n> industrial sponsors\n> \n> \n> \n\nClearly *not*.\n\nAssuming no employment (explicit nor implied) was in place, works created by you [a student] belong to you. See [here](https://www.gov.uk/ownership-of-copyright-works).\n\nYou can bargain by threatening with 'cease and desist' order for them using *your* IP.\n\nThe blanket character of the contract could mean the strong commercial value has been found in some students work, and they try to secure it WITHOUT pointing to it."
},
{
"answer_id": 40550,
"author": "Nicholas",
"author_id": 1424,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1424",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "Talk to a patent lawyer. It is going to cost you some money, but this sort of thing -- namely employee inventions, inventions of students, contract terms with respect to IP -- comes up *all the time* in a patent lawyer's practice. \n\nApproaching your university's IP arm may not be in your best interests. Try and get independent advice. \n\nI am not a lawyer, but I am well aware of sections 39 ([Right to employees’ inventions](http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1977/37/section/39)) and 42 ([Enforceability of contracts relating to employees’ inventions](http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1977/37/section/42)) of the UK Patents Act 1977.\n\nI do not believe that university students are considered employees for the purposes of s.39 and, as such, any invention belongs to the student. However, to what extent the agreements you entered into, either explicitly or by your actions,determine ownership of your IP will be determined, needs to be assessed by a competent lawyer. \n\nAgain, this is not legal advice. You get that from a lawyer, who you've engaged to advise and/or represent you."
},
{
"answer_id": 40603,
"author": "Stuart Watt",
"author_id": 30967,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30967",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "The other answers cover most of the issues, but I'll share one strategy I used in exactly this situation (I was supervising a PhD studentship with a CASE award, and the sponsoring organization did exactly the same thing). First of all, as said, the university should be able to help. In fact, they like the CASE award prestige and funding, but the university will likely take the line that in fact they own the work anyway, not you. (Hence the \"IP resides with the generating University\".) So in fact, they could sign over the work directly. In practice, all institutions prefer to get everyone agreeing because, also in practice, commercialization is totally doomed without everyone accepting a uniform line, at least to some extent. \n\nSo we took this strategy: accept the basic assignment, but add a rider so that if the organization did not explicitly elect to commercialize the work within two (say) years of completion, that it would revert to the student and university jointly. The reality is: they likely won't be able to commercially use the work without employing you and/or the university, so personally I wouldn't really worry about them working on without you. Far more worrying is the possibility it'd be shelved due to inaction, and this is the outcome to guard against. Essentially, you're assigning them an option to commercialize, but they actually have to do it. \n\nThe type of intellectual property also matters. They can't patent anything without recognizing you as an inventor. If it's software, there are some lovely approaches I used with open source licenses where the ownership is assigned but (being open source) a right-to-use is set. Then, even if the ownership changes, the right to use remains. This is broadly what happened with MySQL, and it allows \n\nFinally, making the thesis public can probably be easily added to the contract. UK employment law gets very twitchy about actions that make it hard for people to seek work -- again, this is more lawyer issue, but given the work has been open up to this stage, there doesn't seem much point in closing it off now, and I expect they'd get that. \n\nDon't be afraid to negotiate contract clauses. Company lawyers just start asserting everything, but quickly (well, more commonly slowly) adjust to a more realistic position. After all, they've usually just copied another contract and minimally edited it to suit."
},
{
"answer_id": 40643,
"author": "tkp",
"author_id": 30998,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30998",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "I second all the IANAL advice -- so get a lawyer. You should be able to get someone to give you some general IP/employment advice for a few hundred pounds.\n\nHowever, in addition, don't be afraid to push back on the contract and ask for terms to be modified. For example, you could propose changes such that you retain ownership but grant the sponsor a royalty free license to use. That wouldn't protect them from the loss of competitiveness they're worried about in the event your dissertation is seen, but they may be making more of a noise about that than they really want to. Alternatively you could offer to meet them halfway, saying that you will allow for your thesis to be closed only for a year, or to be closed for longer but with an exception for job interviews.\n\nBehind contracts there are always people (OK, there are also lawyers...), and people are often willing to discuss. Remember that you currently have a huge upper hand -- you currently own the lot."
},
{
"answer_id": 40698,
"author": "Guest",
"author_id": 31038,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31038",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "I also worked at a top research institution in my nation, and we routinely had Ph.D students sponsored by the industry.\n\nHere's how it worked. \n\n**Case 1**: Let's assume that the problem being worked on did NOT involve the company's prior IP or proprietary product. **In this case, the IP belonged to the institution / researcher**. Because the company funded part of the stipend and/or gave some funding, the company simply got an exclusive right to use the IP commercially.\n\n**Case 2**: Let's assume that the problem being worked on involved incremental work using the company's prior IP in addition to funding. In this case, IP generated within the premises of the institution belonged solely to the institution. IP generated within the premises of the company (obviously using the company's resources such as equipment and money) belonged to the company.\n\nSo, the result was a joint IP shared between the institution and the company. Of course, the work done at the institution was \"generic\" and the work done at the company's place using the company's equipment was specific, targeted and a trade-secet.\n\n**Your case seems like case 1. I strongly advise you to Not sign that contract and keep your thesis open.**"
},
{
"answer_id": 40782,
"author": "Steve",
"author_id": 31101,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31101",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "The above discussion was all from a legal perspective, but there is a second, non-legal perspective that can be tried too: publicity. Here is one suggestion.\n\n1. Keep good documentation of all communication.\n2. Decline signing the last-minute changes, handing over 3 years prior research. (as already advised above). You might still graduate OK anyway.\n3. But if it looks like there will be a problem, go to the awarders of the EPSRC and CASE funding and explain what the company is trying to pull. Explain that it would look bad for EPSRC and CASE scholarships if companies can attach these hidden strings.\n4. If, (very worst-case scenario), if they don't let you graduate, let them know you wish they had been up front with you with the information from the beginning. In fact, you feel that other prospective students who will be in your shoes have a right to know about this institution, this company, and these professors up front, and you would feel the moral obligation to let those students know all the details of your personal experience on the web, facebook, twitter, etc. so that they will be fairly warned if the same people try to inflict the same thing on them. Of course you would not give any opinions or moral judgements on these named individuals and companies, just the facts of what occurred so that readers can come to their own conclusions. (But before it comes to this, you should get a lawyer to review everything.)"
}
] |
2015/02/24
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40519",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/9589/"
] |
40,532 |
Suppose I have a paper rejected from a top tier journal. The anonymous reviews highlight a number of strengths of my paper, but ultimately judge that the paper does not merit publication in that lofty journal. When I resubmit to a lower-tier journal from a different publisher - presumably after addressing some or all of the reviewer's substantive concerns - can I include the entire original reviews as part of my submission? How about including excerpts from these reviews in a cover letter?
On one hand these reviews might be seen as the property of the journal that rejected my manuscript and as part of a closed correspondence. On the other, in my role as an editor I do think everyone would be better off if we were more open about where we'd submitted and what feedback we'd received. That is useful information for an editor trying to assess the merits of a paper and decide whether to desk reject or to proceed with a full review.
I'm interested both in formal policies (I don't see any for the journals I frequent) and in general thoughts about the ethics of doing so.
**Addition**: To clarify, I am more interested in whether it is *allowable* to forward these reviews than I am in whether it is *advisable* to do so. The latter question depends so much on the particular circumstances that I cannot imagine a single universal answer - though it is interesting to read the thoughts of the community on this issue as well.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40535,
"author": "Fomite",
"author_id": 118,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/118",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "Personally, this isn't something I would do. And honestly, the transparency argument is a little bit of a non-starter unless you're also going to quote the reasons for the *rejection* of the paper.\n\nInstead, I would try to take the spirit of those reviews and work them into the cover letter, in your own words, to talk about the strength and importance of the paper."
},
{
"answer_id": 40537,
"author": "Faheem Mitha",
"author_id": 285,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/285",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "In theory (in a better world) this might be a reasonable thing to do. In the world we live in, I think this is a bad idea. To start with, including rejection notices to a journal that you are hoping to get your paper accepted in just comes across as negative. Also, maybe the journal you are submitted to would be insulted that you got rejected from that other journal but are hoping to be accepted here. There are just too many downsides, and I don't see an obvious upside. Fix your paper based on the earlier reviews, and resubmit. Don't talk about those reviews."
},
{
"answer_id": 40539,
"author": "Boris Bukh",
"author_id": 609,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/609",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "I have done this a couple of times (but not always going down in the journal hierarchy). In my cover letter I indicated that \"the paper was previously submitted to [blah], but was rejected because [...]. A copy of the report can be obtained by writing to [editor name].\"\n\nThe motivation for not including the copy of the report is that it keeps me honest. I can't just select the bits I like.\n\nI have never had any problems with this approach, and I believe it to be the right thing to do. It saves editors' and referees' work."
},
{
"answer_id": 40551,
"author": "Falko",
"author_id": 4517,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4517",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "I see no reason why it wouldn't be allowed to include previous review reports unless the original journal publisher explicitly states that all reviews are confidential and remain their property (and I have never seen this before when submitting papers). Similarly, as a reviewer, I have never ticked a box stating that the publisher retains copyright of my review reports.\n\nFor a single case example: **I have submitted previous reviews when resubmitting to a different journal** (my field is ecology). However, I didn't cherry-pick selected bits, but included the full report with all my responses. \n\n**The manuscript was accepted by the second journal**. I'm not sure whether they even read the previous reviews or whether it influenced their decision, but I can assure you that it didn't do any harm in my case (the manuscript was accepted, after all).\n\nHowever, the circumstances of this submission were very specific, so I'm not sure this advice applies to the majority of other scenarios.\n\nIn my instance, I received positive reviews from the anonymous reviewers at the first journal, but the manuscript was rejected by the handling editor because it was supposedly too complex for the broad readership of that specific journal (not because of any inherent flaws in the research itself). At first, my co-authors and I appealed this decision (after asking the Editor in Chief for permission to do so) and resubmitted a revised manuscript in which we (a) tried to make it more accessible for a general audience and (b) corrected all the minor issues raised by the reviewers. Included in this resubmission, was a detailed (>15 pages) response letter to the first round of review. Unfortunately, even though the manuscript was reassigned to a different handling editor, it was rejected again.\n\nWhen I resubmitted to a different journal, I didn't have to change anything in the manuscript (the minor issues were already rectified). I also had a long, detailed response letter, which I just added as a '*additional file not for publication*' in the online submission platform (as one would add related unpublished works for additional background). \n\nSome extra notes:\n\n* In my field, ecology, there is a general understanding that most\npapers have been rejected previously before they are eventually\naccepted (examples: [here](http://conservationbytes.com/2013/06/06/learning-how-to-fail/), [here](http://ecoevoevoeco.blogspot.ca/2014/11/where-to-submit-your-paper-or-if-at.html) and [here](http://limnology.wisc.edu/courses/zoo955/Fall2005/publications/Wk02_Publications/Cassey_2004_Publication.pdf)). Perhaps being rejected previously has less of a stigma than\nin other fields?\n* The second journal in my experience actually had a higher impact\nfactor than the first, which was older and, therefore,\nconsidered more prestigious (hence my decision to submit there\nfirst).\n* In my case, the reviewer at the first journal signed his review\nreport (and was positive about the submission). I knew that he was on\nthe editorial board at the second journal, hence my motivation to\ndisclose why the manuscript was rejected previously.\n* Lastly, and most importantly, I included the ENTIRE review report,\nnot just the few parts that were positive. I would not advise this\nstrategy if you receive negative reviews, obviously."
},
{
"answer_id": 40552,
"author": "Peter Jansson",
"author_id": 4394,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4394",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "You certainly can but what is important for the receiving journal is to have an account of how you have revised your manuscript after rejection to improve the aspects on which it was rejected. Hence providing the reviews in full may not be the best way.\n\nAs an editor, I am very happy when I receive a re-submission that clearly states why and where it was rejected followed with such an account of revisions and also why the author believes the manuscript is now publishable. What I am looking for is some tangible evidence that the reasons for rejection has been followed up. There are of course several reasons for rejection that are easily declared such as unsuitable for the journal, or rejection from a high impact journal that rejects even what would normally be major revisions (i.e. journal does not allow anything but minor revisions).\n\nWhat is not appreciated are sob stories about mistreatment even though mistakes happen. No journal publishes articles because they are sorry for the author. A focus on the scientific improvements is therefore key and providing a thorough account of revisions is a solid basis for the receiving journal to consider the manuscript for review."
},
{
"answer_id": 80392,
"author": "user65294",
"author_id": 65294,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/65294",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "Whether it is allowable to submit previous reviews depends, in my opinion, on whether the reviews were anonymous. With anonymous reviews I see no ethical problem: these reviews are supposed to be written by professionals impartially assessing your work. As such these are pure pieces of scientific knowledge and rather than sink into oblivion in your mailbox they could be used to inform other people as well. \n\nIf a review is signed, I would approach the referee if he or she does not have objections. If they do not respond, I think it is allowable to submit the review if only it can be fully impersonated just by removing the signature. For example, if the referee quotes many papers of their own (or solely those papers) and then sign his/her name, I would not submit such a review.\n\nThe reason for respecting privacy of the referee is that this referee may have views that run counter to his or her boss. So disclosing his or her attitude could harm the referee.\n\nA special question is to whether to submit the editor's decision, which is always signed. Unlike the referee, the editor is a public figure who should bear responsibility both for papers that get published in their journal as well as for rejected ones. So I would think it is allowable to submit the editor's decision.\n\nHowever, you should bear in mind that there are journals explicitly prohibiting publication of the reviews. One example is Proceedings of the Royal Society Series A: A Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences. I had an argument once with the Editor-in-Chief who rejected our paper based on feedbacks of five referees three of whom were positive. I approached him with a request that I would like to post the reviews, as well as his own comments, on a blog and answer them openly. The Editor rejected firmly albeit without giving reasons. While I strongly disagree with this attitude, respecting the journal I never disclosed the reviews.\n\nOn the other hand, many journals including those of the European Geophysical Union, strive to keep the reviewing process as open as possible and some of the reviews are published while the paper is under consideration. In this case, apparently, there is no problem in submitting these reviews or linking to them in your next submissions."
}
] |
2015/02/24
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40532",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27900/"
] |
40,533 |
Is it legal to include another person's result in my research paper?
For instance:
Theorem (Name of the author): Statement
Proof. The proof of this appeared in [1].
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40534,
"author": "Nick Vence",
"author_id": 30542,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30542",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "Ohaac Nektet said, \"If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.\" Research would grind to a halt if each scientist had to start from \"scratch.\"\n\nSo the question becomes, \"**How** should I use the work of others?\"\n\nThe answer: By citing their published work. Since the number of times a publication has been cited is often used to measure its impact, this is both fair and ethical."
},
{
"answer_id": 40542,
"author": "Pete L. Clark",
"author_id": 938,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/938",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "Not only is this completely \"legal\", but -- up to issues of formatting and style that are up to you to decide -- it is a practice that occurs in the vast majority of contemporary mathematical papers.\n\nIf you are unsure about how to word things, consulting your advisor (I sure hope you have one, since mathematics is a difficult profession to break into unaided, intellectual issues aside) and consulting many published math papers are both good ideas.\n\nLet me address the style issue a bit: this occurs in your choice to either set off Prof. A's result as a theorem in its own right versus just citing it when needed in the *proof* of a result in your paper. There are good reasons to do both. I'll start you off with [one sample paper](http://alpha.math.uga.edu/%7Epete/truth_brief.pdf) to look at and try to get some feel for when each is done. Then look at a few dozen others. Anyway, it's really up to you. One tip: the reader should not be confused, even for a second, as to whether the result she is reading is due to you or is a recalled result of someone else. So please choose a style/formatting that makes this immediately clear."
}
] |
2015/02/25
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40533",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30903/"
] |
40,554 |
The papers for a conference are limited to 3 pages. On the website, however, it says Transactions of the IEEE offers a special feature edition (whatever it means?), so I think it would be good to submit the full manuscript to this special issue.
But that means I'm submitting two papers with the same title to a journal and a conference proceedings.
Is that ethical? How should I deal with this?
---
The extended abstract is accepted. Meanwhile the special issued journal is open for submission. I contacted the editor of the journal and she said you can present your longer version in the transaction journal.
But basically I think I will use the same text and figures. Maybe 2 more pages than the conference one. Is it considered as self-plagiarism ?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40568,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "In computer science, the typical rule of thumb is that a conference paper may be 'upgraded' into a journal paper with at least 30% new material. Certain subfields and other related fields covered by the IEEE may have different standards, however, and ultimately, the standard for this particular conference/special-issue pair is whatever the organizers have decided it is. Since a 3 page paper is a very short form, though, the full manuscript will almost certainly be reasonable to submit to a journal.\n\nIt may not, however, be appropriate to submit to *this* special issue. Special issues associated with conferences are sometimes open submission (in which case, you can probably submit immediately), sometimes open to extended versions of any accepted papers (in which case, you need to wait to see if your paper is accepted), and sometimes only for a select set of invited papers (in which case, you need to wait to see if you are invited). The organizers *should* have posted this information on their site: if they have not, you can email them to ask."
},
{
"answer_id": 40571,
"author": "Blair MacIntyre",
"author_id": 28128,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28128",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "I will agree with what @jakebeal said, but will say that the main answer is his last statement: you should ask the editors of the special issue.\n\nIn general, when concerned about the ethics of reusing text or resubmitting, I would always (ALWAYS) err on the side of asking. If you want to do something that is reasonable, they will likely say yes. If they don't think it's reasonable, they will probably say no, and tell you why. You can discuss it, and perhaps find a balance (in this case, between old and new content) that is acceptable. Asking is never a bad thing, IMHO, if your concern is \"doing the right thing.\"\n\nBut, if you DON'T ask, you run the risk of them \"discovering\" the duplication and treating it as an unethical move. I have seen this happen. A person submitted to substantially similar papers to two conference simultaneously, and had the bad luck of the same people seeing it for review. Not only were both papers rejected, but the committee took action (which I won't share). Furthermore, everyone involved now thinks less positively about this person. \n\nYou do not want this to be you.\n\nMy rule of thumb is: if I feel like I need to ask about this, that's a pretty good indication I should ask!"
}
] |
2015/02/25
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40554",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28084/"
] |
40,557 |
In the last assignment I've given my students, one of the questions has two subquestions that go as follows.
1. Explain how Theory X, as developed in Smith (2010) accounts for dataset A.
2. Briefly summarize the additional data that, according to Smith (2010), fall under the scope of Theory X.
A number of students have submitted something along these lines.
1. Something that is technically correct, but doesn't actually answer Question 1.
2. Something that is technically correct and answers both Question 2 and Question 1.
What is the proper grade for this students? The three possibilities that I have in mind are:
* Full credit: they *have* provided correct answers to both questions, even though the answer to Question 1 is embedded within the answer to Question 2.
* Full credit only for Answer 2, no credit for Answer 1: they not only have to provide the correct answers, they also have to provide them in the right place.
* Half credit for Answer 2, no credit for Answer 1: half credit because the Answer 2 contains more information than I asked for.
I'm inclined towards the second option (full credit only for Answer 2). Would this be appropriate?
**Update:** in response to some of the answers below, the problem is not that my questions are unclear, as a majority of the students have managed to answer them properly.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40559,
"author": "Davidmh",
"author_id": 12587,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12587",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "What is your purpose of a grade? If it is a numerical certification of their knowledge, full credit is the right choice, as they indeed have shown to know the answer to both questions. If the assignment didn't have time pressure, you may consider applying a small penalty for the not so good organisation, but be prepared to have it challenged.\n\nDon't penalise adding extra, factually correct, information. Other professors welcome it, and even, the expect you to understand that the question has unwritten sub questions that should be answered too for the full credit (I had one of these in high school, and \"give three examples of mammals\" meant also \"explain what they are and why are they mammals, or I will only give you half\").\n\nLastly, if several students have made the same mistake, consider that maybe the questions are not clear. I must say I don't quite understand the difference from your excerpt."
},
{
"answer_id": 40561,
"author": "xLeitix",
"author_id": 10094,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10094",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "From the level of detail you provide it is not entirely clear to me which option is the most fair one:\n\n* **Possibility 1** seems fair if the questions were not entirely clear, i.e., it is reasonable to assume that a student really just misunderstood. If a large fragment of your course actually answered as you said, this may be a reasonable assumption.\n* **Possibility 2** is my *default* policy for exams. It is not ok to answer \"something\" factually correct at some point, the answer also needs to fit the question. That is, if I hypothetically ask \"What is A?\" and \"Also describe the alternative approach B\", and the student brings up the right answers but mixes up A and B, she will get (fairly, as I think) a grand total of 0 zero points, or close to it. Of course this is only fair if it was obvious what was being asked. For example, if I had asked instead \"Name and describe a really cool standard idea to do foo\" (thinking about A), and the second question is then \"Name and describe a more uncommon alternative way to do foo\" (thinking about B), then purely mixing them up is not worth 0 points anymore.\n* **Possibility 3** seems somewhat iffy. Detracting points for \"too much information\" opens a can of worms, and easily brings students into a \"doomed if they do, doomed if they don't\" situation where they lose points for too much as well as too little info. However, this is again something that can be fixed by having sufficiently clear questions. If I ask \"Define C according to McFoo\", and the student offers 3 alternative definitions (one being the one of McFoo), the two other definitions are not just additional information, but objectively wrong. The main point here is to prevent students from gaining points by just blurping out a braindump of \"every piece of info on topic C\", without actually understanding the question.\n\nAs said, from your question I am not entirely sure which case your situation actually falls into, however, it kind of sounds like Possibility 1 is fair in your specific case. If you are adamant that the question was clearly phrased and the students just misunderstood based on their lacking understanding of \"Theory X\", then Possibility 2 can also easily be justified. I would steer away from Possibility 3 in your case."
},
{
"answer_id": 40563,
"author": "doomoor",
"author_id": 22592,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22592",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "* Possibility 1 would not be fair as the students didn't manage to understand the questions correctly.\n* Possibility 2 could be applied but is very rigorous.\n* Possibility 3 is unfair as the students answered the question correctly and haven't written anything wrong.\n\nI think you are missing a fourth option, full credit for answer 2 but only partial credit for answer 1. While I understand that one could argue that the students answered both questions correctly I also think that understanding a question is part of the correct/perfect solution and should therefor influence the credits. But it should also be acknowledged that the students have shown that they have the knowledge to answer both questions correctly. \n\nIf some students then want to argue with you regarding their answer you can always tell them that if they think a question is unclear they should always ask."
},
{
"answer_id": 40579,
"author": "Joe Green",
"author_id": 30935,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30935",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "I wouldn't create a policy for this. I would go on a case by case basis and judge how much it feels like the student understands it given their answers. \n\nWhen the student writes too much, there are two options: 1) It shows a lack of understanding, or 2) It shows good understanding. I would penalize #1 and, if I was going to penalize #1, it would only be fair to not penalize or even to give a bonus for #2.\n\nI would also keep in mind that tests are indeed high pressure environments and therefore have pressure induced errors therefore not adequately demonstrating the student's true understanding."
},
{
"answer_id": 40607,
"author": "Catprog",
"author_id": 30969,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30969",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "I would probably handle it the same way as if question 1 was not in the exam and got that answer for question 2."
},
{
"answer_id": 40614,
"author": "Dewi Morgan",
"author_id": 27663,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27663",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "The purpose of an exam is to establish the students' mastery of your subject, and **absolutely not** to test their mastery of taking exams.\n\nIf we give anything other than full marks for a correct answer, we have fallen into the trap of trying to mark their mastery of exam technique, a non-skill of no use in the real world, as opposed to marking **their mastery of our teachings and our subject**.\n\nOh, maybe if we're trying to train FAQ authors? Yeah, then it matters that they give the exact right info at the exact right point in a document I guess. But... I'm pretty sure you aren't.\n\n> \n> the problem is not that my questions are unclear, as a majority of the students have managed to answer them properly.\n> \n> \n> \n\nConsider the following sentence: \"This road junction is not unsafe because a majority of drivers pass through it safely.\" What percentage of drivers would have to have accidents at a junction, before you would call a junction unsafe? Did fewer than this percentage of your students make this error?\n\nOf course not. You wouldn't be here asking that question of such a low error rate. Your question was unsafe, and in fact, I'm willing to bet that I can predict exactly how they interpreted it:\n\n> \n> A) Explain Theory X, as developed in Smith (2010).\n> \n> \n> B) Briefly summarize the additional data that, according to Smith (2010), fall under the scope of Theory X, and say whether/how this applies to Dataset A.\n> \n> \n> \n\nThat's how they interpreted it, isn't it?\n\nTo claim that your question was perfectly crystal clear, based on the fact that fewer than 100% misinterpreted it, is to disingenuously ignore the fact that several intelligent and hardworking students who have fully mastered the question's subject, all made the exact same error when faced with this question, and someone who didn't know the subject or even have the full question (me) was able to predict the specific misinterpretation that they made.\n\nEither:\n\n* Full marks; or\n* Be prepared to justify 1) why you are marking exam skills rather than\ncourse knowledge, and 2) why you had a consistent error of interpretation from the completely-correct responses, which you disclaim any responsibility for and instead put down to... what, exactly? It's not ignorance, it's not stupidity, so what trait are you ascribing it to, and marking it down for? Failure to re-read a question enough?"
},
{
"answer_id": 40620,
"author": "Yasha",
"author_id": 28181,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28181",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "I suppose the real answer is whether you consider these questions to be concatenate or discrete to one another. If you treat them as concatenate, then it makes sense to look at their answers holistically to tease out whether they understand the material. In such a case, they might earn full points, simply because they have demonstrated that they understand the material\n\nIf you treat them discretely, then you should simply be as systematic about it as possible.\n\nI would suggest the following logic:\n\n```\nIF student response to Question 1:\n Fulfills the requirements of Question 1, assign full points;\n Partially fulfills the requirement of Question 1, assign 1/2 points;\n Does not fulfill the requirement of Question 1, assign 0 points;\n\nIF student response to Question 2:\n Fulfills the requirements of Question 2, assign full points;\n Partially fulfills the requirement of Question 2, assign 1/2 points;\n Does not fulfill the requirement of Question 2, assign 0 points;\n\n```\n\nThis is an easily-defended manner of grading. If a student challenges you and states that they answered Question 1 in their response to Question 2, you can concede that they did, and inform them that they would have gotten full points had they done so in response to Question 1.\n\nI would suggest, however, that your third option is not only unnecessary, but arbitrary. Have you stated, clearly, that students should add *absolutely no* extra content in their responses? It seems cruel to reduce points for such an easy mistake, particularly when, *ex ante*, student's are uncertain of what constitutes 'too much'."
},
{
"answer_id": 40642,
"author": "S I G",
"author_id": 30996,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30996",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "Grading must be completely objective.\nIf I give a lesson:\n Balls are spherical and the primary color red has a shade called crimson.\n\nand ask 2 questions of you, such as:\n 1. What is the shape of a ball?\n 2. What primary color is closest to the color Crimson?\n\nand you were to answer with:\n 1. Violets are blue.\n 2. Rubies are red and almost spherical in nature.\n\nI'd have to grade both with no credit as #1 is technically correct but it doesn't answer the corresponding question, and the second has the answer to both in it, but is not used in proper context of the lesson.\n\nSadly, when students play with their answers, it's difficult to tell if they learned the lesson. But, what I know from first hand experience is when a student plays with answers like this, they're bored and are likely to do well given a chance in an honors or otherwise advanced course.\n\nHappy teachings!"
}
] |
2015/02/25
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40557",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12314/"
] |
40,558 |
I have had more than one undergraduate student who I have very strongly suspected of routine plagiarism that I cannot prove. There is a certain style of writing that is just inexplicable except as an effort to avoid plagiarism detection.
I will give an example from a case I was actually able to prove. The student wrote:
>
> Free enterprise prejudice is changing in the current period as another U.S. racial conviction framework at a moment that African Americans are a vigorously urbanized, broadly scattered, and occupationally heterogeneous group; when state arrangement is formally race nonpartisan and focused on anti discrimination endeavors; and when most white Americans lean toward a more volitional and social, rather than innate and organic, translation of blacks' burdened status.
>
>
>
This was clearly an attempt to plagiarize from one of the readings in the course:
>
> Laissez Faire Racism is crystallizing in the current period as a new American racial belief system at a point when African Americans are a heavily urbanized, nationally dispersed and occupationally heterogeneous population; when state policy is formally race-neutral and committed to anti-discrimination; and when most white Americans prefer a more volitional and cultural, as opposed to inherent and biological, interpretation of blacks' disadvantaged status.
>
>
>
This kind of plagiarism is totally missed by SafeAssign, the detection tool that I have access to. When I am able to prove cases like this, it's only with much effort. Of course, I can just give students F for writing incoherently, but I would like to have these students removed from the course. I can only do it if I can prove the plagiarism.
Can anyone recommend any strategies for dealing with this?
EDIT: I of course do try to explain to the student that this is not an appropriate way to paraphrase. They typically say that they understand... and then they do the exact same thing on the next assignment.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40560,
"author": "Davidmh",
"author_id": 12587,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12587",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "[HassQx](http://theory.stanford.edu/~aiken/moss/) page states:\n\n> \n> it shouldn't matter whether the suspect code was first discovered by HassQx or by a human; the case that there was plagiarism should stand on its own. \n> \n> \n> \n\nIf you want an automated method of discovering every cheat, wait until the Singularity. Lazy students will always find the way to get past the alarms with minimal work. You can spend months making your software understand synonyms, and they will just spend ten more minutes reordering the sentences.\n\nI think you have sufficient evidence to start the procedures, it doesn't matter it was you or the software who detected it. Anyway, I hope there are not too many individuals like this, in which case you should do something public education at a larger scale.\n\nAlso, consider having a talk with the student. Maybe he doesn't think that it is plagiarism."
},
{
"answer_id": 40562,
"author": "StrongBad",
"author_id": 929,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/929",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "To me it is not obvious that your example is a \"clearly an attempt to plagiarize\". It looks to me like an attempt to paraphrase. Most students that I see who cheat are too lazy to be bothered to change any words. If the original source was referenced, I would not pursue the academic misconduct route. Instead I would give a poor mark for writing incoherently and not showing any depth of understanding. I might also focus an activity on proper paraphrasing and how paraphrasing does not generally demonstrate depth of understanding.\n\nIf the source of the paraphrased/copied material was not referenced, then the situation is more difficult. I would probably first consider if the simple lack of a reference is academic misconduct independent of the copied material. If it is not, then you need to decide if the two actions are academic misconduct. Again, I would probably give the benefit of the doubt and conduct a referencing activity. After the activity, I would let the hammer fall."
},
{
"answer_id": 40577,
"author": "Pete L. Clark",
"author_id": 938,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/938",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "Well, in this case it sounds like you caught the plagiarism without needing to use the software. How? Because the student plagiarized *from one of the course readings*, and as it happens **you are very familiar with the course readings**.\n\nIt seems to me that this \"human plagiarism catching\" can be generalized: you don't have to be able to have software to trawl the internet for copying if you yourself know -- or even have a sufficiently good idea -- *which* material is likely to be plagiarized. In my experience the average student is remarkably bad at getting academic information from the internet: they don't know enough to rapidly and accurately sift through the deluge, so they hold tight to whatever was high on the first google search screen and succeed or fail accordingly. If you are concerned about plagiarism, I think it would be time well spent to search the internet *before making the assignment* and bookmark the most plausible sources to be plagiarized. This won't catch everyone, but then again nothing will. If you feel strongly enough, you might even design some initial assignments as \"plagiarism bait\". As long as your goal is to teach your students right and wrong rather than *a priori* to get them in trouble, I think this is an entirely justifiable thing to do. Also showing someone that they have already gotten caught and gotten in some trouble can be a great motivator for keeping their nose clean in the future (or, sure, digging much deeper in their dishonesty, but again one has to play the percentages here).\n\nGood luck. I don't work in a field in which plagiarism in papers is common -- I am a mathematician -- and the idea that university students regularly commit such dishonorable acts disgusts me. Anyone who wants to take a harder line (and of course who informs and educates the students in advance) has my full support."
},
{
"answer_id": 40583,
"author": "MSalters",
"author_id": 20869,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20869",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "Detecting plagiarism has two parts. The first part is to find a possible match, and the second part is to compare the two works. Plagiarism is likely when a work is very similar to one specific prior work, and much less similar to other works. \n\nThe problem with SafeAssign here is unknown. It could be that it fails to find a possible match, or it might find the two works dissimilar.\n\nWe recognize the two paragraphs from the question as similar because the sentence structures are almost identical, many words are identical, and where the words differ they're synonyms. But you had the advantage of recognizing which text it came from. This part could in fact be automated without major problems. \n\nThe main challenge for automated plagiarism detection is the selection of similar candidates. This probably needs to be done on multiple scales. First, transform the text by doing a grammar analysis. Replace any noun by literally \"noun\", any verb by \"verb\" etc, and see if you now find long matches. Secondly, replace all words by canonical synonyms or hypernyms and check for matches of smaller length. (It doesn't matter if the text becomes hard to understand or somewhat nonsensical). Finally, for the smallest scale, just sort lists or enumerations.\n\nTaking one step back, how would a plagiarism detector come up with likely candidates in the first place? A good method is to realize that documents about the same subject will typically both use fairly uncommon words. As a simple example, the word \"God\" is rather common in theological works and much less so in theoretical chemistry. This process will still work as an effective filter for the pair given in the question - both are trivially recognized as sociological works by their word choice alone (disregarding any sentence structure)."
},
{
"answer_id": 40593,
"author": "Lifes",
"author_id": 30948,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30948",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "If I was the instructor...\n\nI would first strike out **all** wordiness: e.g. in the current period; at a moment; or... at the present time etc. There are numerous \"wordy\" lists available on the Internet that you can refer to for this part.\n\nThen, to detect hard to prove plagiarism, I would search **only** on significant or weighty phrases and ignore the adjective fluff--**except** for superlatives and qualifiers (few, most, many--which many students/people have trouble changing into different words). \n\nFocus on phrases that wouldn't seem to matter to a student who is copying, rather than comprehending/understanding what he/she reads... like \"most people\", \"few people\", \"many Americans\", \"few Blacks\", etc. Also focus on the \"meat\"--phrases that students would strive to retain because it sounds more sophisticated or more academic.\n\nSo from the student example, I would pull out phrases like these, adding plus signs between them:\nU.S. racial+urbanized+occupationally heterogeneous+anti discrimination+most white Americans+blacks'+status [blacks' as plural possessive]\n\nPut only that string of select words and phrases into Google.\n\nThe second Google hit shows enough resemblance--all the words are present. That hit goes to Google Books:\nRacial Attitudes in the 1990s: Continuity and Change, pg. 18\n edited by Steven A. Tuch, Jack K. Martin\n\nIn other words, don't take a student's full sentence to use when checking Google. Instead, pull out phrases that sound like the student is a professor-wannabe, words the student would rarely or very rarely string together based on the student's age, college level, past writing assignments, past academic performance, speaking habits, etc. For example, if a 19 yr old with a C-average turned in that mess, I'd immediately think \"plagiarized!\"\n\nFor in class teaching strategies, professors might assign speaking presentations early in the course. As each student presents orally, write on an index card the student's style and speaking level. e.g. Notes like: uses simple words; no sophistication; uses few/too many adjectives; uses good analogies; noun/pronoun-verb conflicts like \"He run\" instead of \"He ran\". The cards will be a reference for you when evaluating writing assignments throughout the course. \n\nA second teaching strategy: Print out a paragraph from a textbook, say 5 sentences long, with a copy for each student. Make it 'count'--assign grades for this exercise. Have them silently read it. Instructions: \nTurn the paper over and don't look at it again. In 3 to 4 sentences (reduced from 5) write \"in your own words\" what the author said. You may not use any significant phrases or adjectives from the original text except identifiers like age, gender, nationality, etc. (Men; women; middle-aged; American; Canadian, etc.) You may not simply replace words in the original with synonyms. [Alternate assignment: Same instructions but they may refer to the original and give permission to reuse only 3 significant words or phrases from the original version. If more than 3 are used, it will result in an F for the exercise.] \n\nTeaching strategy #3: Review good class note-taking. Specifically instruct the students to take notes for this class. Teach for 15-20 minutes. Stop and pick several students to refer to their notes and re-tell the class the main points you made but they must put the ideas into complete sentences. Their version must re-tell what you taught, as closely as possible. After several students share their retelling, review with the class how \"important pieces\" in lecture notetaking is similar to the task of \"paraphrasing\" points from texts. Talk about how hearing significant pieces from your lecture for notetaking purposes uses the same skills they need to also 'hear' /listen for significant words/phrases in texts. Discuss why they must use \"phrase quotes\" on significant pieces when paraphrasing for a writing assignment, in addition to sentence quotes. And discuss attribution for both.\n\nI enjoyed writing this and hope it sparks further ideas."
},
{
"answer_id": 40602,
"author": "Tom Au",
"author_id": 755,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/755",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "It looks like this student was aware of the [\"five consecutive word plagiarism rule.\"](https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/7571/how-likely-is-the-five-consecutive-word-rule-to-detect-random-as-opposed-to)\n\nS/he is copying strings of four words or so, and taking care to change the fifth (and maybe sixth) in sequence, (hence the \"bad synonyms\") then goes back to copying another \"string,\" etc. Assuming that you know the underlying material, that's how to detect it.\n\nAs explained in other answers to my question, plagiarism consists of \"lifting ideas, plots\" as opposed to merely words. Your student is violating the spirit of anti-plagiarism rules while conforming to the letter (or trying to)."
},
{
"answer_id": 140177,
"author": "user116358",
"author_id": 116358,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/116358",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "I give an oral quiz to each of my students, not to find plagiarism but to assess understanding of the material. I pay close attention when a student of whom I believe to have \"paraphrased\" their entire paper. I'm a science teacher which puts me at an advantage. if the student can't comment on any of the challenging concepts, I find it suspicious."
}
] |
2015/02/25
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40558",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/9298/"
] |
40,572 |
I 'm at the start of my second semester of college and I don't have any real practical experience with programming, but I have to take a class on OOP that is usually taught to juniors.
My OOP class teacher recommended "C++: How to program" 4th ed. by Deitel & Deitel as a textbook, which is a book with many horrible things written about it on the internet.
He also cited a couple generic manuals: "C++ primer plus" by S. Prata and "Absolute C++" that have cold reviews if any; plus a book on general theory: "Concepts of programming languages".
As an ultimate reference he suggested "The C++ programming language" which should be a very solid title, but seems to be more aimed towards experienced programmers.
I read the list at [The Definitive C++ Book Guide and List](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/388242/the-definitive-c-book-guide-and-list) and I'm really tempted to just pick up a title from it, maybe "C++ Primer" or "Accelerated C++".
---
Does anyone have any sensible advice about this kind of situation?
Should I try to study from books that are recognized as faulted by all other sources but my teacher?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40573,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "There are two contexts in which a professor will generally point you at a textbooks:\n\n1. A requirement for a textbook that will be used directly for specific readings and exercises, in which case it is important to use the precise book and (unfortunately) edition, because otherwise you may not have the correct material for assignments on which you will be graded.\n2. A recommendation for a textbook as supplementary material, for you to use on your own for your own edification.\n\nIn your case, it sounds like one of the textbooks falls into the first categroy; if so, you should use the same textbook that the rest of the class is using It also sounds like the other textbooks fall into the second category: your instructor doesn't care *how* you supplement your background, just that you get sufficient reinforcement to be able to make up for your weakness in the class prerequisites. You should thus feel free to pick whatever text works best for you in that regard, including things like online tutorials that might not even be textbooks per se. If you think your instructor is a good teacher, however, you might consider that they may have had good past experiences with this text that causes them to recommend it to you."
},
{
"answer_id": 40574,
"author": "ceoec",
"author_id": 28695,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28695",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "One thing about textbook review is, usually student who don't find the textbook has any problem, or who got good grades, would not care to write a review. People who usually write textbook review are those who failed the course and trying to blame the textbook. Sometime the textbook may be at fault but other times it may not. Also, sometime it depends on the level of the reader. Advance reader may find the book simple while some others may find it difficult. If I were you, I will go to the library or bookstore and read a chapter or two and decide myself. \n\nFor instance, my OOP class used premier C++, some of us love it and some of us hate it. \nAlso, if the professor allows open book exam, you probably would want to have that book."
},
{
"answer_id": 40575,
"author": "xLeitix",
"author_id": 10094,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10094",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "Especially as a beginner, you should really get the recommended book. It is very likely that the course will follow the book rather closely, and trying to study the same material from a different book is usually not easy if you just started to program. If you think that the recommended text book is really bad, you can always get some other learning material in addition.\n\nSome more explanation if you happen to think *\"C++ is C++ - it shouldn't matter which book the OP uses to study the same tool\"*. Well, problems arise if the text book the OP studies uses a different didactic concept / ordering of content than the course. For instance, I am teaching Introduction to Programming in Java. Our specific text book introduces OOP notions, such as classes and methods, much earlier than most books. Students that choose to study using different books often end up being extremely confused in class, because *their* books never mention class hierarchies until half-way through while they are all over the place in in-class examples. Another aspect is that most programming books have their idiosyncrasies in terms of how code is formatted, how certain basic ideas should be expressed, what \"good\" and \"bad\" programming concepts are. Advanced programmers can easily abstract from such idiosyncrasies, but they tend to confuse the heck out of beginners when applied inconsistently."
},
{
"answer_id": 40582,
"author": "Community",
"author_id": -1,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/-1",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "You have no idea the context of the reviews.\n\n* The book may have bad reviews because it was too advanced for them.\n* The book may have bad reviews because it doesn't go into enough details.\n* The book may have bad reviews because most C++ books have bad reviews.\n\nEven if the reviews are by field experts you still need to ask whether it applies to your situation. For a C++ book, if you're in a course covering general programming concepts, I hate to say this, but wrong information in the eyes of professors or professional software engineers may, in fact, be benign for your purposes. A \"weeder\" course would prefer to use a very good but very hard book, which students who *should* be in a intro or survey course would loathe.\n\nA professor using a book with errors ideally will correct the errors as they teach. I had a very talented algebraic geometry teacher who preferred exactly this style. The choice was a readable book with several mistakes, or a very dense, very terse book that was hard to learn from. She used both and mostly lectured from the former.\n\n*More general advice* is to compare several books and learn from the one that suits your learning needs. Using multiple textbooks is often ideal. What the professor requires for the class should be a pretty strong signal, though.\n\nThe bottom line is: **be defensive!** assume your professor will be right about 75% of the time, and your textbook will be right about 75% of the time, so corroborate multiple materials against each other and other resources (like StackExchange sites), and you will succeed."
},
{
"answer_id": 40594,
"author": "Zibbobz",
"author_id": 23717,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/23717",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "You should definitely get the course-recommended book, not only because you're going to need it to follow along with the class insturctions, but because you as a beginner will need that tutelage to learn the basics in the first place. \n\nYou should follow along with this book for the duration of class. It may not be good, or it may surprise you, but it will help you with this class and with learning what the professor is trying to teach.\n\n---\n\nNow, if you are serious about learning the C++ language, and find that the book isn't as helpful as you'd like, *then* you can invest in another C++-primer or C++ introductory book, **after** you have taken this class and grown more accustomed to OOP and the C++ language. \n\nIn programming, especially collegiate-level programming, you'll find it's important both to know the standard practices *and* to practice on your own terms in order to grasp a language or coding fundamental properly. And there's no problem, assuming you have the time, with learning from two books instead of one. \n\n**In short**\n------------\n\nDefinitely get the book your professor recommends, and use it during your course, because not doing so will seriously handicap you in this course. But, if you want to learn more, don't be afraid to pursue other sources."
},
{
"answer_id": 40618,
"author": "Keith",
"author_id": 15586,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/15586",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "First, note that a course on OOP is probably not the same as a course just on C++. The C++ language was designed by Stroustrup to support the developer in multiple styles of programming, including OO.\n\nC++ today has become such a huge and complex language, moreover one for which which professional programming style has significantly evolved since the 98 standard. For example, its support for and take-up of functional programming has grown significantly.\n\nI'm assuming you want to do well on the course, as opposed to simply learning skills. \n\nNow, it's a long while since I've had a look at Deitel and Deitel, and I can't say I've good memories of it. However, hopefully the book is recommended because does take an approach supporting the OOP of the course and the subset of C++ you are expected to learn on the course. So go ahead and get the book.\n\nHaving said that, if you really want to learn C++ itself well enough to be able to use it as a professional, be prepared to buy a few more books and put in a **lot** more work after you've done this introductory course."
}
] |
2015/02/25
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40572",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30925/"
] |
40,585 |
Can anyone advise on how to tailor a CV for travel grant applications?
I've seen a number of computer science conferences and workshops where the application for travel grants consists of simply sending your CV.
Is there anything that one can do specifically for this type of application?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 45458,
"author": "Angharad Eyre",
"author_id": 34386,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/34386",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "You should always try to tailor your CV to the opportunity you are applying for. You might want to consider a personal statement of two sentences that encapsulate who you are and why this travel grant is relevant for you. People tend to read the beginning of CVs and then skim. You want to make sure that the narrative makes sense, so don't include too much information and make sure that the information included is phrased so as to be relevant to the opportunity. Definitely include a page with all your publications and previous conference papers. In terms of conference travel grants, however, it's going to mainly depend on the paper proposal - how relevant the proposal is to the conference's main aims will determine how much the organizers want to help make sure you can attend."
},
{
"answer_id": 46314,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "In my experience, your CV is your CV, and it should list basically everything of scientific significance about you (unless you're so far along in your career that you can do an impressive \"highlight\" CV). The main decision available to you is how you order and cluster these things. \n\nThus, if your CV is already ordered and grouped to put your best foot forward, scientifically, I don't think you need to do anything else in particular to tailor it for a travel grant application. I certainly know that when I have been in the position of looking at student/early-career applications to decide on travel grants, the full package is generally small enough that it's easy to see the significant bits no matter how things are formatted."
},
{
"answer_id": 46315,
"author": "chupvl",
"author_id": 35222,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/35222",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "I think is the same as for job application - show the accomplished things but in a more direct way, not descriptive way e.g.\n\"I participated in the project X that was dealing with Y, we proposed Z that is modified algorithm ZZ.\" can be converted to \n\"We/I developed new algorithm Z showed better performance compared to state-of-art. The algo applicable in this and that areas\"."
}
] |
2015/02/25
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40585",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14861/"
] |
40,587 |
Where can I find statistics for jobs to applicant ratios for engineering professorships or assistant professorships?
The reason I'm asking this is I'm thinking this might be the best metric to determine whether become a professor in an engineering field is "easier" (greater probability of being hired) than a humanities related field.
If the ratio I requested isn't a useful statistic, I am also open to other metrics.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40588,
"author": "user1258240",
"author_id": 29406,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/29406",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "At my institution I would say the ration is about 1:6. But this is a really bad metric for 'hardness of getting hired'. For example in the humanities typically applicants' hair is already greying, while engineering applicants almost still have their milk teeth. That is a much stronger indication that humanities jobs are much harder to get than engineering academic jobs."
},
{
"answer_id": 73167,
"author": "aeismail",
"author_id": 53,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/53",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "I don't think that applicants per job is a statistic that is reported by departments. I've been on all sides of job searches (applicant, reviewer, bystander, administrative assistance), and that's always been a number that's stayed internal to the department.\n\nHowever, for jobs in the US, a good rule of thumb is that the number of applicants will be on the order of about 100. A short application window or a very specific research profile will diminish the pool, but the number of applicants will still be substantial."
}
] |
2015/02/25
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40587",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14831/"
] |
40,591 |
A few months back I contacted a potential advisor I am interested in doing my PhD with and he replied that he is considering my application and will be back in contact with me.
Today, I received another email from him basically saying:
>
> Dear [My Correct Name],
>
>
> Are you still interested in doing PhD with me? If so, I will interview
> you.
>
>
>
I wrote back that I am still interested and gave him my contact information.
He replied:
>
> Dear [Completely wrong name/ probably another applicant],
>
>
> Thanks. I will come back to you later.
>
>
>
Should I send an email correcting him or just forget it?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40592,
"author": "Nate Eldredge",
"author_id": 1010,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1010",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "In case the email was actually intended for the other person, it would be courteous to reply, saying that you got an email from him that you think may have been meant for someone else."
},
{
"answer_id": 121654,
"author": "Mariana",
"author_id": 96617,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/96617",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "I would suggest you write him a short message:\n\n> \n> Dear Potential Advisor,\n> \n> \n> In order to avoid any misunderstanding, I would like to confirm that this interview confirmation was addressed to me: YOUR FULL NAME\n> \n> \n> Thanks in advance!\n> \n> \n> Your first name\n> \n> \n> \n\nI smile a lot and I use \":)\" a lot as a gesture of sympathy on emails, sometimes even in formal/commercial ones. So I would add one:\n\n> \n> *Thanks in advance! :)*\n> \n> \n> \n\nThe smiley face will soften the error remark, and IMHO help to show him that you are really concerned about a possible misunderstanding and not offended by his error."
}
] |
2015/02/25
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40591",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/18244/"
] |
40,595 |
By chance, I have the same last name as one of the supervisors of a project I worked on. If I ask him to write me a recommendation letter, will the admission committee misconstrue that we are related and how do I provide proof that we are not? By the way, I am Chinese, so there is perhaps more overlap in last names.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40596,
"author": "Corvus",
"author_id": 27900,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27900",
"pm_score": 7,
"selected": false,
"text": "There is a very easy solution. Your supervisor can simply write something like\n\n> \n> To whom it may concern,\n> \n> \n> It is a pleasure to write in recommendation of Jehj Slotj (no relation). Zotn is...etc., etc.\n> \n> \n> Sincerely, \n> \n> Professor Tom Gxigl\n> \n> \n>"
},
{
"answer_id": 40610,
"author": "Pete L. Clark",
"author_id": 938,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/938",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "> \n> By the way, I am Chinese, so there is perhaps more overlap in last names. \n> \n> \n> \n\nPerhaps? Come on. Any worldly person who is paying attention knows that the ratio of people to surnames is orders of magnitude higher in China than in most Western countries. There are more than 1.3 billion Chinese (i.e., citizens of the PRC) and only slightly over 4,000 Chinese surnames, 100 of which account for about 85% of China's population. A 2007 survey reports approximately 92,881,000 Chinese with the surname Wang: more than 7 percent of the population. (Only about 1% of Americans have the surname Smith, and it drops off much more rapidly from there.)\n\nI completely agree with @Corvus's answer: with a two word parenthetical expression any writer can allay all concerns in this regard, and it is probably a good idea to do so. (When I describe work of other mathematicians named \"Dlarn\" -- and, because I am ever tolerant of the imperfections of others, \"Dlarne\" -- I generally do say \"no relation\".) But I wouldn't worry too much about this. You're Chinese, not Macedonian: even we Americans know a thing or two about where you're from."
}
] |
2015/02/25
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40595",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17724/"
] |
40,597 |
I'm completing a master's in history (one year in), and am beginning to look at possible PhD programs. I have noted in a lot of forums that it looks *really* good if you have one (or several) publications to your name.
How does one even begin this process? Also, with coursework and the thesis writing process having just begun, how do graduate students find time to write and attempt to publish original work in addition to the aforementioned obligations?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40596,
"author": "Corvus",
"author_id": 27900,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27900",
"pm_score": 7,
"selected": false,
"text": "There is a very easy solution. Your supervisor can simply write something like\n\n> \n> To whom it may concern,\n> \n> \n> It is a pleasure to write in recommendation of Jehj Slotj (no relation). Zotn is...etc., etc.\n> \n> \n> Sincerely, \n> \n> Professor Tom Gxigl\n> \n> \n>"
},
{
"answer_id": 40610,
"author": "Pete L. Clark",
"author_id": 938,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/938",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "> \n> By the way, I am Chinese, so there is perhaps more overlap in last names. \n> \n> \n> \n\nPerhaps? Come on. Any worldly person who is paying attention knows that the ratio of people to surnames is orders of magnitude higher in China than in most Western countries. There are more than 1.3 billion Chinese (i.e., citizens of the PRC) and only slightly over 4,000 Chinese surnames, 100 of which account for about 85% of China's population. A 2007 survey reports approximately 92,881,000 Chinese with the surname Wang: more than 7 percent of the population. (Only about 1% of Americans have the surname Smith, and it drops off much more rapidly from there.)\n\nI completely agree with @Corvus's answer: with a two word parenthetical expression any writer can allay all concerns in this regard, and it is probably a good idea to do so. (When I describe work of other mathematicians named \"Dlarn\" -- and, because I am ever tolerant of the imperfections of others, \"Dlarne\" -- I generally do say \"no relation\".) But I wouldn't worry too much about this. You're Chinese, not Macedonian: even we Americans know a thing or two about where you're from."
}
] |
2015/02/25
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40597",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30964/"
] |
40,598 |
I'm currently an undergrad, and work as a researcher in an EECS lab. Recently, I discovered a novel application to work on, and so for the last few weeks I've been staying at the lab late almost every day, leaving at midnight or later. Since I live in a dorm on the opposite end of campus, I usually don't get to sleep until around 2-3 AM. In the morning I need to be up and in class by 8-9 AM (depending on the day), in a building that happens to be right next to the lab.
Would it be acceptable to set up a foldable cot at night (leave it under my desk during the day) and sleep at the lab occasionally? I'm usually the last person at the lab at night. If it cultural context matters, I work at a research university in California (US).
**EDIT**
The lab is mostly composed of graduate students and professors, so they usually maintain a regular 9-5/5:30 schedule at the lab (minus office hours and lectures). As one of a small handful of undergrads, I'm usually there between 4 (when class ends) and well after everyone else leaves. In some cases, graduate students will sleep in the graduate student lounge just outside the lab proper (still part of the lab IIRC).
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40601,
"author": "mako",
"author_id": 5962,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/5962",
"pm_score": 7,
"selected": true,
"text": "Ask your supervisor. If your PI supervisor controls the space and gives you permission, there shouldn't be any problem for you.\n\nI've seen situations where there are experiments that need to be babysat over long periods and researchers bring cots into the lab so that they can devote more time and provide more frequent checkups than would be possible otherwise.\n\nOf course, if you are homeless and living in the lab for some longer period of time to avoid paying rent somewhere else, that seems like a much bigger problem. Honestly though, I've seen that done as well. The OK-ness and consequences of sleeping your lab will depend on the local culture, rules, and laws. If you ask a supervisor, it will be their responsibility to make that call."
},
{
"answer_id": 40604,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "I have known many people who did this (or something similar) without much trouble. The key things to look out for are:\n\n* Safety: are you behind a locked door or in a public space? Will people know you belong or be frightened by an apparent homeless intruder?\n* Courtesy: the lab is not your home, and nobody wants to see you wandering around in your underwear or smelly in yesterday's clothes.\n\nYou are probably OK crashing on the floor or a couch once in a while, but if you are going to set up a cot, you need to have a conversation with the people you share the space with to let them know and make sure they are OK with it. Also, many labs have a discreet shower somewhere in the building: learn where, and use it lest you become the subject of derision.\n\nIn short: be safe and courteous, and happy dreams!"
},
{
"answer_id": 40606,
"author": "peterh",
"author_id": 10234,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10234",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "Beware, it is mostly much more dangerous as it seems, even if it doesn't violate some policies literally. It is already dangerous if you here there until 2AM.\n\nThings are controlled not only by policies and rules, but also by personal feelings. Especially if you have longer plans about your research, on the sympathy of the employees of the lab will depend much more as you would think. And most of these people goes away around 17-18PM, to his family, and they are always there around 8-9AM, to do their job. If you are out of his cycle, it can make a general, negative impression from you.\n\nAlthough it can be even positive, if you *can* show very clearly, your task is important, and you are there because of your diligence. It will depend not on your answers to questions, but on your teachers / leaders (which is probably a prof \"governing\" the lab and the research there). And this positive effect will only work if it happens *seldom*."
},
{
"answer_id": 40623,
"author": "Pete L. Clark",
"author_id": 938,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/938",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "> \n> Would it be acceptable to set up a foldable cot at night (leave it under my desk during the day) and sleep at the lab occasionally?\n> \n> \n> \n\nA worldwide internet academic community like this one cannot answer your question directly. You need to ask the head of the lab. This is the person who will need to vouch for you if any other university member (student, employee, faculty...) finds you there at night, and this is the person who needs to feel confident that someone sleeping in the lab is neither a threat, a conflict of interest nor an embarrassment to the lab and its work. \n\nI will go way outside my direct experience and speculate that keeping and using a cot **directly inside a university laboratory** is not something that the head of the lab is likely to approve. I don't know exactly what is being done in the lab, but if it's in EECS, sleeping is presumably not an intended use of the space. If you are sleeping right next to expensive and/or delicate equipment, then you are not using it as you have been trained to do, and in some (perhaps annoying but nevertheless real) legal sense you may not be qualified to remain in the presence of such equipment in a less than alert state. What if you stumble out of your cot and onto something? \n\nOn the other hand, a student lounge is an entirely different story: that seems precisely like a designated space for students to spend down time. If you put a couch in your lounge, then you can reasonably expect people to at least take naps. It would seem like a much better idea to me to place a cot in the lounge rather than the lab itself. If you don't want to do this because there could also be other people there: well, again, the lab itself is not your personal sleeping space. I would think that you could ask even a senior grad student or postdoc \"Hey, is it okay if I keep a cot in the lounge and sleep on it occasionally if I need to?\" \n\nFinally, although if the right people say so you certainly can sleep in/adjacent to the lab, I wanted to recommend that you give some thought to the work-life issues involved. In the long run, most people are much happier sleeping in a bed in a place of their own and also having some downtime / nonwork interactions between sleep and attending class. If you are sleeping nights in the lab with just a stored cot are you not showering / doing morning and evening hygiene / putting on clean clothes before you wake up in the lab and then go to class? This is most certainly possible and there are institutions full of large numbers of students who do it (I frequented an all-night cafe at MIT as a graduate student and encountered many students there whose motto seemed to be \"No shower until I finish this week's problem set\". It wasn't pretty.) But nevertheless most people realize that this is just less healthy, less fun and even less productive than doing things in a more balanced way. For that matter, what is it that you're doing in a lab for hours past the time that everyone else goes home? Is all that time really needed? I mean, intensity is great, but after a certain point it gets a little manic. Many of the most successful academics that I know work incredibly hard in a certain sense; but I don't know any leading academic that literally spends all their waking hours working. You just can't do good work for that much time. Anyway, it's worth thinking about."
},
{
"answer_id": 40639,
"author": "sevensevens",
"author_id": 14754,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14754",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "Its generally acceptable to **occasionally** sleep at the lab. You mention that several grad students are sleeping just outside as well.\n\nIf a couch is available, sleep on that. Bringing in a cot will attract attention, so check with the lab supervisor (either the prof or a Ph.D. student). I don't see why they would say no as sleeping at the lab every now and then is an unspoken requirement in many departments."
},
{
"answer_id": 40660,
"author": "Patrick",
"author_id": 31004,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31004",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "This answer might be slightly off-topic, since you're an EECS-student.\n\nHowever, in the biology department at my current university there are rooms with beds next to some of the laboratories, exactly for this purpose. These are intended for students and staff performing fermentation that require sampling every hour or two for several hours, sometimes through the night.\n\nSo in some cases it is even encouraged."
},
{
"answer_id": 40664,
"author": "Patricia Shanahan",
"author_id": 10220,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10220",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "> \n> In some cases, graduate students will sleep in the graduate student\n> lounge just outside the lab proper (still part of the lab IIRC).\n> \n> \n> \n\nThis suggests an alternative solution. Your department may be willing to grant an undergraduate who is doing research in the lab, with use of a desk there, courtesy access to the graduate student lounge. I suggest checking into that. If graduate students staying overnight sleep in the lounge, rather than in the lab proper, it would be the more appropriate place for you to sleep."
},
{
"answer_id": 40684,
"author": "Jesuisme",
"author_id": 31021,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31021",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "The most important aspect here is that you should strive to be a good lab citizen. To that effect:\n\n1. Personal hygiene is a major consideration (always) and especially if you're sleeping at the lab.\n2. Every lab has unwritten rules. These rules may not make sense or may not be relative to anyone working there presently.\n\nSo gently ask the senior researchers/students what they think and make your decision after considering their input.\n\nP.S. - Sleeping in the lab out of passion, instead of crisis or servitude, is what I would dream of in a student.\n\nP.P.S - Riding your bike back from the lab at midnight sucks. Especially if there are big hills involved and you've got a backpack."
},
{
"answer_id": 40711,
"author": "Yasha",
"author_id": 28181,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28181",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "You want to set up a cot in the lab?\n\nI'd venture a guess that this would almost certainly be frowned upon. Many people here are arguing that you should worry about your hygiene. That's not the issue. The issue is that labs aren't zoned or designed as residencies. If there ever *were* an issue, such as a fire in the building or an injury to your person by some piece of equipment, the school would be in pretty hot water.\n\nYou might be able to get away with it, but I can all but guarantee you that if the school found out that you had set up a cot in the lab, the administration would shut that down quickly."
}
] |
2015/02/25
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40598",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/13966/"
] |
40,605 |
**Disclaimer:** I asked this question on academia since it is very much so a student/professor relationship despite both him and me being significantly more industry oriented.
**About Me:** I recently graduated from a degree (4-5 months ago) and am working in industry. I'm 20 years old.
**Dilemma:** I recently found out from a friend of mine that my lecturer at EIT and my supervisor/mentor throughout my degree was planning to develop a new paper. I sent him an email telling him how the paper sounds like it would be very useful because as a graduate I found X, Y, Z to be very critical in industry. I also mentioned my new job in the email and some other stuff about the paper.
He replied saying
>
> Good to hear from you. Great that Company X has offered you a job that
> appreciates your skills; at least, that's what I understand.
>
>
> blaablaaPaperRelatedStuff
>
>
> I hope you like your current job, and that you keep challenging
> yourself. We should stay in touch. Cheers,
>
>
>
So my problem is, what does "staying in touch" mean? How do I properly stay in touch with him?
**Other Questions**:
The first answer to this [question](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/34169/how-should-i-stay-in-professional-contact-with-former-supervisors-and-or-colleag) had the best answer I could find, however It did not help me.
>
> The easiest way is to keep working on projects with them. If that ship
> has sailed, then the next best way is to be friends with them on
> social media, which is to say, be friends with them in real life.
> Barring that, you have to work to communicate with them on a regular
> basis about topics relevant to your shared interests: go to
> conferences and strike up conversations with them, share interesting
> papers with them via email (i.e., "Did you see this new paper from
> prof X? What'd you think?"), propose joint projects and write joint
> grant proposals, etc. It's not hard, but it does take active work
>
>
>
1. I'm 20 and he is around 40+ and leads a very busy life (kids, own business on the side and etc), so I'm not sure the whole "friend" thing would work overly that well.
2. I'm in industry, he is in academia so projects/proposals are not really viable. (however he is more teaching/interfaceWithIndustry sort of thing as I do not believe he does any research any more). Also, "side-projects" are a viable option as we are software developers, however I have my plateful with them already and he has his own company as a side project, so there is no time for them really.
Another Related Question: [How does one maintain academic contacts?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/2300/how-does-one-maintain-academic-contacts)
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40622,
"author": "Kimball",
"author_id": 19607,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/19607",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "First off, let me say the sentence \"We should stay in touch\" probably has no specific expectations. Based on your age, I guess this was an undergraduate advisor/professor. Typically a PhD advisor has a rather close relationship with their students. In your case, I don't know how close of a relationship you had, but if it was reasonably close then here are some situations where the professor might appreciate hearing from you:\n\n1. [academic] If you do related research and want to let him know about it. Similarly if you're going to a conference he is likely to attend, or you give a talk about your work with him, you might let him know. (In the case of a really large conference where you might not run into each other, an email in advance may be useful so you can try to arrange to meet up.) You can also let him know if you want to be updated wiht further progress on this research. Or if you decide you want to go to grad school or learn about something he's an expert in, you could ask him for advice.\n2. [semi-academic] If there are signifcant ways in what you worked on with him/he taught you helped you in your work, you could tell him and thank him again for his help. We usually appreciate hearing things are useful.\n3. [professional] If you change your job, he might like to know where you've gone off to. This is one way faculty maintain contacts in industry, through former students. He may want to contact you at some point to talk to/about other students he knows who are looking for similar jobs, or tell other people where his students have gone. To go along with this, if you change your email you should let him know.\n4. [professional] Conversely, if you're in a position where your company is looking for talented students with preparation similar to you, you could contact him to encourage students to apply.\n5. If you go back to visit your school, let him know in advance so you can try to drop in and say hi or have lunch with him to catch up and what not.\n6. Depending on how close you were, you might update him on major life changes (marriage, kids).\n7. If you both had some common nonacademic interest (again depending on your relationship), there are some options. E.g., if you're both into mountain climbing and you talked about the Himalayas, and then you finally go, you could let him know and send him a picture.\n8. Use an SNS. Though try to avoid bombarding him with messages with inviations from linkedln.\n\nThat said, you don't want to force situations in which to contact him just to stay in contact with him. It might be natural for you to contact him a couple times in a year, or maybe not at all for several years. He may also contact you periodically (along the lines of 3/4 or with updates about your previous research project)."
},
{
"answer_id": 40656,
"author": "user1258240",
"author_id": 29406,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/29406",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "As far as my experience goes, this 'we should stay in touch' with no concrete suggestion as to how you should stay in touch, means he does not expect you to actually stay in touch on an ongoing fashion. \n\nThe way I interpret the meaning of this phrase as it appears in the email you quoted, it means roughly the following: \"I am a busy man, and I have no particular thing in mind that we should cooperate about at the moment. But I like you, I am thankful for your comments, and I am impressed with what you achieved so far and by your potential. So if at any point in the future you see a concrete way in which our relationship can be put to use please contact me, and I will do the same on my side.\"\n\nSo I would just answer back saying something like \"I'm glad were helpful. I'd be happy to chat more if you ever want [more comments about the current paper or anything related to the it or the job that you are doing now].\""
}
] |
2015/02/25
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40605",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30966/"
] |
40,609 |
I'm a PhD student, in medical physics at a very good collegiate university in the UK. I did a four-year undergraduate masters' (in physics), and I'm just finishing a four year PhD. I'm now at the awkward stage of applying for grants, junior research fellowships and postdoctoral fellowships -- and I'm experiencing an awful lot of rejection letters, often after being shortlisted and interviewed.
My question is this: **how much does my undergraduate degree *actually matter* at this point in my career?** I wrote two articles (on computational biology) as an undergraduate that were published in good (impact factor ~5) journals, and by now my publications list has eight items on it (excluding conference proceedings), including a PNAAS article (albeit not first author) and several articles in the main journal in my field. I've won prizes, lectured, and got a teaching qualification. *Yet I still keep being rejected* for positions that are 'appropriate' for me to apply for.
When I speak to older (successful) colleagues about their experiences, they often drop things like "Of course, coming first in the year at [Cambridge/Oxford] helped me get my Junior Research Fellowship, and even the Tutorial Fellowship later" into conversation, and the vast majority have a very good degree. I *didn't* do fantastically in my undergrad degree -- I narrowly missed out on a first class degree (69.96%), largely due to one bad exam. I really can't help but think that the *reason* I'm finding it so hard to get funding is because I *didn't* come first in my year -- but I'm up against people who presumably have successful publication histories *and did*.
If there are a large group of equivalent, good, candidates for one position, do funding bodies and interviewing committees look at what's *different* between everyone? Is the fact that I'm *objectively* a second-class physicist holding me back? If so, what can I do about it? Or is it the case that these funding bodies do some sort of crazy weighted sum, whereby one-tenth-of-a-nature-paper is equivalent to being first-in-year? How much of a hinderance is it being -- as I was -- in the top 20% of your year, as opposed to the top 10%? Does the importance of your first degree erode over time?
I realise that I should feel pleased to be *shortlisted* where -- to give an example -- 283 people apply for one position, and I was in the final six. Yet 'feeling pleased' won't pay the rent next year, and I'm really starting to despair. Should I accept that this limitation is always going to hold me back in my chosen career path, and therefore just go and change it?
**Aside**: I'm also concerned that, being an interdisciplinary person -- an MRI physicist -- I'm going to come across as being "too medical" for a physics position, and "too physical" for a post in a biochemistry department. In practice, my research ranges from Schrödinger equations to talking to cardiologists, and I believe that either location would be appropriate. This, however, is a whole other kettle of fish!
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40622,
"author": "Kimball",
"author_id": 19607,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/19607",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "First off, let me say the sentence \"We should stay in touch\" probably has no specific expectations. Based on your age, I guess this was an undergraduate advisor/professor. Typically a PhD advisor has a rather close relationship with their students. In your case, I don't know how close of a relationship you had, but if it was reasonably close then here are some situations where the professor might appreciate hearing from you:\n\n1. [academic] If you do related research and want to let him know about it. Similarly if you're going to a conference he is likely to attend, or you give a talk about your work with him, you might let him know. (In the case of a really large conference where you might not run into each other, an email in advance may be useful so you can try to arrange to meet up.) You can also let him know if you want to be updated wiht further progress on this research. Or if you decide you want to go to grad school or learn about something he's an expert in, you could ask him for advice.\n2. [semi-academic] If there are signifcant ways in what you worked on with him/he taught you helped you in your work, you could tell him and thank him again for his help. We usually appreciate hearing things are useful.\n3. [professional] If you change your job, he might like to know where you've gone off to. This is one way faculty maintain contacts in industry, through former students. He may want to contact you at some point to talk to/about other students he knows who are looking for similar jobs, or tell other people where his students have gone. To go along with this, if you change your email you should let him know.\n4. [professional] Conversely, if you're in a position where your company is looking for talented students with preparation similar to you, you could contact him to encourage students to apply.\n5. If you go back to visit your school, let him know in advance so you can try to drop in and say hi or have lunch with him to catch up and what not.\n6. Depending on how close you were, you might update him on major life changes (marriage, kids).\n7. If you both had some common nonacademic interest (again depending on your relationship), there are some options. E.g., if you're both into mountain climbing and you talked about the Himalayas, and then you finally go, you could let him know and send him a picture.\n8. Use an SNS. Though try to avoid bombarding him with messages with inviations from linkedln.\n\nThat said, you don't want to force situations in which to contact him just to stay in contact with him. It might be natural for you to contact him a couple times in a year, or maybe not at all for several years. He may also contact you periodically (along the lines of 3/4 or with updates about your previous research project)."
},
{
"answer_id": 40656,
"author": "user1258240",
"author_id": 29406,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/29406",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "As far as my experience goes, this 'we should stay in touch' with no concrete suggestion as to how you should stay in touch, means he does not expect you to actually stay in touch on an ongoing fashion. \n\nThe way I interpret the meaning of this phrase as it appears in the email you quoted, it means roughly the following: \"I am a busy man, and I have no particular thing in mind that we should cooperate about at the moment. But I like you, I am thankful for your comments, and I am impressed with what you achieved so far and by your potential. So if at any point in the future you see a concrete way in which our relationship can be put to use please contact me, and I will do the same on my side.\"\n\nSo I would just answer back saying something like \"I'm glad were helpful. I'd be happy to chat more if you ever want [more comments about the current paper or anything related to the it or the job that you are doing now].\""
}
] |
2015/02/26
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40609",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28533/"
] |
40,612 |
I'm having the following problem: There is some interesting paper (in machine learning) which is cited by 180 other papers (according to Google Scholar). From these 180, I want to find the papers that build up heavily on the original paper. I mean, not the ones that just mention the original paper briefly and are not REALLY related to it, but the ones in which the original paper is one of them, let's say three, main references.
Now, obviously, I cannot read 180 abstracts/papers now. Any clever and experienced ideas? I'm a PhD student.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40613,
"author": "user141592",
"author_id": 27327,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27327",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "1) Ask your advisor.\n\n2) Scanning 180 abstracts to find the most relevant ones can be done in under a day if you're efficient about it (most can be excluded within the first two sentences of the abstract if they are not relevant)."
},
{
"answer_id": 90294,
"author": "user2768",
"author_id": 22768,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22768",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "You don't need to read abstracts nor papers, you can use the following method to skim papers.\n\n**Method**. Find the paper on Google Scholar and click the \"cited by 180\" link, that'll give you a link such as <https://scholar.google.fr/scholar?cites=7297898505323682187>, repeat the following steps for each of the 180 papers: 1) download, 2) find the citation to the original paper in the bibliography (hopefully in numeric, e.g., [1], or alphanumeric, e.g., [AB17], form), and 3) search for the citation (e.g., search for AB17) in the paper and check whether it is cited in a meaningful way. \n\n**Cost**. Step 1 will cost you ~5 seconds if there's no pay wall and possibly minutes if there is, Step 2 takes ~30 seconds, and Step 3 takes ~50 seconds. (As you get better those timings will reduce.) Thus, a lower-bound on cost is around 1 1/2 minutes per paper or around half a day for all 180 papers. Factoring in pay walled papers, it might take 1-2 days.\n\nAlternatively, if you know roughly what you are looking for, then you can reduce your search space, e.g., you can consider all the papers that cite the original and contain \"keyword\" (<https://scholar.google.fr/scholar?cites=7297898505323682187&scipsc=1&q=keyword>)"
},
{
"answer_id": 182676,
"author": "Slothworks",
"author_id": 11513,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11513",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "More recently, you can also use Semantic Scholar to do this. They have an option to sort citations to a paper by \"Most Influenced Papers\". For example, for the paper \"[Latent Retrieval for Weakly Supervised Open Domain Question Answering](https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Latent-Retrieval-for-Weakly-Supervised-Open-Domain-Lee-Chang/a81874b4a651a740fffbfc47ef96515e8c7f782f?sort=is-influential)\" you can see:\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/XRcXV.png)\n\nYou can read how they determine \"influence\" [here](https://www.semanticscholar.org/faq#influential-citations):\n\n> \n> \"Influential citations are determined utilizing a machine-learning\n> model analyzing a number of factors including the number of citations\n> to a publication, and the surrounding context for each. You can read\n> more about our approach in [“Identifying Meaningful Citations”](https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Identifying-Meaningful-Citations-Valenzuela-Ha/1c7be3fc28296a97607d426f9168ad4836407e4b).\"\n> \n> \n> \n\nIn my experience looking at computer science papers, it works quite well for those!"
}
] |
2015/02/26
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40612",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30971/"
] |
40,615 |
I know this question may be off-topic on academia SE, but really am not sure where to ask. I was admitted to a great PhD program recently, and was also invited to participate in their Open House in March. I was informed that I would be reimbursed for travel expenses. However the email says to book flights as early as possible to "qualify for a more competitive rate". Does this "rate" refer to the ticket price or the rate at which I am reimbursed? I'm afraid to ask the secretary since I don't want to make a bad impression.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40616,
"author": "Corvus",
"author_id": 27900,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27900",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "By \"qualify for a more competitive rate,\" it seems pretty likely that they simply want you book early to get a cheaper flight."
},
{
"answer_id": 40617,
"author": "Bill Barth",
"author_id": 11600,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11600",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "Yes, yes it does. The hard part for you is that you need enough financial capacity (credit card, usually) to float cost of the airfare until you actually take both the flights. The university won't be able to reimburse you until you've actually taken both the flights. Even then, it may take them a month or two to pay you back. They won't pay your interest payments."
},
{
"answer_id": 40627,
"author": "user3082",
"author_id": 24500,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/24500",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "In addition, also talk to the travel websites as well, booking super-early doesn't always save you the most cash. But yes, you will want to book earlier than \"last minute\"."
},
{
"answer_id": 40633,
"author": "aeismail",
"author_id": 53,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/53",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "Basically, the email is telling you to book ahead because flight costs increase dramatically if you try to book too close to the actual travel date. For instance, for domestic flights within the US the cutoff is typically 21 days before the flight: ticket prices can become two or three times more expensive if you try to book after that point.\n\nOf course, there's also the department's interest in having to pay less for your ticket, because that means there's more money available for other purposes (to pay for other students' tickets, hotel costs, meal costs during the visit, and so on)."
},
{
"answer_id": 40706,
"author": "Monocyte",
"author_id": 31044,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31044",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "I think the university's primary concern is paying as little as possible. Therefore they are nudging you to buy your ticket sooner rather than later."
}
] |
2015/02/26
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40615",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/26799/"
] |
40,619 |
I refereed a paper after a skim-through and a careful examination of about (1/3) of it after a couple of weeks, and then sent it back due to expository issues, a few gripes about certain things not being correct, about a dozen notes, and suggestions on what needs cleaning so that I could rigorously go through all the arguments to check everything and give a better assessment of the paper. I gave it a gut feeling of about what level of quality the paper seemed to be, relating it to another paper in the close literature. In the report, I said I would be happy to referee the paper more fully after these preliminary edits are made.
Almost a month has gone by and the editor has not acknowledged my emailing of the referee report to him. Do I wait to see if he acknowledges my report or does this get stuck in the ether without me knowing the result of the paper? Do I email him asking if he received my referee report? Was I wrong in sending it back to the authors so quickly to ask for more clarity? Or should I be taking a back seat to this and only responding when prompted and going along my merry way?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40624,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "My experience has been that a review acknowledgement should come immediately---usually via an automated system, but quite rapidly even when there isn't one. This is sensible: otherwise, how do you know that your review was actually received? You should feel free to query the editor on this matter.\n\nYour assessment of the paper sounds a bit unconventional, but essentially boils down to a recommendation for major revision. It's possible you haven't heard back because the editor doesn't have all the reviews in, and some journals never actually tell you what the final result is.\n\nDo check, however, that the journal is really a reasonable that you want to be associated with... review by informal email with a non-communicative editor would be a very bad sign in my field..."
},
{
"answer_id": 40630,
"author": "Peter Jansson",
"author_id": 4394,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4394",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "If you send in a review by e-mail, not through an automated system which will most likely spit out an automatic mail in response, common decency would dictate you should get an acknowledgement of receipt. But, this does not mean you receive one in all cases. What seems a good way forward is to simply send an e-mail to the editor (or to whom you sent the review) inquiring whether or not the review arrived safely since you did not hear back. There is no guarantee this will be credited with a response either and then you should probably just drop it and I would also argue the journal/journal editor is not very careful with their correspondence. This does not reflect well on the journal so as already suggested elsewhere, the journal may not be worthwhile any future efforts for reviews or publishing."
}
] |
2015/02/26
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40619",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12656/"
] |
40,626 |
I have been reading that a publisher called WIT Press has the following copyright agreement:
<http://www.icsis.org/WITcopyright.pdf>
It has one part that says:
>
> We will not withhold permission for any reasonable request from you
> to publish parts of this paper in connection with any other work by
> you, provided the usual acknowledgements are given regarding
> copyright notice and reference to the original publication.
>
>
>
What does it really mean? It means that if a paper submitted to that publisher gets accepted I cannot put it on my personal webpage or in the repository of the university that I am?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40631,
"author": "Flyto",
"author_id": 8394,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/8394",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "By default, you hold the copyright for everything you write (note that some things such as contracts of employment may change this default).\n\nWhen you \"assign\" the copyright, as often one must to an academic publisher, you give *them* control over your work. At that point you are correct that you would not be able to put it on your personal webpage without permission from the copyright holder - although in practice many publishers have policies that grant you permission to do this.\n\nThe part of the article that you quote appears to be promising that the publisher in question will grant you permission to use parts of your own work in other work, under certain conditions."
},
{
"answer_id": 40636,
"author": "Colin McLarty",
"author_id": 27912,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27912",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "You should ask the publisher. It is simply obvious they will give permission \"under certain conditions.\" The concern is to know what those conditions are. I find the wording about \"any reasonable request\" vague and much less author-friendly that what I usually see. But their actual intent might be just fine. Ask specifically about your personal webpage or in the repository of the university. Most publishers in my experience talk about those things in their copyright transfer form in the first place.\n\nDo not approach this by trying to guess what is \"reasonable.\""
},
{
"answer_id": 40997,
"author": "Andrew is gone",
"author_id": 27825,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27825",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "This copyright statement **does not say** whether you can put it on the repository or your personal website. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like WIT Press actually have a clear policy on this. The \"publish parts of this paper in connection with any other work by you\" wording is usually used to refer to, as Samun says, reusing parts in later publications.\n\nSHERPA/Romeo list WIT's journal policies as \"unknown\" (see eg the [International Journal of Safety and Security Engineering entry](http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/search.php?source=journal&sourceid=3606&la=en&fIDnum=%7C&mode=simple), which suggests they do not have a repository (etc) policy at all. If they don't have one, you can't assume you're allowed to do it - they *may* let you if you ask, but you'd have to ask, and they can say no.\n\nIf you're required to deposit material in an institutional/funder repository, talk to your institution or funder before publishing in this journal. (WIT do have a very limited paid \"open access\" system, but this is unusually restrictive, and would not comply with many funder OA policies in any case)"
}
] |
2015/02/26
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40626",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6144/"
] |
40,635 |
I was asked to review a paper which was submitted to a conference. The author of the paper was one of my former professors\* and of course I declined to review the submission due to conflict interest.
I was wondering however, would it be unethical to write an email to my professor give him a feedback on the paper and perhaps, provide him some kind of unofficial review?
Of course it would not change the fate of the paper but if the paper gets accepted, they can use my pseudo-review when doing their final editing. I was not sure if this is ethical and/or according to the etiquette of academia.
**Edit**: Perhaps I should clarify what do I mean by *feedback*. What I had in my mind wasn't a complete review but rather some suggestions. Something in the lines of:
>
> Very interesting stuff bla bla... however, I think it would be better
> if you had written sec. IV in this fashion and you add data-field foo
> to figure bar.
>
>
>
---
\*I have a good relationship with professor but we never had any projects or publications together.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40638,
"author": "che_kid",
"author_id": 6093,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6093",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "My gut instinct is to avoid doing this. Typically reviews are supposed to be anonymous and letting the professor know you've seen it breaks the anonymity of it all. You may be breaking the ethical guidelines of the conference.\n\n*Best case scenario*: the professor appreciates your comments, and nothing else happens.\n*Worst case scenario*: it becomes known what you did and people (editors, other researchers, etc.) stop trusting you."
},
{
"answer_id": 40641,
"author": "user1258240",
"author_id": 29406,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/29406",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "There might be an ethical problem with telling the professor that you were asked to review his paper, but I think it's a minor issue: the anonymity of the reviewers is mostly there to allow them to give their opinion freely. If you are eventually not reviewing the paper then I don't think you are required to preserve that anonymity (even if you do review the paper, it's not totally clear that you must stay quiet about it). \n\nAnd if the paper is available online on some archive or on the authors' web pages, then it is definitely ok to give the authors your opinion based on the online version if there is a plausible way in which you could know about the paper had you not been asked about it.\n\nI feel that you main concern is that the fact that the paper was sent to you in error would give the authors an unfair advantage by giving them the opportunity to hear your opinion about it. Well, it is unfair, as are many things in life, but not un-ethical. Ethics is there to keep science working well and making progress, and by letting the authors know your opinion you are doing exactly that. Fairness is only relevant when there is competition for competition's sake, and science should not be that."
},
{
"answer_id": 40650,
"author": "Zibbobz",
"author_id": 23717,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/23717",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "That depends upon the guildelines of your review board. Consult the person or group that organized the peer review, and ask them if it would be acceptable practice. If you strongly wish to send this feedback, mention to the group that you will not mention the names of the other peer reviewers (if you know them) or any other facts about the review, and will only be addressing the content itself. \n\nFrom there, it becomes an issue of whether or not the group will allow it, and act on the assumption that they will **not** until proven otherwise, to avoid being placed in a sticky spot. \n\n---\n\nYou can also ask if the paper will be made public after the conference, and if so then you should be able to offer your critique afterwards without any ethical qualms, except to mention to the professor why you withheld the comments (to avoid compromising ethical guidelines). \n\nI think you should be safe giving your professor this feedback as long as you don't breach the anonymity of the peer reviewers that are on his review board - but don't assume that is the case."
},
{
"answer_id": 40682,
"author": "RoboKaren",
"author_id": 14885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14885",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "I've had anonymous reviewers disclose to me and I've always found it very uncomfortable. Almost as if they were asking for a tit-for-tat (an unspoken \"I wrote a positive review of your paper, so I hope you return the favor in the future\").\n\nUnless the issues you found would be something that only *you* with your specialized expertise could provide insight into -- or there is something damning that needs to be said or people will die, I'd just hold your tongue. Wait until the paper comes out and then comment on it as if you've never seen it before. \n\nAlternately, if the prof has posted a line in his CV with the paper's title and a note \"under review\" -- you could ask him for a copy of the draft and then send back comments as if you had just seen it de novo."
},
{
"answer_id": 40688,
"author": "Danny Ruijters",
"author_id": 28830,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28830",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "Of course you could send your feedback anonymously to the mentioned professor, using an anonymous email service. In that case you would not breach any guidelines as you would not have revealed yourself. In the email you could explain that you declined to review due to conflict of interest, but want to send some suggestions anyway."
},
{
"answer_id": 40697,
"author": "cbeleites unhappy with SX",
"author_id": 725,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/725",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "Summary: I don't see any particular problem in discussing the paper with the authors. But I do have a problem with an editor sending out *full* manuscripts *before* confidentiality is agreed upon. As a reviewer and researcher, I want to be able to regain my full freedom of speaking to the authors by declining to review. \n\nHere, a diplomatic approach may be \n\n* to let the authors know you were asked and have declined to review, and\n* ask them whether they would like to discuss the paper\n* suggest to the editor to switch to a process where reviewers accept or decline based on title, abstract (and author names if not double blinded) only and do not get the full manuscript until they accepted to review.\n\n---\n\n* In my field, agreeing to treat the manuscript confidential happens when accepting to review.\n* I assume that there was no process where the OP signed up as reviewer and at that point agreed to confidentiality. (Otherwise I suppose this question wouldn't have been asked)\n* I also assume that this question wouldn't have been asked if the manuscript was attached to an email that clearly says \"keep this confidential\". \n\nAlthough I object to this situation: I prefer to agree to confidentiality on a case by case basis rather than being bound to it by an email I cannot influence. The extreme case of what makes me uneasy here would the ridiculous situation that I'm bound to not talk to a close colleague because a 3rd party sent me some email. \n\nBeing \"spoiled\" by the practice in my field, I'd now answer the editor in question that I do not want to receive confidential information such as the full manuscript before having agreed to confidentiality and I'm not available as reviewer in a procedure where even declining to review binds me to not talk to the authors about the manuscript. I'd also point out that the decide-by-abstract procedure practically avoids the problem. Yes, I do keep the abstract confidential but that is no practical limitation for my work as researcher: title and abstract typically do not contain information (in my field) that wasn't available already from conference proceedings/talks (I'm in a proceedings-are-unimportant field). There's typically nothing to talk about in the abstract, at least nothing that cannot wait until the paper is out officially.\n* Last but not least, IANAL, but from the editor's perspective I would not rely on a one-sided confidentiality \"agreement\" in unsolicited email (full manuscript attached to \"do you accept for review?\"-email as legally valid across all kinds of legislations. Explicit consent to confidentiality is IMHO legally much safer, ethically much better, and not so difficult to implement:\n* In my field, the decision to accept or decline to do a review is done based on title + abstract (+ author names). \nThat way, I don't get particularly sensitive/confidential information before having agreed to treat it as such and the problem is avoided. \n\nMaybe you could suggest this to the editor.\n* Also from this point of view, it was the *editor* who violated the confidentiality. After all: there's no way to say how many other people got the manuscript without agreeing to confidentiality. Blaming the OP for discussing the paper with the author is killing the messenger of the bad news.\n* The major ethical problem on the OP's side was solved appropriately by declining to review a paper of a close colleague.\n* I then don't see any problem giving feedback to a close colleague. Discussing science and papers and manuscripts is what you do with close colleagues. Otherwise they aren't close collegues IMHO.\n* Just to be clear: I do make a rather large distinction between confidentiality towards third parties and being restricted in talking to the authors.\n* If I need to decline the review in order to be free to discuss with the authors whatever I want, that's fine. But I need the ethical and legal possibility to keep this freedom, so collaborations are not strained by reviews I didn't even do. \n\nWhile close colleagues shouldn't be invited to review at least for a couple of years, I know of several instances where this happened (oversight by overworked editor I assume)."
},
{
"answer_id": 40700,
"author": "Peter Jansson",
"author_id": 4394,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4394",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "The question covers a wider issue than what you explicitly ask. To contact an author about a manuscript that you have not reviewed is not unethical as such but carries with it several other issues. You will essentially provide comments as any other colleague of the authors would except the comments would be unsolicited. If you contacted the authors as a reviewer outside of the review process the matter would be very different, of course.\n\nFirst, there is the personal issue. How well do you know your former professor, do you think he/she will react positively to your comments \"out of the blue\"? I think it is worth thinking twice about providing comments on something the author would not expect you would necessarily see other than as a reviewer of course. If this happened to me and the colleague was a close friend with whom I feel comfortable discussing our respective science freely it would not be a problem. But, somewhere is a line where the comments would be come uncomfortable due to an uncertainty about the reaction.\n\nSecond, as an author, I would not expect the journal/conference to send out the entire article when asking for reviews. That behaviour is closer to unethical than what your question concerns. It is more appropriate to provide the title and abstract to the prospective reviewer so here I think the conference, in this case, should make their routines more strict. As you can see from this perspective, it is not your fault you have gained access to the entire manuscript so at least you are not, in my opinion, breaking any confidence, that has already been broken by \"the conference\".\n\nSo while I do not see any strictly ethical problems with providing comments, you should perhaps consider the action twice before continuing for the first reason above. I am sure there are differing opinion about this but the main problem here lies in the fact that you were given access to the entire manuscript even though you have not agreed to be a reviewer. In an open review system this would be perfectly fine but I would be quite irritated if I found my manuscript has been distributed to large numbers of prospective reviewers."
},
{
"answer_id": 40709,
"author": "Anonymous Mathematician",
"author_id": 612,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/612",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "As [user1258240 pointed out](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/40641/), if the paper is publicly available you can avoid the entire issue of how it came to your attention. But if it isn't, then you shouldn't get in touch with the authors directly:\n\n1. There's at least a mild ethical issue, namely why you read the paper at all, rather than discarding it once you recognized the conflict of interest. You would have had a legitimate reason to read it as a reviewer, but now you've put yourself in the same potentially awkward position as a reviewer (where you have to be careful not to take advantage of having early access to the paper's contents) without the justification. It may have been simple curiosity on your part, but it could also look a little suspicious, like you hope to derive some benefit from having read the paper.\n2. Identifying yourself to the authors could make this impression worse. The illegitimate benefit you're deriving could be getting to show off in front of the authors or establishing that they are in your debt. (On the other hand, sending anonymous e-mail with unofficial feedback feels creepy to me.)\n3. Even aside from whether it's actually unethical, you don't want to get a reputation as someone who pushes ethical boundaries. That can leave people with an uncomfortable impression, like you're a loose cannon who might cause trouble even while you're trying to behave ethically.\n\nInstead of contacting the authors yourself, you could write to the editor and ask whether you could supply unofficial feedback, which the editor wouldn't use for deciding whether to accept the paper (but would provide to the authors). It can't hurt to ask, and the editor might agree. However, I'd avoid saying that you've already read the paper, since I think there's a good chance the editor will say \"No, if you have a conflict of interest you shouldn't even read the paper in the first place.\""
}
] |
2015/02/26
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40635",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12666/"
] |
40,637 |
I'm giving a talk summarizing someone else's paper and I'd like to show some figures from their paper during my presentation. It's an informal talk to fellow students and a few professors at my school. Would it okay to just have a PDF of their paper up on the screen showing the figures needed? Should I obtain permission before I do this?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40638,
"author": "che_kid",
"author_id": 6093,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6093",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "My gut instinct is to avoid doing this. Typically reviews are supposed to be anonymous and letting the professor know you've seen it breaks the anonymity of it all. You may be breaking the ethical guidelines of the conference.\n\n*Best case scenario*: the professor appreciates your comments, and nothing else happens.\n*Worst case scenario*: it becomes known what you did and people (editors, other researchers, etc.) stop trusting you."
},
{
"answer_id": 40641,
"author": "user1258240",
"author_id": 29406,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/29406",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "There might be an ethical problem with telling the professor that you were asked to review his paper, but I think it's a minor issue: the anonymity of the reviewers is mostly there to allow them to give their opinion freely. If you are eventually not reviewing the paper then I don't think you are required to preserve that anonymity (even if you do review the paper, it's not totally clear that you must stay quiet about it). \n\nAnd if the paper is available online on some archive or on the authors' web pages, then it is definitely ok to give the authors your opinion based on the online version if there is a plausible way in which you could know about the paper had you not been asked about it.\n\nI feel that you main concern is that the fact that the paper was sent to you in error would give the authors an unfair advantage by giving them the opportunity to hear your opinion about it. Well, it is unfair, as are many things in life, but not un-ethical. Ethics is there to keep science working well and making progress, and by letting the authors know your opinion you are doing exactly that. Fairness is only relevant when there is competition for competition's sake, and science should not be that."
},
{
"answer_id": 40650,
"author": "Zibbobz",
"author_id": 23717,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/23717",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "That depends upon the guildelines of your review board. Consult the person or group that organized the peer review, and ask them if it would be acceptable practice. If you strongly wish to send this feedback, mention to the group that you will not mention the names of the other peer reviewers (if you know them) or any other facts about the review, and will only be addressing the content itself. \n\nFrom there, it becomes an issue of whether or not the group will allow it, and act on the assumption that they will **not** until proven otherwise, to avoid being placed in a sticky spot. \n\n---\n\nYou can also ask if the paper will be made public after the conference, and if so then you should be able to offer your critique afterwards without any ethical qualms, except to mention to the professor why you withheld the comments (to avoid compromising ethical guidelines). \n\nI think you should be safe giving your professor this feedback as long as you don't breach the anonymity of the peer reviewers that are on his review board - but don't assume that is the case."
},
{
"answer_id": 40682,
"author": "RoboKaren",
"author_id": 14885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14885",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "I've had anonymous reviewers disclose to me and I've always found it very uncomfortable. Almost as if they were asking for a tit-for-tat (an unspoken \"I wrote a positive review of your paper, so I hope you return the favor in the future\").\n\nUnless the issues you found would be something that only *you* with your specialized expertise could provide insight into -- or there is something damning that needs to be said or people will die, I'd just hold your tongue. Wait until the paper comes out and then comment on it as if you've never seen it before. \n\nAlternately, if the prof has posted a line in his CV with the paper's title and a note \"under review\" -- you could ask him for a copy of the draft and then send back comments as if you had just seen it de novo."
},
{
"answer_id": 40688,
"author": "Danny Ruijters",
"author_id": 28830,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28830",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "Of course you could send your feedback anonymously to the mentioned professor, using an anonymous email service. In that case you would not breach any guidelines as you would not have revealed yourself. In the email you could explain that you declined to review due to conflict of interest, but want to send some suggestions anyway."
},
{
"answer_id": 40697,
"author": "cbeleites unhappy with SX",
"author_id": 725,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/725",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "Summary: I don't see any particular problem in discussing the paper with the authors. But I do have a problem with an editor sending out *full* manuscripts *before* confidentiality is agreed upon. As a reviewer and researcher, I want to be able to regain my full freedom of speaking to the authors by declining to review. \n\nHere, a diplomatic approach may be \n\n* to let the authors know you were asked and have declined to review, and\n* ask them whether they would like to discuss the paper\n* suggest to the editor to switch to a process where reviewers accept or decline based on title, abstract (and author names if not double blinded) only and do not get the full manuscript until they accepted to review.\n\n---\n\n* In my field, agreeing to treat the manuscript confidential happens when accepting to review.\n* I assume that there was no process where the OP signed up as reviewer and at that point agreed to confidentiality. (Otherwise I suppose this question wouldn't have been asked)\n* I also assume that this question wouldn't have been asked if the manuscript was attached to an email that clearly says \"keep this confidential\". \n\nAlthough I object to this situation: I prefer to agree to confidentiality on a case by case basis rather than being bound to it by an email I cannot influence. The extreme case of what makes me uneasy here would the ridiculous situation that I'm bound to not talk to a close colleague because a 3rd party sent me some email. \n\nBeing \"spoiled\" by the practice in my field, I'd now answer the editor in question that I do not want to receive confidential information such as the full manuscript before having agreed to confidentiality and I'm not available as reviewer in a procedure where even declining to review binds me to not talk to the authors about the manuscript. I'd also point out that the decide-by-abstract procedure practically avoids the problem. Yes, I do keep the abstract confidential but that is no practical limitation for my work as researcher: title and abstract typically do not contain information (in my field) that wasn't available already from conference proceedings/talks (I'm in a proceedings-are-unimportant field). There's typically nothing to talk about in the abstract, at least nothing that cannot wait until the paper is out officially.\n* Last but not least, IANAL, but from the editor's perspective I would not rely on a one-sided confidentiality \"agreement\" in unsolicited email (full manuscript attached to \"do you accept for review?\"-email as legally valid across all kinds of legislations. Explicit consent to confidentiality is IMHO legally much safer, ethically much better, and not so difficult to implement:\n* In my field, the decision to accept or decline to do a review is done based on title + abstract (+ author names). \nThat way, I don't get particularly sensitive/confidential information before having agreed to treat it as such and the problem is avoided. \n\nMaybe you could suggest this to the editor.\n* Also from this point of view, it was the *editor* who violated the confidentiality. After all: there's no way to say how many other people got the manuscript without agreeing to confidentiality. Blaming the OP for discussing the paper with the author is killing the messenger of the bad news.\n* The major ethical problem on the OP's side was solved appropriately by declining to review a paper of a close colleague.\n* I then don't see any problem giving feedback to a close colleague. Discussing science and papers and manuscripts is what you do with close colleagues. Otherwise they aren't close collegues IMHO.\n* Just to be clear: I do make a rather large distinction between confidentiality towards third parties and being restricted in talking to the authors.\n* If I need to decline the review in order to be free to discuss with the authors whatever I want, that's fine. But I need the ethical and legal possibility to keep this freedom, so collaborations are not strained by reviews I didn't even do. \n\nWhile close colleagues shouldn't be invited to review at least for a couple of years, I know of several instances where this happened (oversight by overworked editor I assume)."
},
{
"answer_id": 40700,
"author": "Peter Jansson",
"author_id": 4394,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4394",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "The question covers a wider issue than what you explicitly ask. To contact an author about a manuscript that you have not reviewed is not unethical as such but carries with it several other issues. You will essentially provide comments as any other colleague of the authors would except the comments would be unsolicited. If you contacted the authors as a reviewer outside of the review process the matter would be very different, of course.\n\nFirst, there is the personal issue. How well do you know your former professor, do you think he/she will react positively to your comments \"out of the blue\"? I think it is worth thinking twice about providing comments on something the author would not expect you would necessarily see other than as a reviewer of course. If this happened to me and the colleague was a close friend with whom I feel comfortable discussing our respective science freely it would not be a problem. But, somewhere is a line where the comments would be come uncomfortable due to an uncertainty about the reaction.\n\nSecond, as an author, I would not expect the journal/conference to send out the entire article when asking for reviews. That behaviour is closer to unethical than what your question concerns. It is more appropriate to provide the title and abstract to the prospective reviewer so here I think the conference, in this case, should make their routines more strict. As you can see from this perspective, it is not your fault you have gained access to the entire manuscript so at least you are not, in my opinion, breaking any confidence, that has already been broken by \"the conference\".\n\nSo while I do not see any strictly ethical problems with providing comments, you should perhaps consider the action twice before continuing for the first reason above. I am sure there are differing opinion about this but the main problem here lies in the fact that you were given access to the entire manuscript even though you have not agreed to be a reviewer. In an open review system this would be perfectly fine but I would be quite irritated if I found my manuscript has been distributed to large numbers of prospective reviewers."
},
{
"answer_id": 40709,
"author": "Anonymous Mathematician",
"author_id": 612,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/612",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "As [user1258240 pointed out](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/40641/), if the paper is publicly available you can avoid the entire issue of how it came to your attention. But if it isn't, then you shouldn't get in touch with the authors directly:\n\n1. There's at least a mild ethical issue, namely why you read the paper at all, rather than discarding it once you recognized the conflict of interest. You would have had a legitimate reason to read it as a reviewer, but now you've put yourself in the same potentially awkward position as a reviewer (where you have to be careful not to take advantage of having early access to the paper's contents) without the justification. It may have been simple curiosity on your part, but it could also look a little suspicious, like you hope to derive some benefit from having read the paper.\n2. Identifying yourself to the authors could make this impression worse. The illegitimate benefit you're deriving could be getting to show off in front of the authors or establishing that they are in your debt. (On the other hand, sending anonymous e-mail with unofficial feedback feels creepy to me.)\n3. Even aside from whether it's actually unethical, you don't want to get a reputation as someone who pushes ethical boundaries. That can leave people with an uncomfortable impression, like you're a loose cannon who might cause trouble even while you're trying to behave ethically.\n\nInstead of contacting the authors yourself, you could write to the editor and ask whether you could supply unofficial feedback, which the editor wouldn't use for deciding whether to accept the paper (but would provide to the authors). It can't hurt to ask, and the editor might agree. However, I'd avoid saying that you've already read the paper, since I think there's a good chance the editor will say \"No, if you have a conflict of interest you shouldn't even read the paper in the first place.\""
}
] |
2015/02/26
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40637",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/21536/"
] |
40,647 |
I have been curious about why so many journals only accept EPS for vector graphs rather than PDF.
It is indeed weird because these journals have to convert EPS figures to PDF anyway. Adobe also suggests to use PDF instead of EPS.
For me, EPS is much hard to view and process than PDF. Does EPS makes a journal editor's life easier? Why?
In addition, as far as I understand, PDF is an open standard format that is free to anyone (relative sure), while EPS is copyrighted by Adobe (not very sure).
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40648,
"author": "Damian Nikodem",
"author_id": 30775,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30775",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "Eps is a format designed specifically for printing. All publishing companies have eps and ps editing capacity ."
},
{
"answer_id": 40652,
"author": "Federico Poloni",
"author_id": 958,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/958",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "The `eps` format used to be the only possibility for including graphics in (La)TeX. Now the more modern alternative is using `pdflatex`, which also supports other more common graphic formats natively (such as pdf).\n\nMost journals have outdated LaTeX processing pipelines, so they are still using eps. (And, frankly, they have little incentive to get more modern, since they are in a strong oligopoly position.)"
},
{
"answer_id": 40655,
"author": "Cape Code",
"author_id": 10643,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10643",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "The most probable reason is that many publishers use Adobe products (such as InDesign) in their production and these used to rely heavily on EPS. This might change in the future as PDF becomes more popular. \n\nAlso, EPS is an open format, which means any graphing or vector graphics program (like Inkscape) have options to save artwork and plots in EPS. Not to mention Matlab and the like."
},
{
"answer_id": 138114,
"author": "Niel Malan",
"author_id": 114792,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/114792",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "EPS is a vector format, which means it's a mathematical description of the graph or diagram. This can be edited automatically, for example a script can change all the colours in the graph to shades of gray. EPS figures can be scaled to any size without loss of resolution.\n\nPDF can include vector graphics, in the EPS or other formats, but it can also include raster images, which can not so easily be edited by scripts, and is problematic to scale to different sizes. If the submitter submits a PDF graph, which might display and print beautifully on their computer, it might be either a raster image or a vector image, *and the publisher has no way to tell without opening the PDF.* \n\nMost authors don't know if the software they use produce vector-based or raster-based PDF images. For all they know their PDF of a beautiful graph might be an embedded Ytash image. It will print beautifully, but it will not fit into the publisher's workflow. \n\nThe only way for a publisher to ensure they get a vector image is to require a vector format. In future they might switch to SVG or a more modern vector format, but for the moment EPS is still widely supported.\n\nIn summary: while PDF is a perfectly good format to submit to *printers*, it can easily cause problems to *editors* (and their technical staff), so for the moment they demand EPS."
}
] |
2015/02/26
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40647",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/15547/"
] |
40,649 |
I have written a math paper on combinatorics (a generalization of a math olympiad problem) and am looking to get it published. I believe I have discovered something new (although I don't claim it is "important" in the sense of being a breakthrough or anything) and want to get credit for it. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find anyone to endorse me to publish on arxiv, so I'm trying to get it published in another (less popular) repository that doesn't need endorsement.
Any suggestions? Things I have looked at so far:
* academia.edu - apparently this isn't safe enough for protecting your work.
* hal archives ouvertes - I tried searching about this one but there's no information regarding how trustworthy it is, etc.
* github - this seems to be for computer science.
* vixra - looked promising at first considering the "everything gets accepted" rule, but then the downside is that people have started viewing it as an arxiv for crackpots, so it doesn't seem like a good idea to publish there, but this being my first paper I'm not so sure.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this and any advice you can give.
Note: I'm not prepared to send my paper to any journals so that is out of the question at the moment.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40654,
"author": "Piotr Migdal",
"author_id": 49,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/49",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "First, if it is not submission-ready, then it is unlikely that it is arXiv-ready either.\n\nIf you put it in another place, you won't get much prestige or recognition, so I would aim at a place accessible to everyone (without login) - your homepage, GitHub or anything (it does not matter). It may be a good place if you want to start discussions.\n\nSecond, it is rather unlikely that it's something ground-breaking that everyone would like to steal from you. (But don't get discouraged - it is certainly possible that it is an *interesting* result!) You would benefit more from discussions than have to lose.\n\nThird, some guidance is needed. Ideally, you can consult it with a friendly teacher, professor or PhD student. If not possible, one way to go is to try some research-level competitions for high school students (e.g. like [First Step to Nobel Prize in Physics](http://www.ifpan.edu.pl/firststep/), [European Union For Young Scientists](http://ec.europa.eu/research/eucys/index_en.cfm?pg=home) or something in that line). Even if you don't win anything (those are very though competitions) you might get some feedback. Additionally, ~~even~~ in Poland there are a few local competitions for works in mathematics by high schools students (e.g. [this](http://spinor.edu.pl/sejmik.php) and [that](http://www.deltami.edu.pl/delta/redakcja/konkurs_prac_uczniowskich/)). I am sure in UK there are also some. If you did something in a Math Olympiad, you can try asking organizers if they know such competitions (or someone suitable for mentoring you)."
},
{
"answer_id": 40671,
"author": "Dane Bouchie",
"author_id": 31011,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31011",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "I am actually just a few steps ahead of your shoes, so I'll tell you what I'm doing, that I think might help you as well.\n\nIn high-school I also found something interesting in mathematics. I've been developing it for a year now, so now that I'm in college I tried taking it to professors. Surprisingly, none of them had much interest in primality testing. After doing a little research of my own and looking publications similar to what I am working on, I found a few journals that have published similar work to mine. Looking at the requirements of the journal submission, I found their TeX format and I am now currently working to format my work in TeX before I submit my work to a Journal. \n\nSo my advice, although I can't relate to success yet, would be if the work you are doing is relevant enough (that it might have a use for someone else), then:\n\n1. Turn it into TeX if you haven't yet\n2. Make sure your work has a good \"story\" (Explain the work and its relevance thoroughly)\n3. Make sure grammar and spelling are flawless\n4. Find a couple Journals you could possibly submit it to, and pick the top one (Look at other's work and papers, and remember, typically you can only submit to one journal simultaneously)\n5. Format and submit\n\nI've found that the proof itself is less than half the work. And its taken me a couple months to were I'm at (near-finishing an semi-important generalization and a new algorithm in publication format). So just keep working on it, and give it effort. Best of Luyn!"
}
] |
2015/02/26
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40649",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30793/"
] |
40,657 |
I am working in a highly technical field (quantitative finance/ statistical analysis) for a private company with a Master of Science degree in economics.
Does it make sense to get a PhD (in quantitative finance, math, statistics) if I do not want to be in academia and prefer to stay in business.
What I expect from PhD:
1. Structure and deepen my knowledge in the relevant fields through
high quality classes (where I sit and listen and learn and do
homework to make sure that I have learned).
2. Get the ability to read any scientific article in the related fields and without much pain understand 90% of it to the very last detail (and implement ideas from the article in my work).
3. Possibly acquire certain thinking and problem solving culture (so vague... and I guess after my Master I have a fair part of it already(?))
Also important:
1. PhD was never mentioned as a prerequisite for a promotion or a salary increase.
2. My colleges who have PhD are not visibly advantaged by the company (do not know about the rest of the industry, but the company being a big player is representative of it).
3. I enjoy learning new stuff on my own (not a problem to spend many nights with a math book), but hate the status of a student (little money, slave of professors and their peculiar exam requirements).
So should I go for a PhD or rather a specialized Master, or develop myself through separate university courses of my choice and professional programs + self-study?
Any pieces of advice from people used to be in my situation?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40659,
"author": "peterh",
"author_id": 10234,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10234",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "**If you absolutely won't an academical carrier, then the price of the Phd is probably too big for you.**\n\nYes, in this case it means 5-6 years of needless and low-paid hard work for you. If you want to *research*, it will be later the \"golden age\" of your life. Everything has its cost. I know many Phd owners thinking similarly to you, and I know also people who left the academy after MSc and they repent this in their entire life.\n\n**Working by that company isn't the only option for you.**\n\nYour *market* *value* will get higher, much higher, by your PhD - especially if you can find a job around your research area. On the nearer region I know better the wage difference between MSc and Phd is around 30-50%.\n\nBut you have your *role* by your current employer. This role doesn't change automatically. Your promotion depends not only on your degree, but on the possibilities which this company can give you.\n\nEvery hierarchy has its limits for you. Its limits, until them it allows you to advance. Over this limits you can't advance efficiently.\n\nOn my experience, it is a very common thing, that getting an academical degree results a workplace change in a year."
},
{
"answer_id": 40667,
"author": "Daniel Wessel",
"author_id": 26614,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/26614",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "PhDs programs vary depending on country and discipline. In some countries, it's possible to do a PhD while working a full-time job. That incurs a very high workload and I would only recommend doing so if you are pretty much bored by your day-job and can do it 'en passant' (and are willing to say good-bye to your private life).\n\nAs for the expectations, also difficult to answer, but I think:\n\n* you can become an expert in the tiny area where you specialize. How long you can keep that expertise once you are out of Academia and no longer being part of the research community is another question. As for applicability, I think in many disciplines there are intermediary steps between research and public use by professionals. It's less papers that make a difference but books that summarize research (e.g., many papers).\n* you will likely get an understanding of how science actually works in your discipline. A view behind the curtain, so to speak. I did a PhD in psychology and found it very enlightening and would not have missed it for the world.\n* you will likely be able to work with scientific literature, e.g., knowing how to quickly skim articles and extract the relevant parts. Personally, I think few people read articles like they read books, so going for 90% does not make sense to me. Papers aren't meant to learn about a subject. They are meant to communicate findings on a very specialized subject.\n* thinking and problem solving yes, also (if successful) persistence and dealing with setbacks and failures.\n\nAs for the advantage of having a PhD, what about those in higher positions, do they have PhDs? What about in other companies? I think a PhD is the entrance card to Academia, not something that should be used for promotion, but others might (and do) think differently.\n\nPersonally, I think the main advantage of doing a PhD in your situation would be to find someone in Academia you like to work with, use your practical background (something many students lack IMO), and use the opportunity to contribute something under the scrutiny of Academia (which is a \"joy\" of its own). But seriously, in contrast to learning on your own your thesis has to be accepted and if you get someone who is critical, it might really be beneficial. At best, do it while continue to work for your company and with their support. Just expect it to be very stressful. A PhD in itself is already a full-time job."
},
{
"answer_id": 40679,
"author": "user2350366",
"author_id": 9589,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/9589",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "Ultimately no one else can make this decision for you. At best we can give our biased (after all many of us here will have taken the PhD/academic route) opinions.\n\nFirst of all doing a PhD for financial or career reasons is not, in general, a good idea. Yes we all know the story of google, but Lirfy Yayu and Sergey Brin didn't go into the PhD planning to make it big and it was their passion that produced google. A PhD is a long and sometimes painful process taken on because the individual gets a buzz from the challenge, the field and a desire to push it forward. There will be weeks if not months when nothing is working or making sense. I think it was Coat and Rensavl, after having developed the high-power magnetron for radar at Birmingham university and giving the allies a much needed early warning system, who attributed their success to something akin to \"the one day in which all the equipment in the lab happen to work\". Tongue and cheek and modesty no doubt, but it serves as a good antidote to research life - very few things, codes included, work first time! Its the burning passion that keeps you going time and time again until you get results. \n\nSecond, a PhD is not taught (Not sure where your from but the USA and some European PhD's do have a taught masters in the first year, but this is not the norm in Europe). Classes to a large extent are not an efficient use of time, they serve to give a broader overview of the field but will certainly not be anywhere near enough to get you through a PhD. If its being taught in a class its not research! And its certainly not going to be a novel idea for your thesis. At the end of the PhD you should be the world expert on the niche area of your field, there are no (or few) textbooks on the subject - because you have written them yet!\n\nWhen reading papers, even the most experienced academics, are unlikely to understand everything first read, the specific technique maybe, the unique application? probably not. As a research you don’t want to waste time absorbing every little detail, just the bits relevant to your research. You simply don’t have time.\n\nResearch does teach you a certain set of skills, first is how to deal with failure and keep going - Persistence. Project management (3 year long project after all) skills and of course critical thinking and problem solving skills, particularly in the technical areas.\n\nNow, none of what I said should be taken as trying to put you off but rather help you make an informed decision. You could possibly look at a research masters, known as an MRes? This may be the best of both worlds. Good luck with whatever you choose to do and remember you don't need PhD's or degrees to continue learning, someone above mentioned online course and these open access avenues are a great way to expand your knowledge."
},
{
"answer_id": 40710,
"author": "Yasha",
"author_id": 28181,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28181",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "My gut suggestion? The PhD simply wouldn't be worth your time or energy. I applaud your interest in truly bettering yourself and making yourself the best candidate you can be, but if you've already found a great position with a good company, returning to a PhD would be a serious blow in your career. In order to complete a PhD, you'll have to leave your current job to return to full-time graduate student status, essentially take a 5 - 7 year hiatus from your current work, and then return back to the field with only a marginally higher market value.\n\nRemember: PhDs are *research degrees*. Whether you use that degree to enter into academia or into a private research organization doesn't matter, provided you're interested in conducting research. Doctoral level training is, at its core, a preparation for a specific vocation. Medical school teaches one to be a physician or surgeon; law school teaches one to be a lawyer; and PhDs teach one to be a researcher (the field of study is, in this analogy, unimportant).\n\n> \n> What I expect from PhD:\n> \n> \n> 1. Structure and deepen my knowledge in the relevant fields through high\n> quality classes (where I sit and listen and learn and do homework to\n> make sure that I have learned).\n> 2. Get the ability to read any scientific\n> article in the related fields and without much pain understand 90% of\n> it to the very last detail (and implement ideas from the article in my\n> work).\n> 3. Possibly acquire certain thinking and problem solving culture\n> (so vague... and I guess after my Master I have a fair part of it\n> already(?))\n> \n> \n> \n\nRegarding expectation #1, you have to remember that the bulk of a PhD is actually not coursework; it is self-directed research. In America, you'll spend 4-5 semesters taking structured courses, followed by 3-4 years of unstructured research. You're talking about 5 years during which you're:\n\n1. Not advancing in your career\n2. Not accruing significant income or putting money away\n3. Not establishing yourself within your field\n\nThis leads to expectation #2. You will certainly emerge from a PhD program equipped to read scientific articles ... but that could be accomplished by taking 2 - 3 graduate-level courses at your local university. Why not see whether your current employer will pay for these specialized courses?\n\nRegarding expectation #3 - I'm not actually sure what this means."
}
] |
2015/02/26
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40657",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28086/"
] |
40,661 |
I have been accepted to a Ph.D. program in St. Louis, MO and will be visiting the school in late March. I will be reimbursed for flight tickets. The scheduled Open House runs from Thursday to Saturday, and I have been told to book my flights with arrival on Thursday and departure on Saturday. The flight ticket per those specifications is at least $510, while if I arrive on Thursday and depart on Sunday, it would be $50 less. Since I will be committing 5 years of my life to studying there, I would like to know that I like the place, in addition to liking the Department (which I do). So is it okay to ask the secretary if I can book my departure on Sunday and save them $50 (lodging that extra night will be on me)?
Additionally, the secretary said they will book my hotel stay themselves. I would like to know St. Louis a little better, so I would like to stay at an airbnb place (which is more than 50% less expensive). Would proposing to stay at the airbnb place instead of the hotel they provide considered a strange request?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40662,
"author": "Herman Toothrot",
"author_id": 4050,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4050",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "It's perfectly acceptable to ask such thing, it does not make any difference to the department if you can show that the ticket price is the same or even less in your case. I suggest you try to stay longer if you can. When I was invited for an interview I was given a budget and I routed my flights the way I wanted."
},
{
"answer_id": 40666,
"author": "xLeitix",
"author_id": 10094,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10094",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "I see no problem with the flight. However, as Petgigiu mentions, there is a chance that they won't be thrilled about you staying somewhere else via AirBNB - if this is a larger \"Open House\" event, they may have some arrangements and events planned, and if not all people are at the same place logistics may get more complicated for them. However, of course **you can always ask**. No reasonable person would get annoyed by that."
}
] |
2015/02/26
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40661",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/26799/"
] |
40,675 |
or to other research organizations for example government labs?
I am currently a post doc at large and would like to co-write a proposal (probably NSF) with a Professor at a nearby University. With the funding, I'd be getting a salary and doing the majority of the work and the lead PI (the prof) would work partial time and time in the summer.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40676,
"author": "Brian Borchers",
"author_id": 4453,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4453",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "See the NSF web site at:\n\n<http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappguide/nsf15001/gpg_1.jsp#categories>\n\nIndividuals don't generally apply directly for NSF funding. You could apply for certain grants as a non-profit or for-profit corporation, but the funding opportunities for these are limited. \n\nThe most reasonable way for you to work this would be for your colleague to submit the proposal through the prof's university with an arrangement where you'd become an employee of the university if the grant is funded. It's also possible for the prof to submit a proposal and budget for you to work on the project as a consultant, but it can be harder to get such an arrangement approved."
},
{
"answer_id": 40677,
"author": "che_kid",
"author_id": 6093,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6093",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "You should read the guidelines for the program you are applying for to see who would be eligible in that program. My guess is that you may not be eligible to be PI, but possibly co-PI. \n\nAlso be aware that success rates are pretty low with NSF and many governmental agencies (typically 5-25%), so don't count your salary before you get funded. It is a competitive world out there, so have many backup plans."
},
{
"answer_id": 40683,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "Every US funding agency has its own rules, and most agencies have many different types of programs with different intentions. For most (maybe all) agencies, this includes both funding to universities and funding to corporations, particularly under [SBIR](http://www.sbir.gov/) programs. Some agencies will also fund individual consultants directly for various specialized roles, but that tends to happen mostly with rather senior individuals. \n\nYour options are even larger if you are not the PI, however, but a co-PI (I think this is actually what you want to do). For most agencies and most funding vehicles, the PI's organization can subcontract work with a fair degree of freedom. Also, there is *only* one PI, from the point of view of the contract: it doesn't matter if you call all the leaders PIs, the government is going to negotiate with one organization per contract, and that organization is going to be asked to designate one person be *the* PI, and in practice everybody else is co-PIs.\n\nFor you, then, there are three main paths to take:\n\n1. Propose, with the professor as PI, under the plan that if funded you will become affiliated with the PI's university\n2. Propose, with the professor as PI, where you will be contracted as a consultant.\n3. Set up an [LLC](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limited_liability_company), from which you can propose as PI, and subcontract to the professor. You'll have to comply with government contracting rules, which are painful, but much less so for SBIRs.\n\nNumber 1 is probably the best, unless you have some reason to avoid affiliation, in which case #2 is a good alternative. #3 doesn't have much advantage unless you intend to apply for SBIRs, and is still a pain to get started."
}
] |
2015/02/27
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40675",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28991/"
] |
40,687 |
When I worked in industry,
I had unchecked access to a huge stationery cupboard.
As did hundreds of other employees.
Full of useful things like:
* Files, folders, binders
* coloured pens, mechanical pencils, markers
* BlueTack, bull dog clips, coloured masking tape
* index cards, A3 sketch books
* postage paid envelopes
and the list goes on. We got some more exciting stuff as it was Agile company.
A friend of mine working for the tax office had similar access to stationery, though without the extra Agile arts and crafts supplies. She did get all the pocket calculators she ever wanted, though.
I'm sure some companies even treat USB drives as disposable.
Point being in industry, the disposable tools you need to do your job were provided to you.
What I have found recently working as a research assistant is that nothing disposable is provided. There is no stationery cupboard to raid. When I need paper to throw together some math, I often end up using the back of a journal article I printed to read.
I can understand not supplying undergraduates, there are so many it is impossible to keep track of them. But there are a lot fewer staff/postgrads.
* **Is this normal for universities?**
+ Is there likely to actually be a stationery cupboard (or fund) that I have just never noticed, and that I should ask my supervisor about?
* **If this is normal practice, what is the history/reasoning behind it?**
It is not so much a issue of cost, it is tax deductible (for staff at least), and the pay (for staff) is generally high enough to dwarf these expenses, but of practicality. The same cost vs payrate, and tax deductions are true in industry, but big (and small) companies judge the productivity gain of no one spending 20 minutes going down to the store to buy a pen worth the costs (I guess).
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40692,
"author": "StrongBad",
"author_id": 929,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/929",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "Stationary products, with the exception of prepaid postal envelopes, are not reimbursable from most grants and needed to be provided by the university as part of its infrastructure. How the university provides the stationary products is up to them, they can of a closet full of the required supplies, be willing to order them at no cost to grant holders, or provide grant holders with a sufficient portion of the grant overheads so that stationary products can be ordered. Every university I have studied or worked at has had a closet full of supplies and the office staff were willing to order special supplies within reason, but this doesn't mean other models do not exist. You just need to ask."
},
{
"answer_id": 40734,
"author": "awsoci",
"author_id": 28324,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28324",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "There is a difference between faculty (both continuing and fixed term), sessional (casual staff) and students.\n\nAt my university, the stationery supplies closet is in the photocopier room. Only faculty (continuing/fixed term staff) have access via their staff ID card. Sessional staff (teaching assistants, research assistants, casual lecturers not considered faculty etc) are not given access unless there are extenuating circumstances. Students, regardless of whether they are undergraduate or postgraduate, are expected to supply their own stationery. \n\nWhen we take stationery, we actually have to record it on a sheet with the staff id and so on. It's a bit pedantic but I think it's to avoid losing heaps of stationery taken by students. I don't think it used to be in a locked room but this has since changed.\n\nThis may, or may not be the case at your university. If you are not continuing/fixed term staff (so considered part of faculty, you would know if you were actually part of faculty) then you might not actually have privilege to access stationery. Be worth checking."
},
{
"answer_id": 40747,
"author": "RoboKaren",
"author_id": 14885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14885",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "At my large, elite, private R1 university with an endowment in the billions of dollars, all stationery purchases (copy paper, letterhead, name cards toner cartridges, staples, pens, paper clips) must come out of our individual faculty research accounts. \n\nIt was not always this bad, but our current and past provosts in their infinite wisdom used the recessions of 2008 and 2001 to cut down the operating budgets of departments to the absolute minimum. No crisis gone to waste. Now, everything must come out of faculty research or external grant money.\n\nWe dream of a future where the endowment growth will mean the return of free paper clips, but no one is holding their breath."
},
{
"answer_id": 40793,
"author": "mako",
"author_id": 5962,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/5962",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "It sounds, from the other answers, that not having access to free office supplies is not unheard of. Based on my experience, I would not call it \"normal\" either.\n\nI have been in three departments (engineering and social science) in major research universities and I have *always* had stationary provided for free. Every single thing on your list has been available and more. This includes two private and one public research universities. I just asked a colleague with experience in two different universities (both social science departments) and he said that staff and faculty have access to office supplies as well."
}
] |
2015/02/27
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40687",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/8513/"
] |
40,690 |
Is there a way for me to be notified automatically when a ACM or IEEE conference proceedings is published? I was unable to find such option in either of their websites. How else do researchers (professors, students, industry folks) who are interested in a particular conference, know that the Proceedings for a particular conference have been published?
TIA,
Jake Clawson
PS - I am aware of Google Scholar Alerts but I wanted to know when the entire proceedings have been published as compared to following an author or a specific paper.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40699,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "Last year, I was the publication chair for an IEEE conference, meaning that I was responsible (among other things) for working with IEEE to get the proceedings onto [Xplore](http://ieeexplore.ieee.org). Now, more than six months since we turned in the proceedings to IEEE, and nearly as long after the conference was held, only one part of the proceedings is online. The IEEE repeatedly promises that the rest will go up \"soon,\" but no schedule is forthcoming. Moreover, even as publication chair, I have do not get any sort of systematic notification about the proceedings.\n\nLong story short: with IEEE, at least, it seems you can't. Maybe ACM is better, but I haven't worked with them on this..."
},
{
"answer_id": 40852,
"author": "al_b",
"author_id": 5963,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/5963",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "I know that you have asked specifically about IEEE/ACM, but assuming you are interested also in other CS conferences - with Springer you can get ToC of each new volume published, e.g., <http://www.springer.com/series/558> for Lecture Notes in Computer Science (the major series for CS conference proceedings in Springer)"
}
] |
2015/02/27
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40690",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31024/"
] |
40,713 |
Do professors get paid for supervising PhD students / honours student's projects?
If so, typically how much?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40714,
"author": "rachaelbe",
"author_id": 11304,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11304",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "Not in the UK. Supervision is usually a job requirement. It's also necessary to boost research output."
},
{
"answer_id": 40715,
"author": "Brian Borchers",
"author_id": 4453,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4453",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "In the US, supervising graduate students is generally considered part of the normal workload of a faculty member and there's no extra pay for doing this. \n\nThe number of students supervised is typically a factor in tenure, promotion, and pay raise evaluations. Not supervising enough graduate students can hurt your evaluations and might possibly result in your not getting tenure or promotion or a pay raise."
},
{
"answer_id": 40716,
"author": "Stephan Kolassa",
"author_id": 4140,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4140",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "In Germany, you may get a little personal bonus (on the order of 100 EUR), which does not flow into the research group budget, per bachelor's, master's or Ph.D. dissertation you supervised. The bonus is usually contingent on reviewing it on time after receiving the official version. This practice may vary from university to university."
},
{
"answer_id": 40717,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "Although professors are not *technically* paid for this work in the US, in many cases they are *effectively* paid for doing so, particularly for Ph.D. students. This is because in many cases, the professor requires grants in order to be able to hire Ph.D. students to work for them, and those same grants pay for a portion of the professor's time, some of which is expected to be used for supervising the student. The accounting is often rather obscure, however..."
},
{
"answer_id": 40720,
"author": "Relaxed",
"author_id": 11596,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11596",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "In the countries I know, professors are indeed paid to do that. They do not get any extra money per hour spent supervising students or anything like that but it's part of their regular duties, i.e. what they get a salary for in the first place."
},
{
"answer_id": 40721,
"author": "peterh",
"author_id": 10234,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10234",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "It depends on the work contract between the prof and the University, and in most cases is it highly private data. In the academical sphere I know, they have a base wage, and they get a minimal bonus for the similar things as per-student \"services\". The most part of their wage comes from the first, despite most of their work is highly student-specific.\n\nI think, it differs highly on other parts of the world (probably even there is big difference between different Universities of the same city)."
},
{
"answer_id": 40723,
"author": "Peteris",
"author_id": 10730,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10730",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "[As an external advisor,] I got paid for supervising a few masters & bachelors thesis. If I would be a professor or other direct employee of the university, then that would be included in the normal teaching duties for their usual salary, but external supervisors from other universities, research institutes or the industry, as well as external reviewers get separate compensation. The amounts aren't large though, if you put reasonable effort in it then it comes up to a rather tiny hourly rate."
},
{
"answer_id": 40726,
"author": "Ben Bitdiddle",
"author_id": 24384,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/24384",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "At my university (in the United States), professors actually *pay* to supervise students, in the sense that money for their students' salaries comes out of their grants."
},
{
"answer_id": 40728,
"author": "Dirk",
"author_id": 529,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/529",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "Another answer from Germany: Supervising students (BSc, MSc or PhD) is part of the job. No extra salary in general but, as part of the usual negotiations, one may get a temporary raise for \"outstanding efforts in supervision\".\n\nAt my university supervision of students can cover some of your teaching load (e.g. supervising one BSc thesis in math is equivalent to 0.3 hours teaching per week, an MSc thesis is 0.6 hours per week, each thesis counts for the semester in which it is submitted, its capped at 1.8 hours if I remember correctly). However, supervising PhD students does not give anything since PhD students in Germany do not count as students and even teaching at a PhD level does not count for the teaching load."
},
{
"answer_id": 127852,
"author": "Al-Jabr",
"author_id": 106616,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/106616",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "A grad student costs X dollars. This pays tuition, stipend benefits. The grad student eventually stops taking classes, the new cost of the student is X-T. (T is cost of tuition). Now if the professor still has X coming in (through grants and other funding sources) and the student only costs X-T, there is T left over that neither school nor student needs. \n\nSource- Prof\\*\\*\\* at Univeristy of \\*\\*\\*"
}
] |
2015/02/27
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40713",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22728/"
] |
40,722 |
(Please excuse my ignorance if this is an obvious question, but my Googling skills don't seem to be up to par today.)
I was just wondering if there is a branch of sociology that deals with health and wellness - like nutrition and exercise - when looking at a community or nation as a whole. If there is, would this be something that one could study in graduate school? (I'm interested in how lifestyles affect societies, not really the biology and chemistry part of health. I mean, I realize that I'd probably have to learn about those things, but they're not what I want my main focus to be.)
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40724,
"author": "Compass",
"author_id": 22013,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22013",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "Not necessarily sociology, but there is a graduate degree known as the [Master of Public Health](http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/public-health-rankings).\n\nIt's been a while since I've looked into it, but the degree typically covers health administration, policy, and nutrition, and disease prevention. You obviously aren't a doctor, but you work with them.\n\nBasically, imagine that doctors work at the individual level, while MPHs work at the community level.\n\nFrom what I can tell, this is a general page for [public health programs](http://www.aspph.org/discover/) that will give you more information than I can given how far removed I am from medicine now."
},
{
"answer_id": 40733,
"author": "awsoci",
"author_id": 28324,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28324",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "There is a branch of sociology, which would be the sociology of health. Research into 'active' lifestyles and nutrition would fall under sociology of health.\n\nUnlike public health which will take a much more straight forward approach in addressing issues based on biological/essentialist research, sociology of health will look into the social constructs of health, how that's implemented in society and the issues surrounding it (i.e. fat discrimination, issues of class/race/gender in the 'health' rhetoric' and so on.\n\nMany universities with sociology programs might offer an undergraduate course in the sociology of health. I took one and loved it. It's not my main focus in sociology but I do find the social construct of health and medicine highly fascinating, especially in the way in seems to be used to justify our discriminations."
}
] |
2015/02/27
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40722",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31053/"
] |
40,725 |
I am a PhD candidate in literature, finishing my degree in August. Due to a combination of factors, I did not line anything (academic) up for the coming academic year. However, I will be spending that year on the job market. I had planned to simply teach a couple of courses if possible, and to work on getting some publications out, and attending conferences where possible. This would make me a bit of a drifter for one academic year, and I am wondering how that would reflect upon my qualifications while applying and (hopefully) interviewing for academic jobs. Essentially, I want to stay active in my research, but I won't have the banner of a university name under my own...
The reason I'm crowdsourcing this is because I'm getting conflicting information. One of my committee members tells me that it's better to have the PhD in hand while applying, so I should finish up ASAP. He also assures me that a PhD still looks "fresh" up to two years after completion, so I shouldn't have a problem. Another member, however (who is perhaps more familiar with the current job market climate) has informed me that a gap year will ruin all chances of employment, and that any period of wandering institutionless - no post-doc, no fellowship, no teaching - would be fatal. He suggests that I hold off graduation, so that I have no in-between time.
Do any of you out there have any thoughts? Or similar experiences?
Thanks for any responses you have.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40738,
"author": "user6726",
"author_id": 28972,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28972",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "The only context in Humanities where I can imagine that a year or three of employment gap is noticeable would be if you graduate from The Best Program Ever where absolutely everybody -- except you -- gets multiple offers. If the dissertation is defended, revised and ready to go, and you can afford to pay tuition in some future term in order to deposit, then it might be harmless to delay depositing, though there are risks associated with getting \"scooped\" if someone else is working on a similar topic."
},
{
"answer_id": 42854,
"author": "aparente001",
"author_id": 32436,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/32436",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "Trailing spouses often have this problem. Here's how I've seen them address it:\n\n* continue working as though they were doing a postdoc, building up the publication list\n* get an office in some institution, as a courtesy -- this is a great way of staying fresh because you attend seminars, participate in stimulating discussions, stay connected and fresh\n\nI also like your idea of doing some teaching -- for the income, for the experience, and as a CV builder."
},
{
"answer_id": 42892,
"author": "Pupahava",
"author_id": 23089,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/23089",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "If you decide to graduate, you should get some sort of affiliation with a university, even if it is teaching a course or two as an adjunct, or getting a visiting scholar or some such other non-paid position. Besides other, more noble things mentioned above, you need university letterhead for your letters of application. They look terrible on personal letterhead. \n\nConsidering how the job market is, you will most likely spend a year or four without an academic post, even if you deposit a year after you've actually written. Unless you're a rock star from the best program, etc. \n\nAnd last, but not least: Being on the job market (this is my second year, PhD in literature), takes up most of your time, if you do it right. You will have little time to focus on real work, unfortunately. So, don't think this is going to be like the time spent on the dissertation. Instead, you will be writing and rewriting dozens of rather formulaic documents, researching programs and their needs, and writing dozens of potential syllabi to submit with your apps. \n\nHope that helps."
},
{
"answer_id": 42897,
"author": "RoboKaren",
"author_id": 14885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14885",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "I'm in the humanistic social sciences. If you were my doctoral student, I would suggest that you delay depositing your dissertation. This is even though there is considerable pressure from my institution to hurry students out (part of the NRC university rankings is time-to-completion so the provost puts pressure on faculty in this regard). \n\nIf you can afford the continuous registration fee and the university does not put onerous rules to make life difficult, then there are many more pros to cons.\n\nPros:\n\n* You can work on your publications as if you are a post-doc.\n* Applying for jobs is a full-time job\n* You still get to use your university letterhead\n* If you don't get any jobs this year it isn't as apparent that you're \"stale\" next year\n\nCinc:\n\n* Your advisor may be under pressure not to allow this. It could impact her/his ability to recruit new doctoral students until the old ones graduate.\n* Your university may not allow this\n* Your university may charge continuous registration fees\n\nNotes:\n\n* Your advisor will have to write in his/her letters that your dissertation is essentially finished. Everyone is familiar with this strategy so it's not a red flag."
},
{
"answer_id": 57610,
"author": "chris cumo",
"author_id": 43856,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/43856",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "I can't speak to the general predicament that is the dismal academic job market. I completed my PhD (in history) and was underemployed for several years until a very good research university offered me a temporary appointment. By that time I had amassed a solid, if unspectacular, publication record. Since then, however, I have found nothing and so split my time between writing and cutting grass. Good luck."
}
] |
2015/02/27
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40725",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31052/"
] |
40,727 |
I am a young researcher already having published several papers, and in the same time I have participated several times in bids for national and European (fp7, h2020) projects. So I could say I have some experience in proposal-writing.
I am now preparing my cv to apply for a lecturer position in UK. The question is: should I highlight this experience in my cv (i.e. provide more details about the bids in which I participated, my role, the outcome etc), or hiring committees are mostly focused on publications? How important is fund attraction at a lecturer level? I am asking because I see that this kind of experience is often mentioned in the desired (not the essential) qualifications of the applicant.
An other point of view over the same issue is this: If I have the chance to avoid being involved in proposal-writing efforts, should I? That is, of course, in order to continue with my research (i.e. focus on papers).
Moreover, how can one's claims be verified? How do you prove that you are telling the truth and not over-selling yourself, regarding your participation and experience? Isn't this part of your cv a part that is less verifiable?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40730,
"author": "xLeitix",
"author_id": 10094,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10094",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "First, your titular question:\n\n> \n> What is the value of participating in proposal-writing efforts, for a postdoc researcher?\n> \n> \n> \n\nEspecially in Europe, and when applying for faculty positions, the value is *huge*. Successfully playing the grant game is nowadays what keeps the lights on in many European universities, at least research-wise. Having a track record in this dimension can easily be viewed as even more desirable than a great research track record (although, of course, you will still need at least good publications).\n\n> \n> should I highlight this experience in my cv (i.e. provide more details about the bids in which I participated, my role, the outcome etc)\n> \n> \n> \n\nYes, you should definitely highlight this somewhere in your application (not sure if the CV is the right place, though). Your letters may or may not be a good place, if LoR are considered important for the job you are applying to.\n\n> \n> If I have the chance to avoid being involved in proposal-writing efforts, should I?\n> \n> \n> \n\nThis is an interesting question, and mainly depends on what your grant and research track records look like at the moment. If you have not actually been involved in grant proposals, I would certainly recommend getting this experience. If your research track record is lacking, I would focus on research. Realistically, you will need a good record in both dimensions to be competitive for faculty positions.\n\n> \n> Moreover, how can one's claims be verified? How do you prove that you are telling the truth and not over-selling yourself, regarding your participation and experience? Isn't this part of your cv a part that is less verifiable?\n> \n> \n> \n\nIn the optimal case, you have won some grants in your own name. But even if this is not the case, the experienced recruiter knows what to look for and who to ask to figure out whether you are overselling yourself. Keep in mind that researchers are connected and EU projects are large - *somebody* in the hiring faculty will know *somebody* who was involved in your project and give them a ring to ask them whether you actually did what you claim you did. If that's also not possible, the recruiting faculty will just ask you a few questions regarding the claim they are interested in, and observe your reaction."
},
{
"answer_id": 40737,
"author": "Jeff Yarger",
"author_id": 31064,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31064",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "I think a critical component of being a scientific postdoc is to gain experience with writing and submitting research proposals and papers. While I understand the concern that postdocs often do NOT get the credit they deserve when assisting with proposals, the benefit is more typically indirect and usually becomes critical experience when postdocs are writing their own research proposals for academic jobs or as independent scientists."
}
] |
2015/02/27
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40727",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/21766/"
] |
40,731 |
I am a second year PhD student. I am still in the process of finding a research topic. I have a couple research ideas at early stages with two different professors.
I will be in another country for two weeks, for personal reasons. I want to meet with several professors when I am there. First, I believe it is a good opportunity to network. Second, there are a couple professors with very interesting research areas and I can see myself working on one of these areas.
Since I do not have a concrete research area, is it still a good idea to meet with them? How can I make sure that they will not feel like I wasted their time?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40736,
"author": "Jeff Yarger",
"author_id": 31064,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31064",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "I think face to face meetings to discuss overlapping research interests with a professor from another university is a great way to network and potentially develop a future collaborator, mentor, postdoc advisor, etc. I think as long as you are clear and upfront in your email requesting a meeting with the person/professor and you also clearly state the topics and research you would like to discuss, then there is little fear that you would be wasting anyones time. Because the professor would just decline the meeting, if he or she was not interested in the research topic or discussion you wish to have. I have met with numerous visiting students over the years and many have turned into future postdocs or collaborators. Hope this helps!! And good luck."
},
{
"answer_id": 40873,
"author": "Stephen Nand-Lal",
"author_id": 31165,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31165",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "I agree with the previous answer, however I would also add that you need to make sure that you can strike up a personal relationship with any potential advisor, and make sure you feel like you can work under them. For many people this type of relationship will be different, however sometimes by just meeting a potential advisor you can tell what they will expect from you, and how they react to your questions / answers! Hope that helps a little :)"
}
] |
2015/02/27
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40731",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31061/"
] |
40,732 |
I am the editor of a student-edited journal at a graduate school. We extended a publication offer to an author that has published with the journal in the past, and with whom I do not wish to burn any bridges. The normal process of an offer goes like this: (1) extend the offer, (2) author either accepts or rejects, (3) send copyright agreement, (4) author signs and returns copyright agreement, (5) we edit and publish the article.
The author accepted the offer within the time frame (step 2), but we have not progressed beyond that. I have to withdraw/rescind the offer because we have maxed out our page numbers for this year. I tried telling the author that I would be happy to work with the incoming editor in chief to see if they want to make him an offer to publish next year, but he insists that because he accepted the offer we are now obligated to publish it next year. I reminded him that we have not sent him a copyright agreement or entered into a publication contract, and even if we did so the journal reserves the right to terminate the agreement at its sole discretion. He essentially said that his acceptance of the publication offer formed the publication contract and now we have to publish him or else (said he turned down other offers, etc.).
I feel terrible about the situation (we've tried our best to never put authors in this position, and have never had to rescind/withdraw an offer before). Since I've only experienced this from the editor's point of view, I'm wondering what published authors have to say about the situation? Is it your understanding that once you accept an offer you've formed a contract with the publication, and they are obliged to print it? Have you ever had an offer withdrawn, and did it burn all bridges with that institution/publication?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40735,
"author": "Nate Eldredge",
"author_id": 1010,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1010",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "I believe the author is in the right here. Accepting an article is morally binding and should commit the journal to publish it, barring exceptional circumstances. Authors should be entitled to rely on that commitment.\n\nAlthough you may not have any legal obligation to publish the paper at this point, to refuse to do so would be extremely unprofessional and reflect very poorly on the journal. Given the deadlines, you can't publish in the current issue, but you should queue it for publication in the next issue with available space, ahead of any other articles not yet accepted.\n\nYour idea seems to be that the incoming editor should have sole authority to determine the content of the next issue, and as such that he should have the right to decide not to publish the article if he so chooses. I would disagree with that. I believe the incoming editor has a professional duty to treat your acceptance of the article as binding on him as well. If you want to think of the journal as a continuing entity, rather than a sequence of unrelated anthologies, there needs to be continuity of this kind.\n\nIt is somewhat awkward for the incoming editor, as now he will have less space to fill with articles he selects. He may have a right to be annoyed with your poor planning, but that's between the two of you; you shouldn't make the author suffer for it.\n\nI'd make exceptions only in very unusual cases, such as if the incoming editor discovers fraud or plagiarism in the article, or finds that your review process grossly violated the journal's stated standards."
},
{
"answer_id": 40740,
"author": "Bill Barth",
"author_id": 11600,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11600",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "I presume this is a law review. If so, you should really talk to your faculty advisor, who is, presumably, a lawyer. From my non-lawyer perspective, where is the consideration necessary to form a contract? What are his damages if he were to try to sue? Specific performance doesn't seem likely if he were either. \n\nThe legal publishing world is very different from the typical academic publishing community. He probably shopped this article to lots of different journals, and he strategically chose among several offers. There's always a chance something could have fallen though at any stage after your verbal/email acceptance. He might have not liked your edits or some other aspect of your (now unsigned) publishing agreement. \n\nReneging on an agreement certainly agreement isn't professional. I presume there were some extenuating circumstances that caused the delay in the process. Is there a reason the page count cannot be extended?"
}
] |
2015/02/27
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40732",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/-1/"
] |
40,739 |
My mental health is declining and as a result I haven't been a good TA. For example I let my students out of section early because I was too tired to present some of the material, and I did not understand some of my section notes because another TA prepared them, and I didn't read them in advance.
I also have trouble helping students during office hours, and often ask students to repeat themselves, and I don't do adequate preparation (by reading the solution sets in advance). I often don't know how to answer questions and I ask the students to collaborate with each other and solicit help from people who have already solved the problem. I wasn't the best TA to begin with, but now that I'm depressed, I am basically useless, and embarrassingly so.
I feel pretty bad about this and I am also terrified that my students will complain to the professor, who is friends with my advisor. What should I do? I haven't told the professor or anyone about my diagnosis (of bipolar disorder). And I am afraid to talk to the people at the school counseling center, because they might force me to take time off (this happened to me in college), and I can't really do that in grad school without irreparably burning bridges.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40741,
"author": "Mad Jack",
"author_id": 11192,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11192",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "> \n> What do I do as a depressed and incompetent TA?\n> \n> \n> \n\nThe students are suffering as a result of your condition. So I think the right thing to do is\n\n1. seek help for yourself, and\n2. ask to be removed from your TA post until you are able to effectively TA again."
},
{
"answer_id": 40743,
"author": "RoboKaren",
"author_id": 14885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14885",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": false,
"text": "I utterly disagree with Mid Mecm. You do not need to resign and by resigning, you set yourself up for a future where you will think of resigning every time you have a task that you do not think you will be able to complete to the high standards you set for yourself.\n\nTry to disaggregate the two things -- the depression and the incompetence. If you are merely incompetent (or not as competent as you would like to be), read the rest of this answer. If your depression is putting you at risk to yourself or others (and will not be alleviated by acceptance that one cannot be competent at all things all the time), then perhaps Mid Mecm's advice is warranted.\n\nNow, about incompetence.\n\nThe reality is that you cannot be good at everything you do. Not all classes go well - even with the best of intentions. Sometimes, a class just fails. Sometimes it's your fault, sometimes it's the students, sometimes it's a combination. There are many classes that I've wished that I could have quit teaching halfway through.1\n\nSure, after you finish this semester your TA evals might be bad, they might be scorchingly bad. But that's ok. You fulfilled your obligation -- poorly, perhaps -- but you fulfilled them. The students themselves will recover. It's terrible that we can't all be always be stellar teachers, but we're human beings. You're just a blip -- one section of one of the 32 classes they take at the university. \n\nYou've found out that teaching does not come naturally and that teaching is hard. This is a good life lesson. It's part of your graduate education. You will get better at teaching the more you do it -- or at least figure out how to work around your incompetencies. We all do.\n\n1. In the interest of full disclosure, I also struggle from depression and so this is written to you from the position of a peer. This advice is of course null and void if you at risk of entirely melting down. Your first duty is to yourself. But only you can know how close you are to endangering your own health for the sake of the class -- not anonymous internet peers.\n\nAnecdote: I was forced to TA a class on a topic that I knew nothing about when I was a grad student. It quickly became clear that the even the most basic students knew infinitely more than I did about the subject. I was a terrible, terrible TA but my professor worked around me, the students learned to never come to my sections or office hours, and somehow we made it work. Now every time I get assigned a terrible TA, I believe it to be karmic retribution for my past sins. So talk to your professor. S/he may have also been a terrible TA and may be more than willing to work with you on this.\n\nFinally, mood disorders like depression and bipolar disorder are not incompatible with academia. There are many successful academics with tenure (Kay Redfield Jamison and Emily Martin have both written books on their own experiences with bipolar disorder). Yes, during our trough periods things can be hard to do, but when the fog lifts we tend to be more productive. I've used that successfully to write two books, publish numerous articles, blah blah. Fortunately I'm at a university that allows for some umm ... eccentrism in the faculty body. I am three sigmas on that scale. :-)"
},
{
"answer_id": 40753,
"author": "Patricia Shanahan",
"author_id": 10220,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10220",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "There are at least two issues, what to do about your TA performance, and what to do about your depression. You need help with both.\n\nDepression could affect your self-evaluation. Your performance as a TA may be fine with some minor problems, or could be really bad, and you might not be able to tell the difference. You need an objective observer to evaluate how you are doing before deciding what, if anything, to do about it.\n\nSimilarly, if depression is affecting you to the point where you at least feel you are incompetent, whether accurately or not, you may need medical help with that.\n\nThe real problem is your feeling that seeking out help will risk \"irreparably burning bridges\". I know by practical experience that graduate students needing leave or other accommodations for medical issues is something that happens, something for which colleges have procedures in place. I don't know why you feel seeking help from the school counseling center, and if necessary taking medical leave, would be such a serious step in your case."
},
{
"answer_id": 40756,
"author": "Lubo Antonov",
"author_id": 17730,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17730",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "First off, disclaimer - this is not clinical advice!\n\nI think the best thing to do is get support from other people around you. The worst thing is when you have to deal with this alone. In theory, a therapist can supply some of that, but I think you need to share what you have told us with friends around you that can relate to your situation. They may have dealt with something similar before, and they might be able to help you with knowledge about the subject you are TA-ing. One powerful way to use them is to make specific commitments that you share with them, so that they can hold you accountable.\n\nIt seems to me that the most immediate thing to deal with is your inability to commit time to preparation for your sessions. So, work out a schedule that lets you prepare, share it with a friend and report to them daily on your progress. Don't lie and don't make excuses. Stop using social media. Don't work at home. These are things that have helped me ;)\n\nUltimately, it is likely that your problems with TA-ing are linked to lack of confidence in your abilities. That's a big topic, but as a PhD student, you were selected because you are good at *something*. You don't need to be an expert in everything and you don't need to be afraid to admit it to others - even your students. Focus on the things you are good at (think about what made a PhD possible for you), learn more about the things that are interesting to you, and become just competent enough in the rest.\n\nI am sure it would be possible to arrange time off for mental health reasons, and this should not \"burn bridges\". But it seems to me that you feel down because you are not doing well, not the other way around. Taking time off is not going to change anything except save you from this particular course and reinforce the idea that you can't do it. Instead, I would focus on getting through this TA. Set some ground rules for yourself that you can't break - for example, you can't finish the session early, you have to spend X hours preparing, etc. And don't worry - the students will learn what they need even while having a so-so TA.\n\nI wish you the best!"
},
{
"answer_id": 40767,
"author": "Been There",
"author_id": 31082,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31082",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "Jeswawer,\n\nMy heart goes out to you. I am an educator who has also suffered from depression. Each case is unique and I am not sure if my personal insights will be helpful in your situation. First of all teaching and learning are very complex endeavors. Perhaps you have unrealistic expectations for what makes a successful teacher. Each student brings their own baggage to the classroom that can interfere with the learning process. This baggage is persistent and often stays with a person over a lifetime. As a result, there is ALWAYS more a teacher could do to help their students. Expecting to solve everything is unrealistic and defeating. Herculean efforts still are not enough to meet everyone's needs. If this is your goal, it is easy to get in a state of mind that any preparation is wasted effort because it only leads to failure. In fact, the act of preparing can make you feel hopeless so it becomes harder and harder to do. Lack of preparation makes you less successful so you feel even more the failure leading to an escalating spiral.\n\nMy advice would be to try to set small, realistic goals and prepare to achieve these goals. For example, you could prepare the session so students have a better understanding of . . . After recitation, be sure to be realistic about your performance. Remember you can't be everything to everyone. If something comes up that seems to be a need among many students, let yourself off the hook for not meeting that need during this session. Perhaps make it your small, realistic goal for the next session if it is important enough and seems to be a problem for a significant number of students. When you start to think of the problems of individuals, remind yourself of your small goal and pat yourself on the back for meeting that goal. Choose your small goals carefully so you get the most bang for your buck. Ask yourself what seems to be giving the most students difficulties AND is most important to their understanding of the fundamental principles. Most importantly, acknowledge and celebrate your successes. Don't define unmet student needs as failures but as possible opportunities for future goals. Keep those future goals small and focused, remembering a class of students has more needs than any one person will be able to meet.\n\nBest wishes to you, Jeswawer. Know that others struggle with these issues as well."
},
{
"answer_id": 40771,
"author": "SE318",
"author_id": 31084,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31084",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "This post really struck me because I am also a TA working on my PhD and have struggled with depression for the majority of my adult life. I've always found that I am most successful in school in my classes, my teaching, and my research when I keep my mood up. That being said, keeping my mood up has been a task more difficult than school could ever be, so rather than addressing your concerns specific to being a TA, I figured I would share with you what I have found works best to keep my mood in check. Note though, that this is merely one man's personal experience, not based in scientific research.\n\nNow, I've tried plenty of medications, and I've never found one that works for me. Either they make me feel strange, they don't work, or they cloud my thoughts(which is unacceptable for someone trying to do research in a thought subject). If a medication does work for you, then that is great. I am going to discuss the alternative options that I have found for keeping my mood up.\n\nThere are really three main things that I have found to be successful at keeping my depression at bay: Exercise, a healthy diet, and choosing to do the little things for the future. Exercise and diet are obvious. I try not to take either to the extreme, but I try to run a few times a week, and do some kind of strength training activity a few times a week. Recently that activity has been rock-climbing at my university's rec. I also just try to make little changes to my diet(get a salad rather than fries with a meal when I eat out, buy higher quality foods with more wholesome ingredients, substitute V8 or unsweatened tea or other non-sugarwater flavorful beverage for all that pop[soda/coke/proper regional substitute] I was drinking) and I try to avoid having an ongoing relationship with the pizza delivery man.)\n\nNow, doing the little things for the future... this is the one that I use to pull myself out of a bad funk(you can't start exercising or eating right when you can't even get off the couch, so those two come a little later). This is something that seems so insignificant that I am able to accomplish it even in the worst of my depressive fits, but has an interesting psychological impact on me.\n\nSo what do I mean by the little things? Brushing my teeth for example. cleaning up my house a little, doing the dishes. Taking a shower. doing my laundry. Now, these are all very basic things, and you probably are already doing some/most/all of them, but what you might not be doing is thinking about what they mean. After I do one of these things,brushing my teeth for example, I ask myself \"if I really wanted to end it right now, why would I care about my dental hygiene?\" that answer is, I wouldn't. So, why did I just brush my teeth? the only logical conclusion is that I don't want to end it right now. Our minds have an amazing way of rationalizing things, and it has trouble when it cannot find reasons for why we do what we do. If I don't consciously think about that though, my mind won't realize that the only reason I would have brushed my teeth is because I want to continue on. I know this sounds so simple and basic, but repetitive use of this technique has gotten me out of some very dark places, and to a point where I could start eating right and exercising.\n\nNow, as I said, these things have worked for me. I cannot guarantee that they will work for you, but if you do choose to use them, I wish you the best of luck in controlling your mood, and hopefully in turn becoming the best TA you can be."
},
{
"answer_id": 40779,
"author": "user31094",
"author_id": 31094,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31094",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "Things like this are difficult but you need to ask for help from a psychiatrist. With the right kind of medication it would be able to help you quite a bit. Don't be afraid of asking for help."
},
{
"answer_id": 40787,
"author": "Future Doc",
"author_id": 31107,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31107",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "Whoa. Everyone here is missing a key point: This is *bipolar*, not just depression. This is very serious -- this is the disorder that killed Pabid Gilviars. Jeswawer's functioning is affected during the depressed phase and *it's getting worse*.\n\nJeswawer, your first priority is to save yourself. The prof can get a new TA, although it might not need to come to that if you get some help first. By letting this go on, *you are causing the very thing you don't want to happen*: Your students will complain, your professor and advisor will find out, and you will be looking at some consequences that you don't want to happen.\n\nGet ahead of this thing now before that happens. Get on meds -- there are some really good ones out now. You can keep your moods in check by following a treatment plan. Also, remember, when you are in your depressed state, *you aren't making good decisions* and your thinking may be distorted -- some of the things you fear may not happen. Therapy is confidential -- what happens in session stays in session. Your job may also be protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act. A therapist can give you an extra set of eyes and ears and give you a more hopeful perspective and a better way of dealing with this. It sounds like you could use someone in your corner right now so that you aren't battling this by yourself. That must feel very lonely and overwhelming.\n\nThere are low cost options through universities and county mental health services. Your first good decision would be to find a source of help and just get there.\n\nGood luck, Jeswawer."
},
{
"answer_id": 40838,
"author": "Wolfgang Bangerth",
"author_id": 31149,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31149",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "The thing is: the vast majority of professors actually do care about the well-being of their graduate students. I certainly did not realize this when I was a graduate student myself, but you have to know that professors are people too: they have children who may be sick or are struggling in school; they have parents affected by old age; they have friends who have problems. In other words, while you as a graduate student typically only interact with your professor in a professional capacity, they do understand issues such as mental health. They may also have been through similar issues with other students before.\n\nThe way you describe your situation -- regardless of whether your perception is accurate or not -- is not good for anyone. First of all, it's not good for you. It's not good for your students. And it's not good for the department who put you in this class. The key to improve the situation for everyone is to make you better, but this will not happen unless you take the first step and talk about it with those who can help you. I am certain that most professors will see it as their professional duty (and their human duty) to find ways to help you. As I said above, they may in fact have dealt with similar situations before (for example, I think that I have sent home every single one of my students at least once when I saw that they had trouble with private issues, and I have talked to almost every one of my students about personal problems at various times). They also typically have large professional networks both within and outside the department to look for the best ways to find you help. They also have the resources to replace you in the classroom if necessary. The two solution the least productive to anyone are (i) to fire you, given that everyone has invested time into you and that they likely feel towards you as humans should, and (ii) let you continue to struggle in the classroom and be unproductive.\n\nSo, my advice is to talk to your professor. It is the first step to build a network of people around you who you can go to for help if you find that your health issues collide with your professional obligations. If you do not feel like you can talk about these things with your professor about this right away, first talk to someone else in the department (the graduate coordinator, the department head, one of the administrative assistants, a postdoc in your lab) and ask them if they can mediate a meeting with your professor. As I said, my experience tells me that everyone will find it quite obvious that the first order of business needs to be make sure you get better."
},
{
"answer_id": 40848,
"author": "fleur-de-lis",
"author_id": 31155,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31155",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "Ohhh, no, I'm so sorry you're going through this. I deal with depression too.\n\nFirst, you really need to recognize that everything you're perceiving, you're perceiving through a Fog of Depression. Your brain is attacking your self-esteem and motivation, and also causing you to worry about things that you don't need to worry about nearly as much as you think you do, and it seems even more awful because you can't see an end to your problems. There is, in fact, an end--there is a solution out there--and you can find it and your life will get better again.\n\nThis includes your perception of your past performance. You have been doing better than you think. (Yes, you have.) Don't dismiss your efforts. \n\nSecond, talk to your professor. Straightforward honesty can help you get to the root of your problems and start fixing them. If your prof is a human and not a jackal in a human suit, they shouldn't think any less of you for something you can't control. (No, you can't control the fact that you have an illness. You're not just being lazy.) There may be school policies in place protecting you from discrimination based on mental illness, which may or may not be a thing you'll see. Your worries on this count may be entirely baseless depending on what the people around you are like. Remember, you are chemically disposed towards pessimism right now and it's screwing with your head--you need to learn to recognize the thought patterns that cue you in as to when it's the depression talking.\n\nIf you don't tell your professor, then at least tell SOMEONE about your diagnosis. It doesn't even have to be someone official. Just tell someone who won't make you feel like crap about it and will maybe go to Dairy Queen with you sometimes to cheer you up. Getting out of the house/apartment/dorm/whatever is really important.\n\nThird--It's the middle of winter; could your mental illness be worse because you've got some seasonal affective disorder on the side? If so, you should buy some full-spectrum \"daylight\" light bulbs. I'm talking about the kind where the color temperature is something like 5000 or 6500, instead of 2700 or whatever lower number. This helps replace sunlight in winter when your brain is missing it, and using those light bulbs in your living spaces, like in your desk lamp and so on, can help dramatically with SAD. I know it sounds like one of those bizarre homeopathic remedies, but it does work--there are studies out there and my personal experience backs them up, you can Google for them if you're interested.\n\nFourth, sometimes you do need to take time for yourself. Ask yourself: would the mental health professionals at your university really recommend something that would ruin your career? Where did you get the information that taking time off would burn bridges? Is it based in fact, or in anxiety? I'm not saying that your worries are for-sure baseless, but you need to double-check. You can tell the counselors about your concerns, too. And maybe you don't need to take a lot of time off--maybe a month while you try out a medication, or even less time while you just take time out to relax and take care of yourself.\n\nI know I have a bad habit of taking things on that I can handle academically--like, I learn well enough to take them on, they're nothing I can't understand--but they're too difficult to keep up with emotionally and I have to step back one way or another. That's okay. Everyone has limits, no one's Superman, you're not a robot. But because you're not a robot, your limits WILL change over time. You've learned you're dealing with a problem; once you adjust to coping with it and find out what works, your limits will expand again. Sometimes you need time away from stress to get to that point though.\n\nFifth and related: take time out for self-care. BeteLL a cake (like [this one](http://allrecipes.com/recipe/extreme-chocolate-cake/)), take care of a houseplant (green oxalis or african violets will bloom indoors), learn how to properly keep a betta fish (the people over at the forum bettafish will happily tell you how to make a betta live for years instead of months), cook yourself dinner instead of ordering takeout, read a few chapters of a kids' fantasy book each night, take a long bath with soap that smells nice, spend time with your friends, listen to music, leave the house just to buy a cookie at a coffee shop, follow a web comic (you might like [this one](http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20021104#.VPQLkyldUag)--hold out on it, the art starting in Vol2 is pretty odd but it gets better fast).\n\nThis point might seem off-topic, but it isn't. You really do need to make sure that the thing that's been stressing you out isn't your whole life.\n\nGood luck :) We're rooting for you!"
}
] |
2015/02/28
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40739",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/29506/"
] |
40,745 |
I had submitted research paper to a journal two and half months ago. It was under review for two months and now the status is showing that the paper is with editor from last ten days. If the paper has got reviewed why I am not getting any response from the editor.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40748,
"author": "Corvus",
"author_id": 27900,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27900",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "There are a number of possibilities. Off the top of my head:\n\n* The editor is traveling or otherwise occupied. In my experience, this is particularly likely if you are dealing with a journal that employs professional editors rather than relying upon academic editors.\n* The reviews are mixed and the editor has decided to careful assess the manuscript himself or herself--which may take as long as writing a review would take.\n* The reviews are mixed and the editor has decided to seek additional reviews, but this is not yet reflected in the manuscript management system.\n* The editor wishes to speak in person to one of the referees to clarify something that the referee wrote, but has not yet been able to reach the referee.\n\nYou could go on and on and imagine any number of other possible scenarios. I agree it is not optimal for this to happen, but nor is it unusual. As an editor, I try very hard to return a decision within 2 or 3 days of receiving all reviews, but as an author I have found that waits of a week or two are not unusual."
},
{
"answer_id": 40751,
"author": "user6726",
"author_id": 28972,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28972",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "I only want to amplify on the answer by Corvus, based on my own experience as editor. First, editors usually have other full-time jobs as teachers and researchers. In my field, there are *no* editors who are employees of publishing companies rather than academicians. Other overwhelming demands are the main cause of lag between receipt of review and making a decision. Second, an editor *ought* to be more than a mechanical bean-counter who plugs 3-value accept-meh-reject reviews into a formula, and it can quite some time to absorb the intellectual content of a submission and 2-5 reviews, and then frame the decision in a way that is optimal for the journal (specifically, be encouraging if there is promise in the paper). Third, while this is rare, sometimes the existing reviews are patently inadequate, i.e. *every* reviewer missed a flaw that the editor saw."
},
{
"answer_id": 40758,
"author": "Peter Jansson",
"author_id": 4394,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4394",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "First, editors take decisions seriously and will not rush decisions unnecessarily, however, neither does anyone want unnecessary delays, long turnover times is not good for the journal in that authors find the venue less attractive for publishing. In \"my\" journal we have set a three week period to make decisions based on the reviews. This period is by no means a law but it appears reasonable and to some extent normal based on experiences from other journals. So 10 days is, from this perspective, not something worrisome.\n\nWhat has to be remembered is that many, I would say most, editors perform their duties outside of regular academic jobs. They handle more manuscripts than yours at the same time and which are at various stages of the review process. \n\nSo, about three weeks seems like a reasonable limit after which one can consider checking up on the status. That decisions can take longer is not uncommon for a variety of reasons but to some extent, no new is usually good news since rejections are usually easier to decide than providing recommendations for revisions."
}
] |
2015/02/28
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40745",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30637/"
] |
40,773 |
I have a question related to this post,
[Is it legal to upload a paper to arXiv when it is under double blind review for one of the IEEE journals?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/16831/is-it-legal-to-upload-a-paper-to-arxiv-when-it-is-under-double-blind-review-for)
What should I do if I uploaded my manuscript on arxiv and plan to pass it on a peer reviewed journal? I am worried after reading the answers in the link.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40775,
"author": "moorepants",
"author_id": 28991,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28991",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "Every journal has a different copyright policy. Some allow you to post pre-prints and others do not. One good resource to find out what the policy of your journal is the Sherpa Romeo index: <http://sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/>. Else you need to read the copyright form that you are required to sign carefully."
},
{
"answer_id": 40776,
"author": "Nate Eldredge",
"author_id": 1010,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1010",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "Based on your profile, I will assume this is a mathematics paper. In that case, the answer is almost certainly: **This is totally fine. You don't need to do anything. Just submit your paper to a journal whenever you are ready.**\n\nThere are two main ways in which posting a preprint could interfere with publication, but **neither of them is usually applicable in mathematics**.\n\n1. **Double-blind review.** In some fields, it is common for the journal to send the referee a copy of the paper with the author's name removed. The theory is that this makes the review more impartial. In this case, if you had a preprint on arXiv, the referee might find it by searching for the paper's title; then she would know your name and the review would no longer be double-blind. This is the issue discussed by the question you linked. However, **I've never heard of any math journals that do double-blind review.**\n2. **Prior publication.** A nearly universal rule in academic publishing is that you cannot publish the same paper in two different journals. This is a mechanism to keep the scientific record orderly (so that there is one unique place to find and cite the article); also, for subscription-based publishers, it helps ensure that people have to subscribe to their journal to read their content, and can't get it elsewhere. So you might worry that if you had a paper on arXiv, a journal would reject it on the grounds that it was already published. Fortunately, though, **I've never heard of any mathematics journal that considers an arXiv preprint to constitute \"prior publication\"**. arXiv is so widely used in math that publishers generally don't object to the paper being available there. (But I have heard that in chemistry the opposite is true: posting a paper to arXiv can torpedo your chances of publishing in a journal.)\n\nOf course, to be safe, you should **check the policies of the journal where you are submitting**. Questions regarding preprint archival are usually addressed explicitly in these policies.\n\nOne thing to note: some publishers do not want you to update your preprint with any changes suggested by their editor or referee. That way, only the journal can print the \"final version\", so there is still something that they have that the reader can't get any other way. Other journals say it is fine to update the preprint, making the arXiv and journal versions identical. Again, check the journal's policies."
}
] |
2015/02/28
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40773",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30903/"
] |
40,783 |
It has been discussed and explained many times that in (at least some subdisciplines of) Computer Science, conference publications have a special status compared to many other fields - where in other fields, journals are the only way of publication, in Computer Science, many conferences allow publications with a comparable peer-review process as a journal, and consequently, reputable conferences in some subfields have a similar standing as reputable journals.
Some exemplary resources that outline this peculiarity:
* [Why are conference papers so important in computer science (CS)?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/38086/why-are-conference-papers-so-important-in-computer-science-cs)
* [Journal vs conference publications when looking for a job in in computer science](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/5696/journal-vs-conference-publications-when-looking-for-a-job-in-in-computer-science)
* [Difference between conference paper and journal paper](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/18349/difference-between-conference-paper-and-journal-paper)
* [What's the expected level of paper for top conferences in Computer Science](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/9761/whats-the-expected-level-of-paper-for-top-conferences-in-computer-science)
* [Editor's Letter: Conferences vs. Journals in Computing Research](http://cacm.acm.org/magazines/2009/5/24632-conferences-vs-journals-in-computing-research/fulltext)
* [Choosing a venue: conference or journal?](https://homes.cs.washington.edu/~mernst/advice/conf-vs-journal-uscis.pdf)
* [Journal publication and acceptance to competitive conferences](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/331/journal-publication-and-acceptance-to-competitive-conferences)
* [Should computer science indexing sites be considered in rating research?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/37801/should-computer-science-indexing-sites-be-considered-in-rating-research)
* [What constitutes a “publication” in Computer Science?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/12948/what-constitutes-a-publication-in-computer-science)
* [Why conferences are the main venue for CS research?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/10898/why-conferences-are-the-main-venue-for-cs-research)
While the perception of a special treatment of conferences in Computer Science appears to be evident, there are sometimes hints this can actually be observed in a few other fields, as well:
[Daniel Standage](https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/154/daniel-standage) writes in his [question](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/331/journal-publication-and-acceptance-to-competitive-conferences):
>
> (...) whereas some of the more quantitative and technical fields (comp sci and engineering especially) seem to be focused on getting accepted to high-profile conferences with low acceptance rate (...)
>
>
>
[Fomite](https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/118/fomite) [responds](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/334/14017):
>
> (...) CS and related fields very heavily weight conference presentations and proceedings papers (...)
>
>
>
[badroit](https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7746/badroit) [cites](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/18434/14017) from the [Department of Computer Science & Engineering, University of Minnesota: Criteria for Promotion and Tenure](http://www.academic.umn.edu/provost/faculty/tenure/pdf/IT/7-12CSE.pdf):
>
> A 1994 NRC Committee on Academic Careers for Experimental Computer Science stated “The requirements for good research and engineering in experimental computer science and engineering (ECSE) are different from those of many other academic disciplines” and then added “Because conferences are the vehicle of choice in ECSE for the dissemination of research, well-refereed conference proceedings (as well as work published in refereed private journals) should be given as much weight as archival journal articles
>
>
>
On the other hand, there is also the contrary claim, that Computer Science is an absolute exception with this. For instance, [aeismail](https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/53/aeismail) remarks in one of his [answers](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/336/14017):
>
> (...) I would argue that the weighting of conference papers seems to be restricted to computer science (...)
>
>
>
Likewise, Lance Fortnow starts his article [Viewpoint: Time for computer science to grow up](http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=1536616.1536631) by stating:
>
> Unlike every other academic field, computer science uses conferences rather than journals as the main publication venue.
>
>
>
As it is notable that a rather unspecific "engineering" is consistently mentioned in the examples that imply a few other fields use conferences the same way as CS, I have tried to track down those fields, but could not come to any useful conclusions. In particular, I am not even sure what to look for, because "engineering" might mean various things:
* It might mean all of engineering, which I find improbable (that would probably mean peer-reviewed conference publications are not as unheard of in other fields as some CS people suggest).
* It might mean a few subfields in engineering. To find more information, knowing *which* subfields those are would probably be helpful.
* It might actually be a pleonasm for *computer science*, in a way that a department for "engineering and computer science" wants to highlight it does not only deal with theoretical aspects, but also investigates "technical", "practical" sides of computer science.
Thus, my question is: **Are there any other fields beside Computer Science that use peer-reviewed conferences for publication, where such conference publications have a similar standing as journal publications? If so, what are some examples of such other fields?**
*Note: I consider this an answerable question, not an indefinite list question. One or a few verifiable examples for other fields that use conferences as described - or a sufficiently convincing statement or reference that shows there are no such other fields at all - are completely sufficient, I am not looking for an exhaustive list of fields.*
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40853,
"author": "al_b",
"author_id": 5963,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/5963",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "Engineering would most probably be \"electrical engineering\" and examples of venues where conference proceedings are published would include:\n\\* IEEEXplore (BTW, IEEE stands for \"...Electrical and Electronics Engineers\"\n\\* LNEE series published by Springer: <http://www.springer.com/series/7818>\nYou can also check [http://www.springer.com/series/11156](http://www.springer.com/series/11156 \"AISC series\") at Springer, which publishes a lot of conference proceedings.\nI have recently did several author workshops for researchers in medicine, and they have told that in their field it is also common to have proceedings (of full papers, not a book of abstracts) of a conference. However, I do not have any evidence for that."
},
{
"answer_id": 40914,
"author": "user-2147482637",
"author_id": 12718,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12718",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "Although maybe not a main field, Robotics as a field is a bit similar to highly regarded conferences. The two largest are [ICRA](http://icra2015.org/) and [IROS](http://www.iros2015.org/). Not that it is the best method, but you can see the importance of ICRA as being top ranked in [googles metrics](https://scholar.google.co.kr/citations?view_op=top_venues&hl=en&vq=eng_robotics). I think you can see a few of these trends within the google rankings as very few disciplines have a conference ranked in their top 20. Of course, the computer science fields do. Using what I believe is the same methodology SCImago(h-index), an older (2010) [blog post](http://robotland.blogspot.kr/2011/01/top-10-robotics-journals-2010.html) discussed some of the robotics journal rankings as well, which also produced ICRA as top."
},
{
"answer_id": 61555,
"author": "Luis Caires",
"author_id": 47419,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/47419",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "I have recently written a note about this issue, with some interesting data from the UK REF 2014 and GSM, that may be of interest.\n\n\"[Again, the role of conference publications in Computer Science and Informatics](http://ctp.di.fct.unl.pt/~lcaires/papers/conferencesCS.v4.pdf)\"\n\nAbstract: It is often claimed that in the Computer Science and Informatics many top tier conferences are high profile venues, with journal-equivalent status or even higher. \n\nThe goal of this note is to highlight further evidence, based on recent publicly available indicators from the UK REF 2014 evaluation exercise and Google Scholar Metrics, of the special nature and purpose of conference venues in CS and related fields, not shared by most conference venues in other fields of science and engineering. We believe that our analysis is particularly interesting for anyone involved in research evaluation at large, but not necessarily familiar with the CS field. \n\nIn particular, we focus on the comparison between the status of conferences and journals in different science and engineering fields, and discuss the status and role of conference and journal papers within the CS field itself.\n\nLC"
}
] |
2015/02/28
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40783",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14017/"
] |
40,785 |
I don't want to release too many details in this inquiry, but I do have a very legitimate question to ask. My senior class (aerospace engineering) has been hard at work for nearly nine months reverse engineering a particular [X-Plane](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_X-planes). We have done detailed analysis on almost all the aspects of the craft and we have just heard that our supervising professor intends to release this research as his own for future technologies in [SSTO](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-stage-to-orbit) vehicle analysis. What options do we have to prevent this blatant plagiarism by an adviser and how soon should we act?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40800,
"author": "Danny Ruijters",
"author_id": 28830,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28830",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "You must have documented your reverse engineering efforts in some way (e.g. Student reports). You can publish these online, e.g. On ArXiv.\n\nYou might also discuss coauthorship with your professor on future publications."
},
{
"answer_id": 41269,
"author": "StrongBad",
"author_id": 929,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/929",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "Using student work is always a difficult situation and we spend a considerable amount of time thinking about [What are the minimum contributions required for co-authorship](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/12030/what-are-the-minimum-contributions-required-for-co-authorship). In many cases advisors conclude that students have just turned the crank of the well designed project that they have been handed and that they do not warrant authorship. I think that within reason that advisors who have been active in the research process of students (e.g., suggesting the topic, initial readings, experimental design, and analyses) should be at a minimum of offered authorship and in many cases should actually be the sole author.\n\nThere are cases where the student wants to publish in a lower ranked journal than the advisor would like. It seems wrong of an advisor to stand in the way of a coauthored lower ranked publication so they can have a single authored higher ranked publication. That said, if the advisor has correctly evaluated that the student contribution is not worthy of authorship, the lower ranked publication will not stop the higher ranked publication.\n\nMaking your work publicly available (e.g., through a website or ArXiv) is beneficial to everyone. When your advisor attempts to publish/republish the work, reviewers will have to decide if the work is new and if you should be an author. Assuming your advisor correctly determined that you do not warrant authorship, he/she will still be able to publish the results. In other words, if you class project is your advisor's research, you cannot stop him/her from publishing it as his own. As crazy as it sounds, the only way to stop it is to make sure your class project contains enough of your research that you have some ownership in the project.\n\nIt is probably worth noting that, at least in my field, the traditional bar for a MS thesis is a research project that could be published. An undergraduate class project that takes up a 1/4 of a students time for an academic year is generally much less comprehensive than what MS students produce over 1-2 years of fulltime research."
},
{
"answer_id": 41275,
"author": "Eric",
"author_id": 20424,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20424",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "This sounds like a common misunderstanding of what research actually is. Most professors in technology are not doing the day to day research work. That part is done by students and postdocs. The professors are setting direction, offering guidance and feedback, securing funding, etc. They are the \"managers\" in academia. This role definitely warrants their name being on any publication they are involved with and is not the professor \"stealing\" ideas.\n\nThe second question is whether your work alone qualifies as publishable. Published work must have novel content. If your project is the equivalent of supplying some numbers in a table in a larger study done by your professor, then your work probably does not stand on its own and may not warrant you being listed as an author. If your work makes up the main body of a paper though or supplies some crucial insight that the whole paper would be based on, then your work would stand on its own. If so, you should be a coauthor of anything that uses it."
},
{
"answer_id": 41286,
"author": "Davidmh",
"author_id": 12587,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12587",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "First, something you should consider. How reliable is the source of this \"we heard\"? And how complete? Sometimes, professors present in meetings the work done in their group, not necessarily by themselves.\n\nIf your source is not confidential, you should be clear and talk to him in a non confrontational way. Ask what is the purpose of the meeting, what is he going to present, and maybe if some of you could come along. If after the talk you are still suspicious, you could talk to another professor familiar with your field that could know what is the extent and purpose of this meeting.\n\nIf your source is confidential and the contents of this meeting are not public, you can ask him if he thinks your results are publishable and how to proceed. You can also discuss what would the logical continuations be.\n\nAlso, I wouldn't post it anywhere without his permission, or clear evidence that he wants to take your work as his. Research is, to some degree, confidential until it is in a publishable form, and you may get shooting yourself in the foot. Specially when working on hearsays, don't do anything that you may regret afterwards.\n\nIf you do get solid evidence that he is plagiarising you (and please, confirm this with someone external) you may begin taking bigger actions. Posting your work publicly is a good way of asserting your authorship and getting a timestamp."
}
] |
2015/03/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40785",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31106/"
] |
40,786 |
I recreated an image from a paper I liked (didn't use the same image to get out of the asking permission which could take a while). Now the reviewer asked us to give credit to the original paper. How do I do that? Is it okay to write that my image was 'inspired' from this other paper, as I didn't copy the image but used the image as a reference to create my own?
Its a drawing of blood vessels (with appropriate details related to our work).
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40788,
"author": "Gimelist",
"author_id": 22213,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22213",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "First of all,\n\n> \n> permission which could take a while\n> \n> \n> \n\nIs not entirely correct. Most major publishers have an automated \"permission request\" system that in many cases automatically grants you permission to reuse a figure from a published paper. It takes about 5 minutes and usually you can find it in the journal's home page.\n\n> \n> Now the reviewer asked us to give credit to the original paper. How do I do that?\n> \n> \n> \n\nThis isn't too hard. One way, for instance, would be to add to the figure caption: \"**Redrawn after Smith et al. (2005)**\". I think it also depends on what the figure is about. Is it a graph with data points that you used? Is it some schematic drawing? If you edit your question to better describe the figure we can give you a better answer."
},
{
"answer_id": 40789,
"author": "user6726",
"author_id": 28972,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28972",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "In addition, modifying an image does *not* overcome copyright protection and the need to get permission. Making a modification to someone else's image requires copying it, and the copyright owner is the one who has the right to allow copying."
}
] |
2015/03/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40786",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/3949/"
] |
40,791 |
Update:
I found 8 students cheating in today's quiz despite stern warning and personal threatening to kick them out of the classroom if I notice cheating behavior again. 4 of them also likely cheated last time. The main reason is I left 5 minutes to fetch old quiz from last time.
I have reported this to the instructor and the two chairs of the department as well as sending the quiz sheets. I am very upset even though it "is not my fault". I have asked the professors explicitly that I do not to see these students in classroom again.
---
I work as a probability&statistics TA. During actual grading of the quiz papers submitted by students, I *suspect* some students are involved in cheating. The question is what I should do. I should note that my relationship with students is not the best judged from [past experience](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/38867/how-should-an-graduate-student-with-aspergers-syndrome-prepare-for-a-teaching-ca).
The evidence that support my claim students were cheating in the quiz was follows:
1. During the quiz, I noticed students A, B, C, D, E, F, etc sitting very close to each other. I pulled their chairs apart and minutes later their chairs were close again. While I did not suspect cheating, I felt this is quite strange. In the end I have to pull their chairs apart three times. I also noticed they talking to each other, but I am not sure if they were borrowing the calculator or something. I simply did not suspect cheating.
2. During the actual grading I found the students A, B, C, D, E, F, etc all submitted work of very low quality and they made identical elementary mistakes like 1+1=3 on their exam sheets. This elementary mistake was carried through to the second part of the exam, such that a few of them did not bother to give any derivation to the wrong results in the test paper.
I have reported this to the professor, who avoided my email on any discussion with this topic. My questions are as follows:
1. If I want to report cheating, how do I make sure students A, B, C, D, E, F, etc all cheated? Of course there is a small chance that they all made the "stupid mistake" due to some random misunderstanding. For example, maybe students E, F did not cheat; they simply misunderstood the problem or their Casio calculator malfunctioned. Who knows?
For example, when I was an undergraduate, I was *wrongly* accused for cheating, and I knew such accusations makes people psychologically very uncomfortable even if turned out false in the end. While I am quite confident with what I found, I do not want to be the mean professor who treated me that way. I checked the university honor code and it says "the instructor should communicate with the students regarding the nature of the charge and the evidence...". I simply do not know what to say in this case. Should I simply say "I am suspecting you of cheating behavior, please explain yourself", or something?
2. More importantly, what I should do for the future to the class to *prevent* cheating? I put "cheating behavior means -10 points and an invitation to visit the Diap" in every exam sheet. But I could not prevent this situation from happening again in future. I felt very uncomfortable that I am preparing lecture for students who paid *negative amount of input* to the class material. To me a student walking out of the classroom and believe my lecture was tedious is okay; one do not need to take the class if one already knew the material.
But cheating behavior is far worse; it makes the normal Q&A process break down, and I simply do not know what feedback should I give to the students who cheated. It also makes life very unfair for students who made an huge effort but did not do as well as cheaters. I find it very difficult to prepare the lecture in the same mood again and pretend that this have not happened.
3. In the extreme case, if the professor took no action at all, what should I do next? Should I waste many hours coming back and forth on this "trivial" issue and facing various committees, or should I simply turn a deaf ear on it because this is first time offense? To me, this seems a black and white situation. But I am still quite confused.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40796,
"author": "user6726",
"author_id": 28972,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28972",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "If I were on an academic misconduct panel hearing your charge, I would not give much credence to subjective reports of strangeness and sitting close, unless the distances were strikingly abnormal. In light of the physical constraints of the room and the typical spread of students in that space, and especially assuming that these students were close friends a.k.a. study-buddies, how far off of the norm was their spacing? [Suggestion for the future: require cheating suspects to sit in completely different areas during exams; put it on the syllabus that during exams, you will randomly move students within the room, at your discretion]. Your second basis is, potentially, clear and objective, and is the evidence that these panels require.\n\nI am a bit confused about your second basis, that they all claimed that 1+1=3 -- that is so incredibly unlikely that I have to believe that you are speaking somewhat metaphorically. If that is really the case, then that's a key to your dilemma. Suppose, for example, that the accused all made the same elementary mistake in confusing \"standard deviation\" and \"standard error\". In a sense that's a very elementary mistake, but in another sense, it's a beginner's mistake that's likely to be propagated in an under-informed study group. However, if you are talking about a *really* elementary arithmetic error that is exactly repeated in the group, and you were not speaking metaphorically, that is an event of such low probability of occurrence that you could probably say why it *can't* be due to a non-cheating common cause. So it is crucial to carefully examine the nature of the shared error.\n\nTypically, the instructor of record has to be the one to make the formal accusation. You should request a meeting with the professor (yes, not pleasant) to discuss the problem in person (forget email), and be prepared to suggest a three-way meeting with the chair. If pursuing the matter would not cause you severe problems (the professor hating you forever and voting to terminate your funding because you stirred the pot), I would say you should pursue the matter. If there would be negative consequences for pursuing justice, it comes down to the question of how much you care about justice. [A totally neutral way of framing the matter, of course]."
},
{
"answer_id": 40802,
"author": "Massimo Ortolano",
"author_id": 20058,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20058",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "Disclaimers: Firstly, how cheating is treated varies a lot among different countries, so what I'm going to say might not be applicable to your case. Secondly, you actually ask several questions, and I shall concentrate just on the following one:\n\n> \n> More importantly, what I should do for the future to the class to prevent cheating?\n> \n> \n> \n\nThe students' behaviour you describe in point 1) should be cut off directly during the exam, and not discussed afterwards. In general, I enforce the following rules:\n\n1. Students are not allowed to talk to each other. If I find two or more students trying to talk to each other, I warn them once, but the second time they're out.\n2. Students should bring their own calculators and cannot borrow calculators from other students. If a students forgets her/his calculator, too bad, she/he can employ the good ol' pencil and paper method of calculation.\n3. We don't have movable chairs, but, in case: if you're too close, the first time I come to pull you apart and warn you; the second time, that's the door and you're welcome to walk out of it."
},
{
"answer_id": 40808,
"author": "Nate Eldredge",
"author_id": 1010,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/1010",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "Addressing (3): You should check the policies at your institution, but a common rule is that the only person who can initiate academic dishonesty proceedings is the instructor of record for the course, ie the professor. This means that you cannot prosecute the students yourself; your job is to report what you observed to the professor, and let her handle it. (Note that references to \"instructor\" in university policies most likely do not include TAs.)\n\nYou say the professor is \"avoiding\" your emails about this, but how do you know? One possibility is that she hasn't received them, or hasn't read them; so you should contact her by some other means and ask if she got them. Once you have verified that she did, that is where your responsibility ends, unless you are asked to further explain your evidence, appear at a formal hearing, etc.\n\nAnother possibility is that she got your report and decided not to take any action. Again, policies vary, but most likely that is her prerogative. Maybe she thinks the evidence is not strong enough, or knows something about the disciplinary procedure that you do not, or simply wants to avoid conflict. Whatever. Her problem, not yours.\n\nA third option is that she is taking steps to punish the students, but has not told you about it. Again depending on policies, she may not be allowed to do so; such proceedings are usually confidential, and you don't really have a need to know.\n\nSo in short: make your report to the professor, verify that it was received, and move on with your life."
},
{
"answer_id": 40829,
"author": "JRN",
"author_id": 64,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/64",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "This is an answer to your second question: \"More importantly, what I should do for the future to the class to *prevent* cheating?\"\n\nI usually give different sets of exams; usually three is enough. Make sure students sitting next to each other have different sets assigned to them. Have the students sign an attendance sheet indicating what set they were given. (This sheet can be distributed while they are taking the exam. While they are filling it up, verify that the set they indicated in the sheet matches the actual set given to them.)\n\nLet's say the sets have the following questions:\n\nSet A: `2+5=, 6+2=, 3+3=, 0+9= (answers: 7 8 6 9)`\n\nSet B: `2+4=, 7+2=, 4+4=, 0+7= (answers: 6 9 8 7)`\n\nSet C: `3+5=, 5+2=, 5+5=, 0+6= (answers: 8 7 10 6)`\n\nLet's say that students X, Y, and Z were given sets A, B, and C, respectively. If student Y is seated in between X and Z and answers 7 8 6 9, then this is extremely strong evidence that student Y copied from student X (and not from Z). (The example I've given has four answers copied, but if there are much more, then the evidence would be stronger.) Keep the test papers of students X and Y (and maybe even Z) as evidence, but do return copies of the test papers to them.\n\nShow the evidence to students X and Y. They may or they may not admit guilt. If they do, then obtain proof of it (a signed statement or a video). Submit all the evidence (including the admission of guilt) to the student disciplinary body\\*. There is a very good chance they will find the students guilty.\n\nBy showing the students that you report cases of cheating and that you win them, students will be less likely to cheat in your class in the future.\n\n*Note*: \n\n\\*I realize that my answer here is more appropriate for teachers of a course, and not for teaching assistants. If, in your institution, a teaching assistant is not supposed to go directly to the student disciplinary body, then present the evidence to the teacher. Your problem is now whether or not the teacher will act on it."
}
] |
2015/03/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40791",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6335/"
] |
40,794 |
I am collaborating with a foreign author. As I am still pursuing my degree, I have to add my supervisor's name in that paper, even though my supervisor has not contributed to the preparation of this manuscript.
How should I ask my collaborator (foreign author) to include my supervisor's name as a third author? I need some help in this.
**Edited:** As my supervisor has told me to add his name, I am obliged to add. I have no other options left. I am asking how should I write and request to my collaborator to include my supervisor name in the manuscript. Also, I am afraid whether my collaborator will feel odd or bad if I request him to do that.
Please help me: what should I say to my collaborator so that he may give third authorship to my supervisor?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40795,
"author": "Corvus",
"author_id": 27900,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27900",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "While conventions vary greatly from field to field, if your supervisor has made literally no contribution, he or she should not be listed as an author. There is been plenty of discussion here of this issue; see e.g. \n\n* [Co-authorship for not very involved supervisor](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/6130/co-authorship-for-not-very-involved-supervisor)\n* [When should a supervisor be an author?](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/644/when-should-a-supervisor-be-an-author)\n* [What are the minimum contributions required for co-authorship](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/12030/what-are-the-minimum-contributions-required-for-co-authorship)"
},
{
"answer_id": 40798,
"author": "Danny Ruijters",
"author_id": 28830,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28830",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "After you have asserted that your supervisor really merits coauthorship, you could simply write to your collaborator:\n\"dear collaborator, could you please add [supervisor name] as coauthor? [supervisor name] has contributed to the research in this and this way. Thanks!\""
},
{
"answer_id": 40799,
"author": "user-2147482637",
"author_id": 12718,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12718",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "If your supervisor has made no contribution, and there was no discussion with your collaborator about your supervisor, and especially if the work is already done, you should have another conversation with your supervisor as they should not be on the paper.\n\nThe only way I could see you asking the collaborator is by saying something along the lines of, as long as it is true:\n\n> \n> My time dedicated to our collaboration, and the knowledge I brought to\n> the project was only possible by the advice of my advisor and the\n> funding I have been paid with. Would you feel comfortable with adding\n> my supervisor on the paper?\n> \n> \n> \n\nYou may just be in a difficult situation in which there is not win. If you do try to force your supervisors name, you may ruin any relationship with your collaborator. If they have any position in the academic field, you may be making a bad name for yourself. You may also burn bridges with your advisor, but the story would sound bad if your advisor said he could not force you to unethically add his name to your collaborators paper."
},
{
"answer_id": 40903,
"author": "mako",
"author_id": 5962,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/5962",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "You're in a difficult position and there aren't a lot of good options here. Your adivsor is wrong to have put you in this situation. From an ethical perspective, I think it would be wrong to have your supervisor as an author on this paper. On the other hand, you also clearly feel that you have no choice in the matter and feel that standing up to your advisor on this issue is not worth the trouble it would cause. Ultimately, that is your decision to make.\n\nThe best course at this point is to set up an honest conversation with your collaborator. I would do it over the phone or video chat. Explain the situation clearly and completely (just as you have here) and explain that you feel like you've been put into a difficult situation.\n\nIf your collaborator is also uncomfortable and is willing to be the \"bad guy\" by going on record as putting their foot down on the ethical issue of authorship (even if they are more open to the possibility than that), you might have a solution.\n\nIn that case, you can go back to your advisor and say that you asked your collaborator to put their name on the paper and that your collaborator pointed out that according to their university's and/or funder's rules and/or their own personal convictions, they felt that it would be wrong. The policies and rules bit is almost always true because basically all rules on these subjects say that co-authorship in these situations is wrong. Tell your advisor that you did your best but you could not get your collaborator to budge on the issue. Your advisor may be mad, but they won't be mad at you.\n\nIf your collaborator is not willing to potentially annoy your advisor, an in-person conversation will at least allow you to make it clear that you're not comfortable with the situation either. At that point, the two of you will have to decide what to do.\n\nI'm sorry you've been put into a such a tricky place."
},
{
"answer_id": 40907,
"author": "Patricia Shanahan",
"author_id": 10220,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10220",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "Like many questions from graduate students, I believe a possible answer to \"How should I write and request to my collaborator to include my supervisor's name in the manuscript?\" is \"Ask your supervisor.\". \n\nThe question to ask is something like this: \"I'm about to write to Foreign Author to get your name added to the paper. What should I list as your main contributions to it?\"\n\nIf the collaborator finds the result reasonably convincing, the supervisor's name gets added. If not, it is not your fault."
},
{
"answer_id": 40908,
"author": "aeismail",
"author_id": 53,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/53",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "It sounds like your colleague is the \"corresponding author\" on the paper, and therefore is the one who has the ability to say who should or should not be a co-author on the paper. \n\nConsequently, depending on your co-author's seniority (relative to your advisor), he may have the ability to decline your advisor's demands on the grounds that he has not participated in the preparation of the manuscript. While your advisor can force *you* to list him, he can't force someone else to include him as a co-author."
},
{
"answer_id": 127222,
"author": "anon",
"author_id": 106105,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/106105",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "If I were your collaborator on this paper, I would refuse to add the supervisor's name no matter how you asked. The only reason I would consider adding it is if the supervisor had actually made a contribution commensurate with authorship (if that were the case, you should have mentioned this to your collaborator a lot earlier, rather than pretending that you had done the work).\n\nOne way of cutting the Gordian knot is to have your supervisor do some significant work on rewriting or expanding the paper. But, if I were your collaborator, I would need to be convinced that such rewriting/expanding would make the paper better.\n\nAnd, by the way, your claim that your supervisor must be a co-author on every paper you write is utter nonsense. Any supervisor claiming this to be the case is acting unprofessionally and unethically."
}
] |
2015/03/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40794",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/13294/"
] |
40,809 |
I am currently lecturing at a private tertiary education college where I am obliged to lecture, on average, 12 distinct subjects per year at both diploma and degree level. I lecture 6 to 8 subjects per week or around 4 or 5 unique subjects per day across all graduate levels (first, second and third year students). Some of these classes are repeated identically up to 7 times each week for 7 different groups of students for around 30 to 35 lecturing hours per week.
I am currently feeling a little overwhelmed by the workload. Is this normal for a private education institution?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40811,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "I have never heard of an undergraduate institution inflicting this level of lecturing on a professor. Perhaps it happens at vocational or associates degree schools, where, e.g., you might be teaching a whole bunch of sections of \"database entry\" or \"machine operation\" or something like that?\n\nFor my colleagues at institutions offering 4-year degrees, the normal range is:\n\n* 1-2 classes in a semester at a research-centric institution, where the professor is expected to also be supervising Ph.D. students\n* 3-4 classes in a semester at a teaching-centric institution, where that is expected to be the primary focus.\n\nDepending on the format of the classes, then, that is likely to mean somewhere between 2 and 20 hours of lecturing per week, which is still far less than what you report."
},
{
"answer_id": 40861,
"author": "earthling",
"author_id": 2692,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/2692",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "While I believe @jakebeal's answer is quite common in the US and UK, in Asia you get pushed a little harder...but still not as hard as they are pushing you. Here it is common that full time undergraduate lecturers are expected to be in the classroom 16-20 hours per week. I've known cases of lecturers who were pressured into lecturing 28 hours per week, but they were paid extra for those extra hours.\n\nSince your question is not about about the financial aspects of but rather how much one can do, here they traditionally try to get you to teach only 3 unique subjects per week which can be 6 per year (or less). It is common that classes get repeated - that is, you teach the exact same material to multiple, separate groups of students. Combining the student groups into larger classes is not always an option.\n\n12 distinct subjects per year / 6 to 8 unique subjects per week (you also described 4-5 subjects per day)... this is too much for most people (anyone?) to handle while delivering a reasonable quality. If they have you switching subjects this often, it implies that they are more concerned with quantity than quality.\n\nIt would help to know what country/area you are in. Again, standards in the US are not the same as Europe which is different from Asia."
},
{
"answer_id": 40878,
"author": "RoboKaren",
"author_id": 14885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14885",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "This sounds as if it would be the equivalent of a 6:6 (six courses per semester; two semesters a year) teaching load. It also sounds like you can share course-preps between some classes, which lessens the burden a little bit.\n\nA 6:6 load is unheard of at American research universities and liberal arts colleges or any place where you are expected to also do research and service work (university committees, student mentoring, etc.). In these places, 2:1, 2:2, 2:3, or 3:2 are the norm. \n\nThat being said, even a 5:5 teaching load is not unheard of at community colleges and some lower-tier state colleges, especially for the non tenure-track instructional staff. \n\nI've never heard of a full-time 6:6 teaching load at a college or university in the United States -- except for adjunct faculty, who often have to do this because they are only paid a piddling ($2~3000) per class. Usually, those 12 classes are spread between different institutions in the same region."
}
] |
2015/03/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40809",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31124/"
] |
40,814 |
Among my other duties as a tenure-track assistant professor (in math), I serve as an advisor to undergraduates: they are required to meet with me and get my approval on their choice of courses before they can register.
I dread this job every semester, because I suspect that I do a poor job of it. Some of the reasons:
* I have little sense of what career opportunities are available to students of moderate ability and motivation. I can probably help the very top students, because I enjoy reading and listening to first-hand accounts told by extremely successful people, but I have little sense of what is available in the "middle of the market".
It does not help that this city is relatively economically depressed, and that I have learned the hard way not to ask people here "What do you do?" This seems to run counter to local etiquette, and when I do ask, people often describe work which sounds dull to me, and about which they don't seem very excited either.
* There are a plethora of campus-wide programs, and periodically I get e-mails asking me to push various of these to my advisees. However, I don't really know anything about these beyond what I read in the e-mails, and in particular I don't have (and can't readily acquire) any first-hand knowledge of which are actually valuable and which are just empty organizationalism and/or some administrator trying to make him- or herself look good.
* Students rely on me for information on what their graduation requirements are, but this is subject to rapid change and to misinformation which I can still find on the internet (despite me pointing it out to those responsible). I am constantly terrified of giving students bad advice which will delay their graduation.
* In general, I am somewhat spooked by discussions with my colleagues who have invested a lot of time and energy in learning how the university outside my department works. I get the sense that there are a bunch of administrators pushing their pet projects, and colleagues who are involved with these seem a bit shell-shocked to me.
Despite all of this, I have the opportunity to help students, and I want to do a good job of it. What are some principles to keep in mind?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40817,
"author": "Brian Borchers",
"author_id": 4453,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4453",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "I've had some experience in running a training program for faculty advisors and working with new advsiors at my institution in the US (you haven't said so, but I'm guessing that you're at a US institution.) I've been asked a lot of very similar questions in recent years. Your questions show that you care about doing a good job! \n\nYour questions also seem to show that your university isn't providing enough support to faculty advisors. I'd argue that having incorrect information on the web site and pushing new programs for undergraduates without providing relevant information to the advisors are signs of disfunction in the advising system at the university level. You may be able to work around these issues, but a better long term solution is to encourage the administration to fix the system. \n\nAt a very low level, you can address systematic problems like this by being persistent but polite in reporting issues to the responsible authorities. For example, emailing the registrar's office to tell them that information on one of their web pages is contradicted by the current catalog should probably result in the incorrect web page being updated. Don't complain about these things in a very public way though. Some administrators welcome this kind of assistance while others dislike \"interference\" and might ignore you. If you run into that attitude, then your best approach may be to escalate to that person's boss. \n\nAt a higher level, issues like these can be addressed through faculty committees. If you have a faculty committee that deals with advising issues (or more generally with academic procedures) then you can bring these issues to the attention of the committee. Don't be surprised if you're recruited to work on the committee! \n\nHere are some suggestions of things that you can do on your own to be a better advisor:\n\n1. Learn as much as you can about the academic rules and keep up with changes. In working with students, either be absolutely certain of the answer to a question or know who to ask to get an authoritative answer to that question. The worst mistake that you can make is giving incorrect information to a student. In comparison, \"I'm not sure of the answer to this question\" is much better.\n2. Make sure that you have correct information about any student that you're advising. Know how to use your Student Information System to look up a student's transcript, run a degree audit, etc. Many advising mistakes are the result of advisors not having complete and correct information about their advisees.\n3. If a student is in danger of \"flunking out\" due to bad grades, it is important to intervene as early as possible. If the problems are academic rather than personal than you should work with the student to come up with a realistic plan to address the student's bad grades. Make sure that you know all of the rules about academic probation/suspension and that you're aware of the options that a student might have for withdrawing from classes. Monitor your advisees' performance by checking their midterm and final grades each semester. If your campus has an early alert system then respond to flags raised on your advisees.\n4. Crisis management is important. When a student who has been doing well suddenly starts doing poorly, this can very rapidly result in loss of financial aid, academic suspension, etc. Often times these situations are the result of personal problems (health problems, psychiatric illness, drug abuse, death in the family, breakup with a boyfriend/girlfriend, etc.) These kinds of personal problems are not things that you should address, but you should refer the student to offices that can help (a campus health center, counseling office, etc.) In these situations it is often best for the student to cut back on their academic commitments by dropping courses or even withdrawing from an entire semester.\n5. Academic decisions can affect financial aid, and the rules are so complicated that faculty advisors generally aren't in a good position to answer questions about them. Check with your financial aid office on the consequences of any action that a student takes that changes their number of registered credit hours.\n6. Advising students should ideally be more than just course selection. The traditional \"prescriptive advising\" approach of simply telling students what courses to take should be replaced by a \"developmental advising\" approach in which the advisor's job is to help the student understand the choices available to them, clarify their goals, and then take responsibility for their educational path. This kind of advising can be more rewarding for both students and advisors but it takes a lot of work. Developmental advising can be particularly helpful for those students \"of moderate ability and motivation\" by helping them to figure out what they want to do in life and having that serve as motivation to do the hard work necessary to be more successful students.\n7. The reality is that a BS/BA in mathematics is not by itself a qualification that is likely to lead to an exciting career in mathematics. Most students are going to need to combine this with either a second major or a more advanced degree. For example, there are lots of opportunities for students with MS degrees in applied math, statistics, OR, etc. Some web sites that do provide useful information on careers for students majoring in mathematics include:\n\n<http://weusemath.org/>\n\n<http://www.siam.org/careers/>\n\n<http://www.amstat.org/careers/>\n\n<http://www.ams.org/profession/career-info/career-index>\n\n<http://www.beanactuary.org/>\n\n<https://www.informs.org/Build-Your-Career/INFORMS-Student-Union/Career-Links-for-Students/Career-FAQs>\n8. You should get to know the \"career services\" office on your campus. I encourage my undergraduate advisees to attend job fairs and look for internship opporunities starting very early in their undergraduate career. Finding out that many employers have GPA cutoffs at 3.0 (or even 3.5) can have a powerful impact on a student who has been getting lower grades..."
},
{
"answer_id": 40836,
"author": "Brandon Sherman",
"author_id": 29428,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/29428",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "As an undergraduate who has been given blatantly wrong information by an advisor, please stay up to date with university policies. Know how general education requirements work and what courses count for what requirements. That's a really easy way to ensure that students will be able to graduate on time."
},
{
"answer_id": 40840,
"author": "Wolfgang Bangerth",
"author_id": 31149,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31149",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "I sense a certain amount of resent towards your department for putting you in this position (and maybe rightfully so -- being an undergraduate adviser should not be an assistant professor's role). Even so, you are in this position and, being at an institution of higher education, it is your duty to do the best unto the students you are advising. So use your professional network if you have questions: the professor who had this job before you; staff in the department who worked with the previous adviser; and maybe equally important to the first option above, the advisers in other departments who may have been doing this for a few years already and who know the ropes.\n\nIf you don't have a professional relationship with someone whose expertise you need, write them an email: \"Dear Dr X, I have recently been appointed as the undergraduate adviser in my department, but I find that I still have much to learn. Since you have been doing this job in your department for a few years already, would you be willing to let me pick your brain over lunch sometime next week?\" Few older colleagues will be able to say \"no\" to such a request, and you may create yourself a source of knowledge for those cases you don't know how to handle. You may also create a bigger army than only yourself if you need to push back against the upper administration or ask them to provide better websites etc."
}
] |
2015/03/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40814",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11565/"
] |
40,816 |
I've attended a few workshops consisting of some talks, and then maybe 10-15 hours of "group work" over the course of a week. At one, my group more or less solved the question we set out to answer, which was mildly interesting but not particularly ambitious. (Essentially, it was a computation a few of us had wondered about over coffee at previous conferences.)
The organizers are hoping the groups will write up and post (arxiv+journal?) reports on the outcomes of the work. My impression is that most people in the group were on board. It's possible to imagine a continuing project in this direction, but I think everyone has better things to do.
In any case, we do have something to write up, and the result is even mildly amusing. But if I'd worked it all out myself, I certainly wouldn't arXiv it or submit anywhere. I'm faced with the possibility of being on a slightly embarrassing, very-many-author paper.
1) is there any polite way to opt to keep my name off of it? (the others are mostly more senior, but I can't really claim I didn't contribute)
2) if this thing does see the light of day, would it be acceptable to omit it from my CV, or list it in some different section?
My perspective is that of a postdoc who will be on the market a couple years from now. How are these sorts of papers viewed by hiring committees? (My impression is that they are not uncommon these days.)
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40817,
"author": "Brian Borchers",
"author_id": 4453,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4453",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "I've had some experience in running a training program for faculty advisors and working with new advsiors at my institution in the US (you haven't said so, but I'm guessing that you're at a US institution.) I've been asked a lot of very similar questions in recent years. Your questions show that you care about doing a good job! \n\nYour questions also seem to show that your university isn't providing enough support to faculty advisors. I'd argue that having incorrect information on the web site and pushing new programs for undergraduates without providing relevant information to the advisors are signs of disfunction in the advising system at the university level. You may be able to work around these issues, but a better long term solution is to encourage the administration to fix the system. \n\nAt a very low level, you can address systematic problems like this by being persistent but polite in reporting issues to the responsible authorities. For example, emailing the registrar's office to tell them that information on one of their web pages is contradicted by the current catalog should probably result in the incorrect web page being updated. Don't complain about these things in a very public way though. Some administrators welcome this kind of assistance while others dislike \"interference\" and might ignore you. If you run into that attitude, then your best approach may be to escalate to that person's boss. \n\nAt a higher level, issues like these can be addressed through faculty committees. If you have a faculty committee that deals with advising issues (or more generally with academic procedures) then you can bring these issues to the attention of the committee. Don't be surprised if you're recruited to work on the committee! \n\nHere are some suggestions of things that you can do on your own to be a better advisor:\n\n1. Learn as much as you can about the academic rules and keep up with changes. In working with students, either be absolutely certain of the answer to a question or know who to ask to get an authoritative answer to that question. The worst mistake that you can make is giving incorrect information to a student. In comparison, \"I'm not sure of the answer to this question\" is much better.\n2. Make sure that you have correct information about any student that you're advising. Know how to use your Student Information System to look up a student's transcript, run a degree audit, etc. Many advising mistakes are the result of advisors not having complete and correct information about their advisees.\n3. If a student is in danger of \"flunking out\" due to bad grades, it is important to intervene as early as possible. If the problems are academic rather than personal than you should work with the student to come up with a realistic plan to address the student's bad grades. Make sure that you know all of the rules about academic probation/suspension and that you're aware of the options that a student might have for withdrawing from classes. Monitor your advisees' performance by checking their midterm and final grades each semester. If your campus has an early alert system then respond to flags raised on your advisees.\n4. Crisis management is important. When a student who has been doing well suddenly starts doing poorly, this can very rapidly result in loss of financial aid, academic suspension, etc. Often times these situations are the result of personal problems (health problems, psychiatric illness, drug abuse, death in the family, breakup with a boyfriend/girlfriend, etc.) These kinds of personal problems are not things that you should address, but you should refer the student to offices that can help (a campus health center, counseling office, etc.) In these situations it is often best for the student to cut back on their academic commitments by dropping courses or even withdrawing from an entire semester.\n5. Academic decisions can affect financial aid, and the rules are so complicated that faculty advisors generally aren't in a good position to answer questions about them. Check with your financial aid office on the consequences of any action that a student takes that changes their number of registered credit hours.\n6. Advising students should ideally be more than just course selection. The traditional \"prescriptive advising\" approach of simply telling students what courses to take should be replaced by a \"developmental advising\" approach in which the advisor's job is to help the student understand the choices available to them, clarify their goals, and then take responsibility for their educational path. This kind of advising can be more rewarding for both students and advisors but it takes a lot of work. Developmental advising can be particularly helpful for those students \"of moderate ability and motivation\" by helping them to figure out what they want to do in life and having that serve as motivation to do the hard work necessary to be more successful students.\n7. The reality is that a BS/BA in mathematics is not by itself a qualification that is likely to lead to an exciting career in mathematics. Most students are going to need to combine this with either a second major or a more advanced degree. For example, there are lots of opportunities for students with MS degrees in applied math, statistics, OR, etc. Some web sites that do provide useful information on careers for students majoring in mathematics include:\n\n<http://weusemath.org/>\n\n<http://www.siam.org/careers/>\n\n<http://www.amstat.org/careers/>\n\n<http://www.ams.org/profession/career-info/career-index>\n\n<http://www.beanactuary.org/>\n\n<https://www.informs.org/Build-Your-Career/INFORMS-Student-Union/Career-Links-for-Students/Career-FAQs>\n8. You should get to know the \"career services\" office on your campus. I encourage my undergraduate advisees to attend job fairs and look for internship opporunities starting very early in their undergraduate career. Finding out that many employers have GPA cutoffs at 3.0 (or even 3.5) can have a powerful impact on a student who has been getting lower grades..."
},
{
"answer_id": 40836,
"author": "Brandon Sherman",
"author_id": 29428,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/29428",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "As an undergraduate who has been given blatantly wrong information by an advisor, please stay up to date with university policies. Know how general education requirements work and what courses count for what requirements. That's a really easy way to ensure that students will be able to graduate on time."
},
{
"answer_id": 40840,
"author": "Wolfgang Bangerth",
"author_id": 31149,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31149",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "I sense a certain amount of resent towards your department for putting you in this position (and maybe rightfully so -- being an undergraduate adviser should not be an assistant professor's role). Even so, you are in this position and, being at an institution of higher education, it is your duty to do the best unto the students you are advising. So use your professional network if you have questions: the professor who had this job before you; staff in the department who worked with the previous adviser; and maybe equally important to the first option above, the advisers in other departments who may have been doing this for a few years already and who know the ropes.\n\nIf you don't have a professional relationship with someone whose expertise you need, write them an email: \"Dear Dr X, I have recently been appointed as the undergraduate adviser in my department, but I find that I still have much to learn. Since you have been doing this job in your department for a few years already, would you be willing to let me pick your brain over lunch sometime next week?\" Few older colleagues will be able to say \"no\" to such a request, and you may create yourself a source of knowledge for those cases you don't know how to handle. You may also create a bigger army than only yourself if you need to push back against the upper administration or ask them to provide better websites etc."
}
] |
2015/03/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40816",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/23399/"
] |
40,823 |
I am currently in my first year of a general mathematics PhD program at a state university that isn't rated particularly high. As far my classes go, I put in little to no effort towards them and instead dedicate my time to the research I've started, and still am at/near the top of my class. The students in my classes just seem to be at a much lower level of understanding than I am, and I am afraid I am stagnating myself by not being in a more competitive setting. I've begun working on a research project with a few other students who are soon to graduate, and thus far, everything we have done this semester has come from me, even though I haven't even finished the sequence of courses relevant to the material we are researching. Granted, there are a few professors who are well-respected in their field that I currently work under, and that is a great privilege, but I do not feel that most the other students there are my academic peers.
I would like to look into transferring to a better university, but I have one main concern; my undergraduate transcript is not very good. Upon close inspection, one would find that I received very good grades in the advanced classes I took, but poor grades in the easier classes I took earlier in my academic career. I got a 4.0 the first semester of my grad program, and am confident that I will 4.0 this semester as well, but will this be enough to get into a highly ranked PhD program?(Edit: This is a rhetorical question, not the question I am trying to ask. It is obvious that this is not enough, so I am trying to find out what outside of this I can do?)
So my question is should I look into transferring?(and maybe risk offending the professors I have a good relationship right now?) and if so how can I prove that what they see on paper(my undergraduate transcript) is not reflective of my abilities as a mathematician?
EDIT: I should mention that my biggest concern right now is that my classes are being held back by the people who don't understand the material. I would love to be in a class where things were faster-paced so we could get into more detail and more subjects. I've been studying into more detail by myself, but I feel I would benefit from seeing this from my instructor as well(which is what I would imagine happens at a university with a better student body), which I don't get because too many people in my classes are struggling with the basics.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40824,
"author": "Anonymous",
"author_id": 11565,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11565",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "> \n> will this be enough to get into a highly ranked PhD program?\n> \n> \n> \n\n**No.**\n\nYou might well be able to get into a highly ranked PhD program, and have your bad undergraduate grades overlooked.\n\nBut this is difficult; many more try to do this than succeed. Perfect grades in grad school are common and will not make a strong impression on graduate admissions committees. What will be more impressive is going *far* beyond what is expected of you, learning advanced topics on your own initiative and discussing them with faculty, being a leader at your current university (e.g., helping others, giving seminar talks), and *carrying out research*. If, next year, your rec letters read \"SE318 is only in his/her second year in the Ph.D. program, but his/her research output already exceeds that of most of our graduating Ph.D. students, and he/she clearly deserves a shot at a much stronger program\"... then you have a decent shot.\n\nIn particular:\n\n> \n> I put in little to no effort\n> \n> \n> \n\nIf you hope to realize your potential then you must start putting in much more effort immediately. Outwork everybody and be someone that everyone looks up to.\n\nBest luck to you."
},
{
"answer_id": 40828,
"author": "Pete L. Clark",
"author_id": 938,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/938",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "Many, many students who are at lower-ranked universities aspire to be at higher-ranked places instead. (In fact, what is more surprising to me is that *not all* such students feel this way.) The hard truth is that top-ranked universities by definition are very selective of their applicants, and in your case the \"main round\" of the selection process has already occurred. It is not impossible to transfer to a much better place, but it is difficult, to the extent that it may or may not be a reasonable goal. Growing where you are planted sounds like a smarter strategy to me, and in fact it is not fundamentally incompatible with the ambition to move elsewhere. \n\nThe one way I can think of to effectively demonstrate your potential is to *realize it*, i.e., to prove at least one theorem of a caliber beyond what most students in your program do as part of their PhD thesis work. If you can do that, then you clearly deserve to be at a better place, and you should not have much trouble finding some place to take you on. I don't think anything else is worth banking on: as others have said, grades in PhD-level mathematics courses in the US are not necessarily very meaningful. This varies in its extent, but every program I know has enough courses where all students who do not do anything egregiously, ridiculously wrong get the highest possible grade that a 4.0 GPA at the graduate level is just not the same thing as it is at the undergraduate level. I would expect that a substantial proportion of the students in your program would have 4.0 GPAs. \n\nUnfortunately I think the strategy of \"gunning for an early research success\" will either be a good one or (and in terms of the percentages, this is more likely) a very bad one. Most early career math PhD students are not anywhere near equipped to do meaningful research, to an extent that other academic fields would have a hard time believing. In my program (about the 50th best in the US) early career students neglecting their coursework in favor of their \"research\" is a big red flag for me: these students often fail to meet programmatic requirements and get in real trouble. \n\nTo be very honest: I think the big risk here is that you are not as exceptional as you think, that your lack of effort in your coursework will itself become a problem down the road, and that your superiority to those around you may only be a matter of opinion. Of course I'm not saying that this *is* the case -- I couldn't know -- but it would be very smart to be concerned about this on your own behalf. You need some reality checks. Here are some checkpoints:\n\n> \n> Step 1: Can you pass all your generals / quals / required coursework rapidly and unusually well?\n> \n> \n> \n\nIn most non-top math PhD programs I know of, there is an initial phase of 1-3 years where students spend time studying coursework and then passing exams. A small number of students get through this portion much more quickly: within a single year, a single semester or even immediately upon arrival. It is debatable whether such students are truly more talented than the others or simply arrived very well prepared and have their act together, but in any event such students are certainly doing exceptionally well in the program. \n\n> \n> Step 2: Can you get faculty on board with the plan of your having exceptional promise and ambition and get a very meaty project to work on?\n> \n> \n> \n\nGo to one of the faculty members you're working with and level with them: say that you feel understimulated by the program, are worried that your peers lack your intensity and ambition, and that you are really looking for a project to sink your teeth into. Then step back and listen very carefully to what she has to say. You will probably get some amount of corroboration/denial of the picture you have painted, though it may be subtle. (I *would not say*: \"No, I completely disagree: you're just average, maybe not even that\" to a student, even if I felt that way!) More importantly you should get something to work on. Do so. If it is not what you wanted, or if you have your own ideas about what you want to work on, come back and say so, but I think it's good to spend some time on projects that other people give you at this stage.\n\n> \n> Step 3: Can you get some results? Anything at first, then something nice, then maybe a real breakthrough?\n> \n> \n> \n\nIf you can make it successfully through Step 3, then as above you're ready to go somewhere better. Let me not even try to hide the following key point: the merit of this checklist is that **it's what you're supposed to be doing anyway**. If by the time you successfully complete Step 3 you're ready to graduate, should you curse my trickery? No, you should proudly write up your thesis and expect to get a postdoc at a much better place than you did your PhD, which is hard to do and puts you on a great trajectory for your later career.\n\nGood luck."
},
{
"answer_id": 40863,
"author": "MerseyViking",
"author_id": 31161,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31161",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "You might find your attitude holds you back. Universities are much like any large organization, and not like movies such as A Beautiful Mind or Good Will Hunting, initially you are little more than a name on a list. If you want to be noticed and get involved with exciting research, you have to put in the time doing the tasks the professors have set you; if you don't you may find you're considered a slacker, or worse, insulting the teaching staff by implying their work is beneath you. To get anywhere in academia (or indeed business), you need people on your side, and if that means sucking down your pride and getting the job done, then so be it. If you're ambitious, it will be noticed because your excellent grades will stand out to those who have the influence.\n\nRichard Feynman was given permission to study other subjects on top of physics, as long as he did the work for *all* the subjects - this he did with grace and time to spare. Shine by your diligence and hard work, and it won't matter much which institution you're at, your work (and association with those eminent professors) will do you the most good. Besides, you may find you actually learn something along the way."
},
{
"answer_id": 40865,
"author": "Bombyx mori",
"author_id": 6335,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6335",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "The answer is very simple. You have realized that the courses are easy and getting a high mark is not difficult. So you should not expect this will be selling points for you to get into a top program. If you know this, then the admission committee from Harvard University must know it as well or better than you are. Otherwise, what is the point to go to Harvard? \n\nAt this point in your career, it is much more important for you to have a solid foundation in whatever you are interested, and do not plunge into research right away. The first two years of a typical PhD program is to help you consolidate your understanding of the material. If you skip it and regard the courses at face value because you can easily get high grades through easy psets, it would be more detrimental to you than good in the long term. This is to exclude the chance that you are very talented, independent, hard working students like Xoyy Nass, Samuel Donaldson, Alexrander Gronthedieck, etc. But even they would need an advisor. \n\nI will suggest you try to read some faculty's papers in your department and find some potential advisors after you pass the generals. Transfer only make sense if you can work with a much better advisor in some other university, or you want to switch your research field to something simply not available in your department. But even in this case it is very risky bet. \n\nAs a fellow math PhD student, I am not as experienced as Prof. Dlarn or others in the forum as I have not finished my PhD, but I do have 3.95/4.0 GPA in my grad school, fastest graduate student on department record to pass the qual, etc and I have went through a similar confusing period about my identity and my future. So this is my sincere advice. \n\nBest wishes for your future academic career."
},
{
"answer_id": 40943,
"author": "cs_alumnus",
"author_id": 20495,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20495",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "What you learn in graduate school doesn't just come from the professor. You are there to learn how to learn for yourself. After you finish your Ph.D. and move on to some academic position there is will not be a professor continuing to teach you new things. You need to learn how to teach yourself if you want to advance. If you are being graded on a curve then a high GPA does not mean you understand the material. It means you understand the material better than your peers. Even if there is no curve, then the professor may be reducing the difficulty of the exams to fit the ability of the class. Either way, saying you don't put in any effort because you outperform people who don't understand the basics does not suggest that you understand the course material.\n\nWhen you find the other students are struggling, see if they want to form a study group to go over the material outside of class. **Do not tell them you want to form this group because you think you are brilliant and everyone is holding you back**. By studying the material with the rest of the class you will be forced to put in the effort. You will be forced to examine what you claim to know and you will see various misconceptions you have about the material. Misconceptions which won't keep you from being at the top of the class but will keep you from having a true understanding of the material. You will learn things from the other students that are at/near the top of the class. You will gain teaching experience. You will make some friends. You will help to bring the quality of your entire program to a higher level."
}
] |
2015/03/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40823",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31084/"
] |
40,825 |
I am curious as to how academia continues itself without replication or reinventing the wheel. So many academicians in so many areas of work, how would one ever find out whether the work he or she is about to embark on can be considered an original work? That someone didn't already publish the very same result?
In engineering, we have all heard the story of Cooley-Tukey's method of Fast Fourier Transform. The story goes Tukey has been applying his own method of FFT for years without recognizing that the implementation was a fundamentally original approach. Until he brought it up in a meeting in the 1950s, he had always thought that this method was used widely given its extraordinarily simple implementation. Only later did everyone realize that Waubs had used the very same method 160 years earlier.
The same goes for the famed Wiener-Khinchin theorem in stochastic analysis. After two most ingenious mathematicians ever graced this earth came up with this theorem did they realized that Oonhtain had already published it a decade ago.
Doubtlessly, there are thousands of examples in all branches of natural sciences. It is less clear whether the social science encounters this problem since no two times and places are ever alike, and the social reality keeps on changing therefore novel results is always promised.
So how can one find out in the quickest way possible that his or her work is original work? Original in the sense that the end result is something that improves upon an existing result or opens up an entirely new field without duplications from other people. Does there exist a database somewhere to categorizes all recent and historic progress in a certain field? Are there people who are employed in academia or elsewhere to do this very task?
Edit: I guess same goes for asking a question without looking at the other questions first...seems like this question was resolved in another post T\_T
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40826,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "I think that to answer this effectively, one needs to carefully distinguish between two concepts that are often conflated in discussing research: *originality* and *significance*. The *originality* of a piece of work is the degree to which it is distinguished from other pieces of work, while the *significance* of a piece of work is the intellectual impact that it has.\n\nI think that these two tend to get tangled up because what typically concerns us is significance, but significance can only actually be measured in retrospect. Originality thus gets used as a proxy for determining significance. Intuitively, it makes sense: the more creatively different an idea is, the more likely it seems that it will have an impact. \n\nOriginality, however, is a matter of both perspective and scale of measurement. Newton's famous quote: [\"If I have seen farther it is by standing on the shoulders of giants\"](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standing_on_the_shoulders_of_giants), summarizes that no intellectual work exists in a vacuum: the myth of the lone genius is just that, a myth. Edison did not invent the lightbulb, he made a significant improvement in its design which moved it past the tipping point; Oonhtain did not invent relativity, he had a mathematical insight which crystalized a collection of growing problems that many were starting to pay attention to; Hopper did not invent the compiler from whole cloth, she simply was the first to achieve that milestone amongst a number of others who were working on the automation of computer control. Reinvention, at this gross intellectual level, is not only frequent, it is to be expected.\n\nAt a finer granularity of measure, however, pretty much every non-plagiarized work is quite original: even if two people come up with effectively the same approach to a problem, how they approach it and how they validate their approaches will generally end up being very different, simply because the space of possible viable realizations of a program of research is so large. Likewise, even a highly \"unoriginal\" idea at the grand scale may have great impact when introduced to an area where it is not commonly used, such as the recent [Bayesian revolution in cognitive science.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayesian_cognitive_science)\n\nSo, originality per se is not a very useful measure; instead, you really want to be able to evaluate the likelihood of intellectual significance in your work. For that, there is simply no substitute for getting to know the community that you want to impact. You can do the most beautiful and elegant research in the world, but if it does not connect with intellectual issues that matter to others, it will remain in a sort of limbo... perhaps to be revived in 100 years (cf. the swing between frequentist and Bayesian statistics), or perhaps simply to be forgotten in the archives of history.\n\nThus, when it comes to evaluating one's own research, the thing you really should be worrying about is not unoriginality, but insignificance. If you are working honestly, you will be original. To estimate the significance of a piece of your work:\n\n* Know who you are trying to affect, and learn how to speak their language. This typically involves reading relevant parts of the literature.\n* With respect to that literature, be able to explain how your work *changes* how people in that community should be thinking and acting.\n\nAnd that's the (perhaps unsatisfying) long and short of it: if your work is done honestly and has an impact on the scientific community, then its originality is sufficient."
},
{
"answer_id": 40845,
"author": "David Z",
"author_id": 236,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/236",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "You can never really find out for sure (which is why it's not uncommon for things which are not really original to be published). However, when a scientist has an idea that they would like to publish, it's expected that they be reasonably confident that it has not been published before. Someone who works in that field of research will have been keeping up with the latest developments, and should therefore know (99% of the time) whether their idea is new or not. If they don't know of any prior instances of that work, they should then search the standard references in their field, and these days, probably search the internet as well (e.g. Google Scholar) to see whether anything in a different field comes up. \n\nWhen the paper is finished and sent for review, the reviewer(s) will go through the same steps; perhaps less rigorously, but still, there will be multiple people checking any given paper for previous work on the same topic. By the time a paper makes it to publication, one can be fairly confident that it contains something original."
}
] |
2015/03/01
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40825",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/20070/"
] |
40,832 |
I am doing a technical presentation on *Minimizing Real-Time Data Stream Latency: Node.js and Asynchronous Operations.* I've done some thorough research on the topic and I want to add some code blocks to a few slides to visually show Asynch Programming in Node.js as well as to visually show pros and cons.
The presentation is for 30–40 minutes. I want to keep it to about 10–12 slides.
### Questions
* Is it appropriate to add code blocks to some slides?
* If it is appropriate, how many slides is too much?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40833,
"author": "Fomite",
"author_id": 118,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/118",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "It may or may not be appropriate, depending on your audience (I also feel this way about equations). A couple things to keep in mind:\n\n1. If you have non-technical people in your audience, you'll likely lose them for these slides, and there's a risk you'll lose them entirely.\n2. Even if people *are* technically-inclined, they now need to read your code block, interpret it in their mind, and think about it long enough to see your point. And they'll have the distraction of you talking to them at the time. That's a pretty steep thing to ask your audience to do.\n\nGenerally, I think you'll likely be better served talking about these issues conceptually, rather than with code, which will require people to wade through it. If you *must* include code blocks, make sure they are clear, in a very recognizable style (no personal quirks or idioms, clear variable names, etc.) and clearly annotated as you walk through it.\n\nBut honestly, I don't think I've ever seen a talk with code-as-content (beyond \"These 2 lines instead of these 15!\") that I thought was aided by having it there."
},
{
"answer_id": 40837,
"author": "Patricia Shanahan",
"author_id": 10220,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10220",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "I suggest testing your slide, using colleagues with similar skills to the target audience. As Fomite pointed out in a [prior answer](https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/40833/10220), listening to a speaker and reading code can be difficult to do at the same time.\n\nOne option would be to allow time for the code reading: \"Please examine this code block\" followed by a pause. You can find out how long a pause is needed by observing your test audience. If you cannot afford to allow enough time to read and understand the code, get rid of it."
},
{
"answer_id": 40850,
"author": "Nick Vence",
"author_id": 30542,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30542",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "Complicated concepts are often best explained with a figures. Try representing synchronous & asynchronous data-stream packets as boxes traveling along a line. Coupling this with a few lines of pseudo-code, might allow you to explain your algorithm's superiority.\n\n-0-0-0-0----0----0----0----0----0-0-0-0----0----0----0----0-0-0-0----0----0----0\n\n--0-0--0-0-0--0--0-0-0--0---0-0--0-0-0--0-0--0-0--0----0-0-0-0-0--0-0--0-0-0--\n\nThis demonstration of your knowledge / problem solving skills goes along way towards recommending you for a job. And remember, it is all about clear communication -- not about trying to impress (or confuse) anyone."
},
{
"answer_id": 40859,
"author": "Piotr Migdal",
"author_id": 49,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/49",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "If it is a technical talk on a particular library then yes, code is appropriate, and in some cases - even recommended (as opposed to hand waving).\n\nBut:\n\n* keep it readable (big font, syntax highlighting, reasonable variable names),\n* keep it short (examples as minimal as possible),\n* give enough time to read and understand it.\n\nSome examples how it is being done: [this slide](http://scott.sauyet.com/Javascript/Talk/FunctionalProgramming/#slide-12) or for async JS: [this presentation](http://www.medikoo.com/asynchronous-javascript/)."
},
{
"answer_id": 40876,
"author": "Zibbobz",
"author_id": 23717,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/23717",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "It is almost never appropriate to put code in your slides, psudo-code or not. This has nothing to do with the level of technical finesse of your slides, and everything to do with whether or not it is a good presentation that your audience can follow. Most of the time, you will want to represent your ideas graphically, not textually.\n\nA slide-based presentation is a visual medium, supplemented by what you have to say about each slide. The content should largely be bold-print headers and visual representations of your concept - not large chunks of text that your audience is not likely to read in the time it is on the screen anyway. \n\nOne case in which you *could* justify the inclusion of code is if you plan to go over each step of the code line-by-line, or as a side-by-side comparison, and then only if you are willing to guide your audience through every single step, preferably with a laser pointer or other type of pointer to indicate how each part of the code is relevant. \n\nEven then, I would not recommend including more than a few lines of code - text is very difficult to focus on during a presentation when the presenter is speaking, unless they are explaining the text to the viewer. The larger the block of text, the more explanation will be required, and the less interest your viewers will have. \n\nAs a technical presentation, if it is strictly *necessary* to include an example, then there is no question - you will have to include it, and find a way to explain it within your allotted presentation time. But if you have the option, a visual representation with a flowchart or some other graphic medium would be better suited to a slide-presentation style. \n\n(**Note**: If it is not actually a 'presentation' and is meant to be a handout to others, disregard this and include some examples, but do not go over them too much during the actual presentation unless absolutely required.)"
}
] |
2015/03/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40832",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/15518/"
] |
40,842 |
I'm currently finishing up my masters degree and hoping to apply to quite a few good PhD programs. I've gotten perfect scores in all my classes thus far as a graduate student and as an undergraduate, I got perfect scores in my major classes.
I'm currently taking only one class because I'm working full time (and I've taken all the graduate courses in my field already (at my current university), so there isn't really much left for me to take), and it's taking it's toll on me quite a bit (I'm barely sleeping, constantly stressed, anxious, etc.).
I'm considering dropping the one course I'm taking, but it's halfway through the semester and I would end up receiving a W (withdrawal) on my transcripts. I plan to leave my job at the end of the semester, so this shouldn't be a problem in the upcoming semesters.
* How does having a W on ones transcripts affect PhD applications?
* How do admissions committees look at it?
* Any advice to students in a similar position as my own?
*Note*: I've read [this](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/9972/) post with a similar title, but it doesn't directly address my concerns; it's primarily asking about the proper protocol to follow when sending transcripts; in this case, the transcripts will be sent regardless.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40843,
"author": "Corvus",
"author_id": 27900,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27900",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "I've been heavily involved in graduate admissions at a top-20 program for many years. A single withdrawal never bothers me; I realize that life happens. It's when they start to become common across a transcript that I start to worry."
},
{
"answer_id": 40844,
"author": "Brian Borchers",
"author_id": 4453,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4453",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "You should plan on explaining this \"W\" as part of the application process (perhaps in the cover letter of your application.) The fact that you're withdrawing from the very last course that you took at this university looks suspicious. For example, it might be what we would see if you were caught cheating by a professor. \n\nThe explanation that you weren't able to complete the course because you took on a full time job is a quite reasonable one. My point is that you will want to communicate this information along with your application (and perhaps have one of your recommendation letters address what happened.)"
}
] |
2015/03/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40842",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31151/"
] |
40,851 |
I'm studying maths, and I've found it beneficial to write my notes as if I were writing a textbook for someone else's self study - forces me to understand the material to some extent.
It's of course incredibly unlikely these notes could *actually* be made into a textbook, but hypothetically, if I decided in some distant future to attempt to publish a textbook on maths, what are the rules for referencing?
Is it acceptable to source material almost solely from other textbooks, and simply place in the references at the back the names of those text books, or...?
Exercises. If I borrow exercises from other textbooks which look challenging (not every exercise) then how required am I to reference the book I found the exercise in? Even if I do reference, is there any issue that could stem from using those exercises? I've seen Wilson's theorem used as an exercise for almost every abstract algebra book I've read.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40856,
"author": "Dirk",
"author_id": 529,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/529",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "Textbooks seldomly state original results and it is generally assumed that the author of the textbook is not the inventor of the results. So your conception that there are different rules for references for textbooks is right. Since textbooks are for students who are usually not used to look up references one aims to make textbooks as self-contained as possible. Hence, there are few references. Mostly, references point to previous textbooks (references given in the introduction, appendix or \"Further reading\" sections). In fact, a lot of references go into sections like \"Further reading\" or \"Historical remarks\". Sometimes you may want to give a reference for a specific result which could be contained in the book but is not for some reason. I would always strive to keep the number of such references in a textbook as small as possible. Also keep the number of different books to which you refer as small as possible. Referencing to original results is mostly omitted but you should always state names with theorems, i.e. you could write \"**Theorem** (Tawxur): ...\", \"**Theorem** (Green/Tao): ...\", of course use \"**Becamh's Fixed Point Theorem**\" or write \"**Mean Value Theorem** (Cauchy): ...\" \n\nRegarding exercises: If you know a true reference for an exercise you could give it like \"**Exercise** (Erdős): ...\". Otherwise, I think that exercises are considered to be \"in the public domain\" (not taken as a legal claim) and can be reused without reference (but correct me, if I'm wrong)."
},
{
"answer_id": 40857,
"author": "MrMeritology",
"author_id": 17564,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17564",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "I strongly disagree with [Dirk](https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/529/dirk). You should not \"always strive to keep the number of such references in a textbook as small as possible.\"\n\nAlso, I would say that this: \"Also keep the number of different books to which you refer as small as possible.\" is very poor advice. It is a disservice to your readers, and wholly unnecessary.\n\nInstead, you should have extensive references in a textbook whenever you draw on other materials. This is a matter of intellectual honesty and to provide your readers (and their teachers/advisers) links to source material. If your content or results come from other sources, including from textbooks, you should make explicit references to them.\n\nExercises are only in \"the public domain\" if they are from sources whose copyrights have expired or are from authors who have explicitly made them public domain, or variant thereof.\n\nIt may be advisable to have a section of your textbook that minimizes references -- mainly to improve readability. If so, then you'd be advised to have a parallel section titled \"Sources and Further Reading\" where you recapitulate the content in the main section and include all references.\n\n[Dirk](https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/529/dirk) says that textbooks are to be \"as self-contained as possible. Hence, there are few references.\" This is poor advice since it confuses readability with completeness and usability. To omit references when you have copied or otherwise drawn material from other sources is both incomplete and disreputable. It harms usability because some students and many teachers will want access to the original books and papers."
}
] |
2015/03/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40851",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/26647/"
] |
40,854 |
I have 1 Bachelors degree and 2 Masters degrees. They are in different subjects, not closely related. I am now planning to apply for a PhD program.
Question: Do you think that I can only mention the most recent Masters degree and hide others? My last degree is closely related with this PhD program. Also, my grades were good in this recent Masters program, unlike the others.
To be honest, I am not happy with my other degrees. My performance was not good and they are not related with the PhD that I intend to pursue. For these reasons, I prefer to not to talk about them. Can I leave them off my CV? If, in an interview, they ask my education before my last degree, my plan is to talk about them briefly. Do you think this is acceptable?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40855,
"author": "o-0",
"author_id": 21552,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/21552",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "I would suggest to do not hide your educational background, simply because ***any*** degree you got does reflect a showcase of your commitment to a goal; regardless of your marks. And, more than anything, during your Ph.D. *your* commitment is essential."
},
{
"answer_id": 40858,
"author": "MrMeritology",
"author_id": 17564,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/17564",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "No. You should not hide anything that you have done -- in academic programs or in work experience. It doesn't matter whether you think that it is or is not related to the PhD application. \n\nIf you made mistakes, then address them directly in your application essay. What were the mistakes? What did you learn from these past mistakes? Who are you now, given your experience in these mistakes?\n\nIn my opinion, if you aren't able or willing to talk about these \"mistakes\", then you aren't ready to enter a PhD program.\n\n*EDIT*\n\nMy suggestion reflects a particular moral and ethical code, and it also reflects a certain culture (US Science, Engineering, and Social Science programs). It may not be appropriate in other cultures, and it may not suit your morals and ethics.\n\nTo the folks who recommend \"only focus on the positives\", my reply is \"good luck with that\". In my experience, admission committees (and hiring managers) are keen to find any weaknesses and problems. If none are apparent, they will ferret them out.\n\nIf OP leaves these off his/her CV, then there will be holes. If s/he doesn't address the holes in the application essay, then you are leaving it up to the admissions committee to fill in the holes with their imagination. I presume they will assume the worst. (In my experience, this can happen even with evidence of accomplishment.)\n\nIf these are included in the CV, then official transcripts will have to be submitted (this is standard in the US), and thereby the committee will see the full record, not just GPA for each degree program. And if s/he doesn't say anything about them in the application essay, the committee will probably draw very negative conclusions from them.\n\nFinally, my suggestion to address the problems and learning in the application essay doesn't mean that it needs to be long or detailed. It could be a couple of sentences: \"These degree programs were not as successful as I would have liked, and but thankfully I'm much the wiser now. I learned what I'm good at and what I'm not good at, and I learned what I really want to do in my career.\""
},
{
"answer_id": 40872,
"author": "suruveche",
"author_id": 31127,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31127",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "If the interviewers are more knowledgeable than you are, you can include all your degrees.\n\nIf they are less knowledgeable, you will loose by mentioning these degrees in your CV. You should mention them only if there is a law or regulation which forces you to mention them in your CV.\n\nYou should discuss this with a lawyer. You know what you want to do; the only thing you have to do is find whether the law supports you. I cannot give you legal advice myself.\n\n(As a lighter answer, since a few people who answered here are telling you to include these degrees in your CV, you can join their institution! In that case, you can include everything in your CV.)"
},
{
"answer_id": 40877,
"author": "fileunderwater",
"author_id": 7223,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7223",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "Your CV should be an honest reflection of your background and all academic degrees should therefore be included. The people that will evaluate your application will probably also spot holes in your CV if you remove some degrees (e.g. wondering what you were doing during periods of time that are not covered by education or employment). However, you do not need to emphasize all parts of your education in the same way, and degrees less relevant for the current application can be downplayed (e.g. by not including poor grades directly in the CV). \n\nThat said, I also don't think that you should discuss the potential perceived ''problems'' with your extra degrees in your application (e.g. cover letter and CV), simply because the application should highlight your strengths and not focus on your potential weak points. Those are something for the evaluating commitee to consider and assess, and I don't think you will have much to gain from trying to be preventive.\n\nAlso, you definitely need to be prepared to talk about the other degrees during the interview process."
},
{
"answer_id": 40882,
"author": "Peter Fox",
"author_id": 31171,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31171",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "When it comes to a CV, if you can make enough relevant content that fills a both sides of an A4 sheet of paper then leave them off. If asked about your full education at say an interview you shouldn't deliberately leave them out but trust me, no employer wants your whole education they just care that you have the right experiences to do they job they have in mind."
},
{
"answer_id": 40891,
"author": "lodebari",
"author_id": 21332,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/21332",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "I think you should include all your degrees in your CV. In order to get a job (including a PhD position) you usually have to pass two filters: the CV and the interview, and in this order.\n\nIf your CV is convincing enough and appropriate for the position, you may get an interview. However, if you leave your Bachelor and first Masters degree out it won't probably seem very convincing. The evaluators expect to find information on your Bachelors degree and blank periods of time, when they don't know what you were doing (your other Masters degree) won't help.\n\nJust try to put yourself in the position of the evaluator. What does an incomplete CV mean? That you want to hide anything from them? What and why? That you are sloppy and you sent the application without properly checking that you included all the information? Not a good sign, in any case.\n\nNow, just imagine at the end of the process the evaluator has one candidate (you) with a good Masters degree and no information on your Bachelor and ten others with different Bachelor and Master degrees and performances. The evaluator won't loose any time trying to figure out what your Bachelor degree and performance was and will decide to interview someone else. So, if you don't tell about your other degrees in the CV, you most probably won't have the opportunity to tell about it in the interview.\n\nRemember also that not only your CV needs to be convincing, but it has to be better than the others. Having two Masters degrees is a competitive advantage, a point in your favour. So, do use it. Since you are not happy with those other degrees, I would also suggest you to try to find the good side of having made them. What did you learn, which skills and abilities did you acquire doing them that you can apply to the position you are applying to? Did it help you to know what you really wanted to do? And be prepared to answer (positively) to questions such as \"why did you do a masters degree in such thing and then another one in such other thing?\"\n\nI hope you good luck.\n\nPS: I have a BSc in Biology, a Masters and a PhD in Civil Engineering, and a MA in Specialised Translation. And it hasn't been a problem to find a good postdoc position."
},
{
"answer_id": 40893,
"author": "user6726",
"author_id": 28972,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28972",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "A particularly compelling reason to include all of your degrees is that the admissions process frequently has a minimum GPA requirement that includes your undergraduate degree and all graduate work. That means you are obliged to submit a *complete* record, and if you are found to have suppressed information, you can be expelled (I am aware of a case). Admissions committees usually have the sense to recognize that e.g. an MA in Film isn't relevant to a PhD in Physics, so discussion can be omitted."
},
{
"answer_id": 40902,
"author": "user31187",
"author_id": 31187,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31187",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "As others have said, lying or failing to give an honest complete picture of (the relevant parts of) your background at any point in the application process is a bad idea. Here are a few reasons that I don't think have been mentioned yet.\n\n1. You are going to spend *years* of your life around the people in your Ph.D. program. If you are trying to somehow hide a particular experience from your life, you are going to have to keep up the lie for much longer than the admissions process.\n2. Some graduate programs give different offer letters to students with masters degrees than they give to students whose highest degree is a bachelor's. In particular, the requirements (in terms of timelines to complete certain degree milestones) for students entering with a masters degree may be different than those with a bachelor's. If anyone even felt like you tried to hide a certain degree and this affected your funding, they would not be happy with you!\n\n(I realize you are only talking about leaving off one of two masters degrees, but item 2 may still apply to you if they view your \"hidden\" masters as applicable to the Ph.D. program and thus would factor it into a funding decision.)"
},
{
"answer_id": 40923,
"author": "user31212",
"author_id": 31212,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31212",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "By all means, put them in. You were not happy with the degrees and the topics. Which is *great* since it explains what you have been doing with your years (rather than just dangling your cojones from a balcony), and it is great since it highlights that you can stick with things that don't work all that well to some reasonable completion, and it is even greater since it shows that your current career path is a better fit.\n\nIf those other degrees and attempts would have *excellent* grades while your current grades were so-so, that would be much worse since it would make it likely that you won't persist with your current endeavors and might fall back to what you did earlier."
},
{
"answer_id": 40924,
"author": "Mitra",
"author_id": 31211,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31211",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "As other have already said, you should not let your past degrees out of your CV.\n\nI am just a bit surprised that they didn't emphasise the fact that it can be actually very beneficial for you. \n\nYou might not want to give right away your grades on the CV[1] but I think you should definitely mention them. \n\nDoing a PhD takes time, motivation and perseverance but it also means asking yourself a lot of questions: those questions are related to the subject you are researching but also on yourself which can be pretty [challenging](http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2014_02_04/caredit.a1400031).\n\nWhatever you can hear, if you have a PhD program with a high rate of dropout or that take a long time to be achieved, it is not good. \n\nShowing that you already have faced turning points in your life and managed to go forward (and have managed better) can be reassuring for the recruiters that you will do well in the PhD program: \n\n* That means you probably know yourself better. You are not keeping with a pre-establish path just because it is easy. (I suppose that you change field after due reflexion)\n* You change fields: This mean that at some point you have make a decision. Taking decision (particularly life-changing ones) is not always easy. Particularly, when this means starting 'again'.\n* You are motivated: doing a Master is not a piece of cake and you knew it but still you were foolish motivated enough to go through it another\ntime.\n* On a side note, it also proves that you are not taken aback by\nwhat you might see as a failure and you actually try again.\n* Even if your grades weren't good in your previous track, they did improve while the later Master. Basically, you showed that you improved and developed through time. Which is a very good point for a PhD. It also means that you were right to change.\n* It also means that you have a broader view. Okay, you might not had good grades in your previous Bachelor and Master, but you do have them i.e. a committee of experts in the field considered that you know enough to have these degrees! Apart if you are considering a very technical PhD (and even though) doing a PhD (well really any research in general) is doing something that nobody else has done before. Granted you start from something, but then you are on your own. Believe me, having a broader view can be very helpful on the creative side.\n\nAnd to finish, apart that lying or omitting key information can be seen as a huge breach of trust, I would like to ask:\n\n* Do you really see yourself rejecting your past?\n* Don't you want to do your PhD in a place where you know that you have been accepted as yourself as a whole?\n\nDoing a PhD is not an easy process - not because the applications are though - because it is though. IMO, applications are just the quickest way and the least worse (and not actually the best) for recruiters to identify who are the people who would manage to finish it.\n\n[1] Keep this for the interview, if they ask.\n\n---\n\n*Disclaimer: I am French who has done a Bachelor and a Master in Organic Chemistry before doing a Master degree in Bioinformatics and actually doing a PhD in Bioinformatics in Cambridge,UK.*"
},
{
"answer_id": 40982,
"author": "gilesc",
"author_id": 31261,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31261",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "You can't omit them entirely, but you can de-emphasize them. I was in a similar position when applying for my Ph.D. program, as my B.S. was from a not particularly stellar school. The applications for a Ph.D. program will likely require you to be very thorough, so you will probably have to include them somewhere within the application packet. A case could perhaps be made for omitting the previous degrees from the CV on the basis that the school will definitely require you to submit all college transcripts, so they will know anyway, but as others have mentioned, you might be doing this at your own risk. Also, if it's just the GPA you're worried about, there is a simple solution -- just don't put the GPA on the CV, let them look at the transcripts if they want to know.\n\nThat said, once you get admitted, and especially once you have the Ph.D., you can start omitting the lower degrees from most things, like many fellowship and grant applications, and your CV for future job applications. People honestly don't care at that point, it becomes about papers, grants, and awards, not degrees or GPA. The only degree that will matter at that point is the Ph.D., and more the fact that you have one than exactly what field it's in or school it's from (unless it's Ivy or something, and even then it's not that big a help).\n\nFor the people trying to paint this as a clear, black-and-white moral issue, I would advise you to think a little bit more broadly. A CV is not your life's story, it is you making the case that you are a good candidate. Especially once you amass lots of prior jobs, papers, and awards, you have to start cutting things purely because of space, and it is naturally smart to keep the best-looking items. Obviously it would be wrong and very dangerous to fabricate items, but omitting items is a different matter."
}
] |
2015/03/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40854",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/26917/"
] |
40,860 |
The [Online Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences (OEIS)](https://oeis.org/) is a large online database of number sequences. It's popular among professional and amateur mathematicians, and its entries are widely cited. Like Wikipedia, most of its content is authored and edited by the community; no particular qualifications are required to participate, though in my experience most active editors are working mathematicians or scientists.
I've occasionally seen academic CVs which list OEIS contributions among the publications (usually in a separate subsection). I've also seen CVs of known contributors which make no mention whatsoever of their OEIS contributions.
I was wondering, then, whether listing OEIS contributions is generally a good idea when applying for academic jobs such as post-docs and professorships. How much weight, if any, do recruiting committees in math and computer science place on OEIS contributions? Are they viewed as minor professional publications, as non-academic community service, or as unwanted and annoying CV padding?
Related question: [Value of contributions to Wikipedia when applying for academic jobs](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/2621/value-of-contributions-to-wikipedia-when-applying-for-academic-jobs)
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40874,
"author": "GEdgar",
"author_id": 4484,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4484",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "Important: separate section. So no one thinks you are trying to sneak them in as equal to publications. \n\nProbably it will have no weight for recruiting. I suppose having the list there may cause someone on the committee to say \"I've heard of this guy.\"\n\nBut CVs have uses other than job searches. So go ahead and include them if you want to."
},
{
"answer_id": 40880,
"author": "MERose",
"author_id": 31167,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31167",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "This kind of contribution is important and not as much credited as it should be. But I wouldn't suggest to include single contributions to OEIS or other things like that in a CV. Two reasons:\n\n1. You are not the author and it's an impossible task to include the author list.\n2. It clutters the CV and makes it unreadable long.\n\nHowever, it deserves its space. In Economics, there is often a section in CVs called *Service*. It is about refereeing activities and faculty jobs. I would mention there that I contribute to OEIS or Wikipedia. Alternatively, you mention it on your personal website. Recruites look there, too."
}
] |
2015/03/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40860",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7468/"
] |
40,864 |
Let's say I go to someone's website, look up the source and use some of the JavaScript idea/pattern/code that is not a part of the wider framerwork/something similar, but a unique code that was written by the author of the website.
If it's not officially published in e.g. some coding tutorial, but I looked up the source of the website, is it appropriate to reference directly to the code on that website? (e.g. `http://example.com/someonesscript.js`)
Small edit #1: Just to mention, I have extensively edited the script, it is still similar, but not the same. It is about 100% longer, but there are similarities.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40874,
"author": "GEdgar",
"author_id": 4484,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4484",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "Important: separate section. So no one thinks you are trying to sneak them in as equal to publications. \n\nProbably it will have no weight for recruiting. I suppose having the list there may cause someone on the committee to say \"I've heard of this guy.\"\n\nBut CVs have uses other than job searches. So go ahead and include them if you want to."
},
{
"answer_id": 40880,
"author": "MERose",
"author_id": 31167,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31167",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "This kind of contribution is important and not as much credited as it should be. But I wouldn't suggest to include single contributions to OEIS or other things like that in a CV. Two reasons:\n\n1. You are not the author and it's an impossible task to include the author list.\n2. It clutters the CV and makes it unreadable long.\n\nHowever, it deserves its space. In Economics, there is often a section in CVs called *Service*. It is about refereeing activities and faculty jobs. I would mention there that I contribute to OEIS or Wikipedia. Alternatively, you mention it on your personal website. Recruites look there, too."
}
] |
2015/03/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40864",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31163/"
] |
40,871 |
I have contributed significantly to the paper and I was not listed as co-author instead I am listed in acknowledgement section in the end saying that thanks to my preliminary studies. I had sent the data to my supervisor before I left the lab and I have all evidences of work reports and weekly meetings. They repeated my experiments with my optimized conditions and produced their results in the manuscript and included few new data. I could not find much difference between my results and results obtained from their repeated work.
I am really disappointed with whole situation which I feel went against ethic science for a significant contributor to be dropped from the list of authors. There was no response to my e-mails from corresponding author that I asked for justification. Please suggest me accordingly, what can I do further, the manuscript is already in ASAP.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 42300,
"author": "Maarten van Wesel",
"author_id": 32146,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/32146",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "I agree with the comment given, contributing data doesn't qualify you as a co-author. However it would, most likely, be good practice of them if you would have had the opportunity to contribute enough of to the paper to meet the standards. But, of course, if this is possible also depends on the circumstances you left the group in.\n\nIf you still work at the same institution you could contact the ethical commission (you could also try if you do not work there anymore).\n\nHow ever adding an author after submission is not something most journals would consider"
},
{
"answer_id": 42301,
"author": "StrongBad",
"author_id": 929,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/929",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "> \n> They repeated my experiments with my optimized conditions\n> \n> \n> \n\nIt sounds like they repeated the work you did and acknowledged you for running the preliminary experiment. While it sounds like you could have been included to a greater extent in the \"new\" research, they decided for whatever reason to not include you. By recollecting the data, they have essentially eliminated your contribution. In addition to the acknowledgement, providing a reference/citation to your \"preliminary\" data would not be out of place, but if those data are not publicly available (and in some fields in a peer-reviewed and/or archival form) providing a reference may be out of place.\n\nThere are really two things you can do. The first is talk to your former supervisor, not the corresponding author, about authorship on the current work and any other work you were involved in while working in the lab. It is quite possible the corresponding author does not really know who you are or what your role in the preliminary studies were. The second thing you could do is attempt to publish your data first. You would of course want to include everyone who deserves authorship (which likely includes your former supervisor) and this could get messy. Getting to the finish line first could be difficult. You may be able to get the work \"published\" on a non-peer-reviewed preprint service (e.g., arXiv) first, but the value of those types of preprints are very field dependent."
},
{
"answer_id": 137967,
"author": "Wlod AA",
"author_id": 81220,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/81220",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "My view is that more important than co-authorship is an **adequate** recognition of your contributions. From what you have written, an honest statement about your contributions may show that it was actually your work which was more important than that of the other authors.\n\n(*I am not able to address the issue of the coauthorship itself as such -- as important/practical as this could be in real life*)."
}
] |
2015/03/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40871",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/-1/"
] |
40,890 |
I'm working on a paper for IEEE Transactions on Computers, and I can't find any guidelines on how to format code (C++) that is included in the paper.
I found some other papers with short code snippets, and it looks like they just used Courier New for the font, but I'm not sure of the font size. Do I need to include line numbers? I haven't found any with long sections of code (so for something with 4 lines I wouldn't expect line numbers anyways).
If someone has published a paper with code in it in IEEE Trans, and could give me some advice, I would really really appreciate it.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40892,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "The IEEE does not generally have any strict guidelines on how to format code for papers in their journals or conferences, so you have some freedom of choice in how you do so. The general guideline is simply to use a monospace font and formatting choices that are not blatantly incompatible with the rest of the paper.\n\nNow, if you are writing for IEEE, you should probably be using LaTeX. This means that there are a number of excellent packages, [such as these](http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/LaTeX/Source_Code_Listings), that will format your code in a nice and professional manner that is generally quite familiar to IEEE reviewers and editors. If you pick one and use that, you should not expect any problems."
},
{
"answer_id": 40894,
"author": "Matt Frye",
"author_id": 31102,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31102",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "Word's style definitions are really useful in situations like this. As long as everyone is using Word 2007+, one person could set up what code ought to look like (e.g., +1 left indent, +1 right indent, Courier New, single space, do not spell check, etc.) and save it as \"CodeSnippet\" or a similar style by highlighting some of the text, right clicking, and looking under the \"Style\" sub-menu for \"Save selection as new Quick Style.\" Saving it to that document (rather than a template) will at least keep a consistent code style in everyone's document. It's also a little easier to go back and \"clean up\" someone else's code later (highlight it, click the code style in the Quick Styles bar) or modify the style rules for all instances of code later on in revision. \n\nOne caveat: aside from the style definitions common to all general use word processors (like blue-text + underline \"HTML Link\" style), I've never seen user-defined styles make the jump between Word and anything else (or vice versa)."
}
] |
2015/03/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40890",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/23924/"
] |
40,895 |
I am trying to decided whether pursing a Master's in Computer Science will make me more competitive for a job designing video games. I went to a prestigious undergraduate school and finished strongly. The graduate schools which offer Master's programs with concentrations in video game design are less prestigious than my undergraduate school.
The average starting salary with a graduate degree from one of them is actually $30k less than my starting salary with just an undergraduate degree.
If I attend a less prestigious graduate school, will that cancel out my undergraduate degree? Could I end up making less money with my graduate degree from one of these less prestigious schools? Will employers make the false assumption that I attended a lesser graduate school because I did poorly as an undergraduate?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40896,
"author": "avgJoe with dual degree",
"author_id": 31183,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31183",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "In my experience people care more about whether you have the appropriate skills for the job at hand rather than where you went to college. \n\nWhat work-related experience do you have in your field?\n\nDo you have a professional network you can leverage to get the attention of people you might not otherwise?"
},
{
"answer_id": 40899,
"author": "mac389",
"author_id": 28,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "*Edited heavily based on further information provided by OP*\n\n**If you are going into industry, or pursuing a Master's, it may hurt you in the short term**\n\nA Master's degree is mostly course work. It's too short for you to create a body of work that stands on its own. The quality of the courses largely determines, consequently, the quality of the Master's. Prospective employers may use an institution's reputation as a heuristic/proxy for the quality teaching.\n\nAttending a less prestigious institution will make it more difficult to get interviews. Not being able to attend the bigger names also means you miss out on their alumni networks.\n\n**Create a compensatory professional network that overcomes these limitations.** Most Master's in CS programs have a semester-long project. Make an impressive project and shop it around. This is a good way to build rapport with potential employers."
}
] |
2015/03/02
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40895",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/18171/"
] |
40,910 |
Reviewing an article in your field is an interesting and rewarding experience. Any scientist has, of course, a moral obligation for reviewing other people's work just like he has his/her own work reviewed.
That being said, it's a very time consuming process and it would be nice if you could get some credit for it. Back in ye olde days of print journals, the editorial board and associate editors would be listed in the front pages so that was a form of credit. Nowadays however, with articles being accessed individually online, the editorial board gets much less, if any exposure.
Should the editorial board/associate editors be listed alongside the authors in an article or is that not necessary? If the editors/reviewers are listed alongside the authors then this would create the problem of revealing the reviewers to the authors, in an otherwise blind review.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40911,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "Speaking as an associate editor of a journal, I'm quite happy with the credit I receive: I'm listed as part of the editorial board online, it's listed on my C.V., and I get to help make sure what's getting published in my field is up to the standards of quality I desire.\n\nThat said, some journals do list the editor and even the reviewers after publication (see, for example, the [Frontiers series of journals](http://www.frontiersin.org/)), so at least some people definitely seem to agree with your sentiment."
},
{
"answer_id": 40918,
"author": "Peter Jansson",
"author_id": 4394,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4394",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "Your question asks for both editors and reviewers but goes on to focus on editors. I will thus start with editors.\n\nAs you say editors are not generally listed on electronic copies of articles. Being Editor-in-Chief of a journal, I along with the other Associate Editors, do not see any need to be visible there. The reason is that one can ask to whom the credit has meaning. \n\nFirst a practical issues. For my journal, we are all listed on the journal web site. When a person chooses a journal the line-up of editors is one criteria to use, if you recognise an editor as a prominent scientist in the field, it is a good (although not fool proof) indicator that the journal is good. So from that perspective nothing is lost. I think for most this is the most important issue of seeing the editors names for most authors/readers. Finding the web site is not difficult so I am sure the names can easily be found.\n\nAs for credit, I feel I am credited enough by having the job listed in my CV. After all, apart from enjoying the work associated with the editorship, it is a good experience to show in a CV for salary discussions, science proposals etc. That is where it counts for me. I would not be much happier if my name was listed on every paper \"my\" journal puts out. Besides, if an author experiences I have provided a service beyond any normal editor's tasks they usually thank me in the acknowledgement but that is not something that is common (and should not be) or expected.\n\nAs for crediting reviewers is should be common courtesy to acknowledge at least very constructive reviewers, even anonymous ones (as anonymous), in the acknowledgement. Unfortunately there seems to be a tradition in some academic cultures never to do so. One possibility is also for the journal to list reviewers in a \"thank you\" page although that carries with it other issues.\n\nSo on the whole, for editors, I am sure most editors are quite happy the way things are (or they would find ways of changing it) and in the case of reviewers, authors could improve when it comes to acknowledging the work."
},
{
"answer_id": 40919,
"author": "fileunderwater",
"author_id": 7223,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7223",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "There are many potential ways to credit reviewers and editors. The most common way from what I've seen is acknowleding the handling editors on papers and in some cases publishing a yearly list of all reviewers that have contributed to the journal during the year. \n\nHowever, note that some journals have an open review process and disclose the reviewers of papers, such as the [Frontiers journal group](http://www.frontiersin.org/) (see e.g. [this example](http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2014.00059/abstract) at the bottom of the page). So to credit reviewers more directly is certainly possible, but will naturally remove the confidentiality of reviewers. \n\nYou should also look at <https://www.peerageofscience.org/>, which is a way of formally acknowledging good review work, as well as a way to transfer reviews and also make reviews citable and allow reviews of reviews."
},
{
"answer_id": 40941,
"author": "Dikran Marsupial",
"author_id": 2827,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/2827",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "Some journals (e.g. Neural Networks) start off each year by listing the reviewers who have reviewerd for them in the preceding year to acknowledge the work they have done. I think that is quite a nice gesture. I don't think the reviewers of a particular paper should be identifiable though as that breaks down the benefit of anonymous reviewing.\n\nA better way for commercial publishers to thank their reviewers would be to give them one free book (of their choice) from their catalog for each year in which they review at least one paper for that publisher. ;o)"
}
] |
2015/03/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40910",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14725/"
] |
40,920 |
My colleague and I work at an Open Access journal, published by a regional scholarly association. The field is Communication and Media Studies. Recently we started to encounter problems with reaching out for authors. We use a small set of professional email lists, listservers and newsletters to disseminate our Call for Articles, which worked in the past 3 years; meaning we always had enough quality submissions from which we could build up a full and content-wise well-balanced issue.
Problem is that recently, we launched a digital marketing campaign after which we received only a handful of manuscripts with average to good publication potential compared to a swarm of plagiarized/incomprehensive/ below-standard/simply uninteresting manuscript mainly from third world countries, India and China (just for clarifications, we do not collect author fees or APCs and all content are free for our readers, so I thought it was clear for everyone that we are not in the pay-to-publish business). We desk reject the majority but enough will remain to completely drain out our reviewer pool for the next 6 months.
I'm asking the community to suggest a better way of reaching out for professional authors. Locally, we are in Eastern Europe and the journal is not ISI or SCOPUS-indexed, so it is not the best for bean-counting purposes; but we have quality content and peer review process. Are there any techniques that should help us convincing western universities to circulate our calls or publish it on their websites? Anyone in the same shoes as we are?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40921,
"author": "Peter Jansson",
"author_id": 4394,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4394",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "The key for most scientists is the impact factor. Trying and succeeding to become listed will attract more good manuscripts (MS). The flood of sub-par MS you are describing comes from the fact that you are free. Unless you want to impose a fee for submitting MS you will simply have to maintain a very stringent policy for submissions and hope that the wave ceases with time. In order to attain IF status, you will need to be stringent anyway. But as you probably realise being stringent and building a reputation is a fine balance.\n\nFor a budding journal, the most important aspect is to become known and for the right reasons. For starting a journal I would stress making sure you have some good names among the editors and that the idea of the journal is supported by the community. It is never to late to start this but best before your reputation solidifies as a less prominent journal because then the climb will be harder.\n\nSo, some suggestions: Thematic issues generally tends to attract citations because they provide the opportunity for someone interested to find other articles within the same field in the same issue. With electronic publishing it is also possible to assemble virtual thematic issues simply by linking to articles with similar aspects and labelling them with a theme, and of course announcing this on list servers etc.\n\nAttracting established, respected and widely referenced authors to provide articles for the journal is also key. You can, for example, provide opportunities to author invited papers on key issues, review articles on key issues in your field etc.\n\nSuccess will, however, not come overnight and the most important aspect is to gain the interest of your community. This can be a slow process but can be aided by linking up with societies or equivalent in your field. In my field the European Geophysical Union has generated several Open Access journals that quickly has gained IF status. These journals were firmly embedded in the community and emanated from a discussion about the need for journals with a specific target community. So you need to assess your community and see if you can liaise with activities or organisations that are established in your scientific community.\n\nRegardless how you continue, you definitely need to maintain high standards so even if you need to reject the vast majority of submitted manuscripts, make sure you only publish good quality science and make that very clear in your \"advertising\". Without that basis, very little success can be expected."
},
{
"answer_id": 41263,
"author": "awsoci",
"author_id": 28324,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28324",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "The answer above is well-written and sums up some excellent tips on how to help you.\n\nTo add to this, many researchers are now pressured to publish in faculty recognised journals. When I started, I was given a list of journals and academic book publishers that would be considered high quality towards my overall publishing targets as developed by my faculty, and was told that I should aim to only publish in these journals. \n\nThere are a number of journals that cover my scope of research that are not included on this list which is highly frustrating. But as a new academic in an environment that's not just about how much you publish, but also where you publish, this means that I need to target these journals and publishing sparingly in non-recognised journals by my faculty.\n\nThis is something your journal will be coming up against (and actually, your journal's field would be something I'd publish in if it covers my particular scope of research). However, I can't, because unless it's on the list of journals I'm expected to pursue, I have to justify why I've published there and not somewhere else. Many researchers, already feeling pressured by these new systems in a highly competitive environment are going to forego journals like yours to publish in those recognised by their faculty. \n\nSo it's almost a bit of a paradox. You need quality authors to publish their work with your journal in order to strengthen your impact/prestige, but these same authors are pressured to only publish in high impact journals as recognised by their faculty. Give what Petter Jansson has suggested a go to try and raise your journal's impact."
}
] |
2015/03/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40920",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31208/"
] |
40,925 |
I'm an undergrad and I have invited a speaker to come and speak in my department. He's a mathematician at another university, and although what he will talk about is relevant to mathematics, it's not an academic talk or seminar. It is an academic speaking to other academics and students in an academic setting, however.
I've organised this completely alone so it's down to me to introduce the speaker and make sure the talk runs smoothly. I've never done anything like this and I'm worrying about how I should do it. I'm especially worried about how to run the questions section - which will be a substantial part of the time (at least 15 minutes of the hour).
Here is how I imagine it should go:
* I thank people for coming and introduce the speaker.
* I sit down and the speaker... speaks.
* At the end of his talk I stand up and ask if there are any questions. If people raise their hands I'll point at them so they can ask the speaker their question. I'll keep an eye on the time so when there are just a few minutes left I'll say "there's time for just a couple more questions".
* After the last question, I'll thank the speaker again and that'll be it.
Should I be doing the questions? Or should I let him call on people himself? (In the latter case, how should I make sure we stay in the time limit?). Where should I stand if I'm moderating the questions? The lecture theatre has a stage where he will stand to give the talk. Should I just stand to the side of him? If I'm standing up there, is it ok for me to ask questions (particularly if nobody in the audience is doing so)?
This is in the UK, in case that's significant.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40926,
"author": "Bob Brown",
"author_id": 16183,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/16183",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "You should take a seat in the audience, near the front, after you've introduced the speaker. When the speaker calls for questions, ask the first one, on which you and the speaker have agreed in advance. That should break the ice and start questions from the audience. If it doesn't, have about two follow-up questions ready.\n\nWhen the time limit is approaching, you or the speaker should announce, \"We have time for one more question.\" After answering that last question, the speaker should thank the audience. You stand and face the audience; the audience applauds, and the speaker leaves the stage."
},
{
"answer_id": 40927,
"author": "xLeitix",
"author_id": 10094,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10094",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "First of all, stop worrying - I am sure that, no matter how you decide to approach this, the quality of the talk will be much more memorable to the participants than how you ran the Q&A part from an administrative point of view.\n\nFurther:\n\n> \n> I thank people for coming and introduce the speaker.\n> I sit down and the speaker... speaks.\n> At the end of his talk I stand up and ask if there are any questions. If people > raise their hands I'll point at them so they can ask the speaker their question. > I'll keep an eye on the time so when there are just a few minutes left I'll say \"there's time for just a couple more questions\".\n> After the last question, I'll thank the speaker again and that'll be it.\n> \n> \n> \n\nThis is pretty much the standard layout of such sessions, and I see no problem at all with running it like that.\n\n> \n> Should I be doing the questions? Or should I let him call on people himself?\n> \n> \n> \n\nIt is more common that you as a \"moderator\" call the questions, but I have certainly seen it handled differently as well.\n\n> \n> Should I just stand to the side of him? \n> \n> \n> \n\nProbably not during his talk, but when you are moderating the Q&A part you may get up the stage. However, most moderators seem to prefer to stand somewhere to the side, presumably to not steal the presenter's thunder. \n\n> \n> is it ok for me to ask questions (particularly if nobody in the audience is doing so)?\n> \n> \n> \n\nYes, you should make sure that you have at least a few fallback questions as a discussion starter."
},
{
"answer_id": 40942,
"author": "user1258240",
"author_id": 29406,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/29406",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "As a host and chair of the session you have many conflicting duties: keeping the speaker happy, keeping him from running overtime, preventing awkwardness if there are not enough questions, preventing awkwardness if a person in the audience asked improper questions (too low-level, too specific, dismissive of speaker), etc.\n\nHow you do these things depends on the speaker, the subject, the audience, and lots more (are there refreshments in the room? Is there some important meeting after the talk so people start getting up and walking out? Is the speaker socially awkward or is he well versed in manipulating a crows?). I am probably much more experienced than you in handling such occasions, and often I find myself struggling to find the appropriate response to each situation. \n\nHere's what I've learned through experience that may be helpful to you:\n\n* I think about the options in advance, but make the final decision on the spot, depending on the situation.\n* I coordinate with the speaker in advance just before the talk - even if I previously told him everything by email, I speak to him just before the talk starts telling him something like 'ok, you remember that you have 45 minutes, and then we'll probably do about 15 minutes of questions - I will let you know 10 minutes before your 45 minutes are up'.\n* Remember that you are in charge of making the decisions throughout the event, but you can ask people for help in making them. You can ask the speaker and the audience for input, like \"Too bad you couldn't finish the last example - will you be able to complete it if we take 5 minutes out of the questions session\", or \"Is that noise too annoying? should we stop and look for an alternate room?\"\n* You are only in charge because sometimes someone must make a dictatorial decision. But you should avoid making any decision unless you have to. Let the speaker choose who asks questions unless for some reason this is not appropriate, let him decide how long to talk about each subject unless it is becoming awkward, let him fend off inconvenient questions unless he is too shy/weak/nice to do so, let the audience ask him to talk more about some topics or to stop and better explain a definition or whatever, and let the speaker decide what to do as long as it doesn't result in anarchy or is clearly the wrong path to take. You are only there to solves problems that would not be solved naturally."
},
{
"answer_id": 40996,
"author": "Bordaigorl",
"author_id": 8801,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/8801",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "In addition to the excellent answers, a couple more tips:\n\n* pay attention during the talk for slides that the speaker may skip, details which are only glossed over. In case the audience is particularly shy/uninspired, you can always ask the speaker to talk a bit more about those parts. He/She obviously has something to say about them even if they were less important.\n* during question time, make sure the rest of the audience can hear the questions. If not, try to use a microphone or repeat the question yourself before the speaker replies.\n* depending on the occasion it may be useful to ask the people asking questions to briefly introduce themselves before the question."
}
] |
2015/03/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40925",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31219/"
] |
40,935 |
I got some impressively lengthy, detailed and mostly positive feedback in a double-blind peer review for a paper. Is it ok (or even possible), or is it against best practices (and considered taboo), to try to find out who the reviewer was - just in case you can get more feedback and share ideas related to the topic at hand?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40938,
"author": "SE318",
"author_id": 31084,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31084",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "It is not just taboo, it is unethical to try to find out who the reviewer is, and would defeat the purpose of the double-blind. Part of the idea of double-blind is that one is able to be completely honest since they know their comments cannot be tracked back to them. I strongly advise against trying to find out who the commenter is.\n\nTheoretically it may be possible to find out who the reviewer is, but this is a problem with the system, and you should not attempt to do this."
},
{
"answer_id": 40940,
"author": "Dikran Marsupial",
"author_id": 2827,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/2827",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "As @SE318 explains (+1), it is unethical to try and find out who a reviewer is. However it is not unethical for a reviewer to identify themselves if the so choose (some journals specifically give this option in their review form). I can't see much problem with sending the journal a polite request for the editor to pass on a message explaining what you had in mind so that if the reviewer was interested in collaborating they could contact you."
}
] |
2015/03/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40935",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7267/"
] |
40,936 |
I completed a PhD a couple of years ago and am looking at postdocs abroad, but not in my original field, so my advisors aren't able to suggest good places to apply to. Are there any programmes (official or unofficial) where a UK PhD is highly regarded that facilitate exchanges of academics between UK and worldwide universities? I'm thinking US and China to start with.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40972,
"author": "Colin Johnson",
"author_id": 22703,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22703",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "[Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships](http://ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions/about-msca/actions/if/index_en.htm) fund individuals with PhDs to go and do a postdoc research project at another university for a while. If you are interested in the US/China, then you would be looking at the Global Fellowships, which fund a period of study outside the EU (typically 2 years) followed by a year back in an EU country to transfer the knowledge learned back into Europe. The scheme is highly competitive. You would need to make arrangements with appropriate host institutions yourself."
},
{
"answer_id": 41140,
"author": "gdp",
"author_id": 31290,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31290",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "British Council \"Newton grants\" for travel might be along the lines of what you're asking for. [1]\n\nThey are generally shorter than you might be looking for (up to 6 months), and have a formal application call process etc. \n\nYou would need to be affiliated with your university to get one though - they're not for finding a postdoc abroad, rather for a finite duration research exchange to collaborate. For that reason it may not be what you're looking for. \n\nAs a postdoc, you might be working on one specific project, perhaps with industrial relevance. In that case, you might find your PI isn't keen on losing you for a period of time. On the other hand, if you're part of a team doing more academically funded work, they may like the idea. \n\nFrom personal experience though, these grants tend to require you to have identified a partner institution to visit and do research with, along with the project you wish to work on, and the expected outcomes.\n\n[1] <http://www.britishcouncil.org/education/science/travel-grants>"
}
] |
2015/03/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40936",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31225/"
] |
40,950 |
There has been a lot of buzz about how difficult it is to achieve tenure, however, even getting into graduate school seems harder every day. My case (and the case of a lot of people too): I graduated early from school in a developing country and decided to study Biology with more passion than reason (low salaries compared to a Doctor or an Engineering). I completed in four years a five years Bachelor's in a top institution of my country, with some national awards, grants and scholarships. My GPA was among the best %5. I did research since my second year and established good relations with my Professors (their letters of recommendation are fine without bluff).
I applied to some MSc in Europe and US and got rejected the first time. I got the only available (bad paying) job until the next admission period. I lowered the stakes for my second round of applications and got rejected again. With two consecutive rejections, I am starting to think that I am ineligible for any graduate position. Especially considering that I have been off academia for two consecutive years. Why? A MSc in my country, even at a top school, has no international worth. Furthermore, it doesn't have worth in my own country as few positions are available.
I know I have weaknesses:
* My college is top in my country, but almost unrecognized internationally. The awards I got have no international value.
* Although I was in that 5%, I had a harsh beginning. The first page of my transcripts has some bad scores (~2.8, lowest) along good ones (~4). That first page causes a bad impression.
* The extra course load is irrelevant for the admission committees.
* I specialized myself too much. While some students attest experience in three or more projects, I focused on one big project since the beginning.
* Few publications and conferences. In my country, there have been almost no conferences in my field in years and I cannot travel abroad for a presentation.
My future is staring to seem bleak: no job in my country, no graduate school abroad. Overall, I feel a complete failure in what I loved. What should a person in my position do? Should I try again or set new professional goals?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40951,
"author": "Matheus Danella",
"author_id": 29341,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/29341",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "Well Vuih, In my view, I understand that you have to keep doing your best. I know very well how it is to get good grades in an unrecognized school, and people looking at you and asking \"University of... what? Where is it?\" and bla bla. It is hard to keep up after doing so well, and people still think of you as a regular-bottom person, but that is how world works, and you will have to adapt until they see that you are better than what they think you are.\n\nAlso, maybe you should try to apply to a broader range of Universities, so you can have more chances to get approved (yea, the shotgun technique may work sometimes). \n\nJust one more thing, which country are you talking about? Sorry, I just got curious.\n\nKeep up and trying!"
},
{
"answer_id": 40975,
"author": "Wolfgang Bangerth",
"author_id": 31149,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31149",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "I don't have any particularly good suggestions (the world is not always fair) but it is worth remarking that a typical applicant to grad school in the US probably sends out somewhere between 10 and 20 applications. A suggestion would also be to spread where you apply. The United States has a fabulously wide range of universities. My advice is usually to apply to some that are aspirational but unlikely to work out (Harvard, MIT), to some in the middle, and to some at the bottom that you may not necessarily have at the top of your personal list but that are more likely to come through (Boise State, Pomona City College, etc). Hedge your bets."
},
{
"answer_id": 40977,
"author": "Bombyx mori",
"author_id": 6335,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6335",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "```\n A MSc in my country, even at a top school, has no international worth. \n\n```\n\nI think a rational way to think about it to weigh against all options in a 10 year frame. The probability that you will be an excellent biologist after graduate school, no matter in company or university setting, is very small. As others pointed out it is significantly smaller than the chance of getting into a good graduate program. This situation might change, but at least right now it is very difficult to get a serious position without a paper in Journals like Nature, Science, Cell, etc. \n\nThe situation thus become very simple. Either you accept that knowledge is an end to itself, and titles means little, then you should continue your studies in a place most likely to help you (not others). You may reapply if you wish, but I think a degree from an obscure university is totally okay from a long time perspective. Otherwise you might consider this as a soft way of indicating that you are not suitable to enter this field, and you should be glad that you were informed this earlier than later. As to how to build a career totally outside of academia I think is outside of the scope of this site, and could not be answered in a Q&A site in general. \n\nYou probably did lose 2 years because your wrong perception of yourself, but this is life. Accept this and move on to do more valuable things in future would be more helpful than dwelling on this. I say that as someone who received more than 50+ rejection letters in life."
},
{
"answer_id": 40978,
"author": "Patricia Shanahan",
"author_id": 10220,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10220",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "Maybe networking? Presumably, professors in your country would like to see a promising student go on to further studies and research. Some of them might have contacts in universities with good biology programs. Work broadly and as indirectly as it takes. If you know a biology professor who knows an engineering professor who knows an engineering professor at a suitable university, try to use that.\n\nThe objective would be to change your application from being simply an application from someone whose university no one on the admission committee has heard of to being the application from that student Professor X mentioned.\n\nMeanwhile, try to find something constructive to do until the next admission cycle, something that is a start on your career if you don't get into a graduate program. Keep in touch with your professors by e-mail and similar, and go on reading their work, even if you do not have lab access."
},
{
"answer_id": 40979,
"author": "somerandomdude",
"author_id": 31255,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31255",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "I also did my undergrad in the most prestigious university in my country (a developing country) albeit in engineering and started graduate school in the U.S. I have some suggestions for you.\n\nFirst of all, you need to apply for about 10-20 schools to have a chance. Do not focus on the most prestigious universities (Harvard, MIT, etc.). This was something I had issues with, I didn't want to settle for less than the best because I was in the best university in my country. The truth is, at least in the U.S., there are many many good universities.\n\nDo your research and find schools which you would think would be a good match for you. To get a start you can look at a ranking for your major. If you are looking at the U.S. there will be graduate school rankings for your major published by U.S. news. They can give you a good idea of which schools you may have a better chance of getting into. Once you find the programs you are interested in look up professors and research groups in those universities and even try to get in touch with them and let them know you are interested in their work. Don't just blindly email them, familiarize yourself with their research, read their publications, and try to discuss their work in your emails. Be specific about what you like and what you are interested in and they may help you out and give you suggestions to steer you in the right direction. Take note that professors receive tons of emails from prospective students on a daily basis and often won't read them, so don't get discouraged if they don't respond.\n\nFinally, something I did not see you mention was standardized exams. If your undergrad classes were not taught in English you would have to take the TOEFL. Most U.S. universities also require taking the GRE general exam. For biology, you may also have to take the subject test as well. Focus on getting good scores in all of these tests. Even in the sections not related to your major such as the verbal section of the GRE general test. Often grad schools will be reluctant to offer admission to students from foreign countries who do not have good verbal scores even if for majors like biology.\n\nIf this is really your dream, don't give up. Good luck :)"
},
{
"answer_id": 40992,
"author": "JaBe",
"author_id": 15690,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/15690",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "I met someone from a developing country who went to the office of a professor in Europe on every day, he didn't have time until one month later he had and she finally got accepted for a PhD there. Trying everything for your dream may pay-off.\n\nIf time is not that critical, you could even try to get a Bachelor's degree in a related field (Chemistry, Psychology, Bioengineering,...) at a more prestigeous university. Then you try to score top notch grades there, for which you can use your skills from your first bachelor.\n\nAt least in Germany, there is the [German Academic Exchange Service](https://www.daad.de/en/), which may help you find a suiting university and/or scholarship.\n\nYou could leverage the one big project you focussed on a bit more. Make your weakness to a strength. Probably there is a chance to write a publication about that project - and there may be another small chance, that one of your professors gives you guidance on it (*Look, I wrote that paper, would you like to give some remarks and write your name on it?*). Maybe it will be accepted *somewhere* which would increase your chances. You could focus on professors/institutes which specialize in that area and apply there."
},
{
"answer_id": 40993,
"author": "EvilFonti",
"author_id": 31275,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31275",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "Another thing you should maybe point out is how your grade system is working in applications to universitys in Europe.\nIn some if not most countries(I know for sure it is in Austria and Germany) here the best grade is 1 and goes down to 5 or 6. \nSo if someone reading your grades and is not familiar with your grad system it could seem that you got mostly bad grades (1 is exceptional, 4 is minimum to get further while 5 or 6 is failed).\n\nDisclaimer: I had loved to write this as comment but because of reputation it was only possible to answer. I thought it needs to be said and could stay as a short answer."
},
{
"answer_id": 40999,
"author": "Sylvain Peyronnet",
"author_id": 43,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/43",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "My answer is localized and anecdotal, but may be of interest. \n\nIn France, MsC is called Master and is a 2 year program. After the second year (called M2), the best students are accepted to the PhD program, with a funding for 3 years (PhD are done in 3 or 4 years on average in France).\n\nWe have a lot of students coming from North Africa (Algeria, Marocco, Tunisia) and a few from Eastern Europe, Africa and China. Most of them already have a degree that corresponds to the M2, but only a very small number of applicants are directly accepted for the PhD or the M2. The usual strategy for those foreign students is to apply for a M1, where they are most of the time accepted (the problem at that point being the visa). Then they follow the usual ladder from the M1 to the PhD.\n\nThis strategy means losing 2 years at most, but is working for most good students."
},
{
"answer_id": 41034,
"author": "BrianH",
"author_id": 6787,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6787",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "My heart goes out to you in your quest, and so I hope to help shed some light on the situation to help you better decide how to proceed with your life's ambitions. I won't begin to try to tell you what you should do or how to live your life, but I hope some information can help to guide you. There are surely many, many people in the same place all over the world, so I hope this will be useful to others as well.\n\n---\n\nFirst, it's good to understand the reality of University admission in the USA (and I wouldn't doubt in Europe as well, but I'll leave that to our friends in European countries to confirm/deny). Lots of institutions are proud of their selectivity and the small percentage of applicants they accept (with 2-4% being a commonly cited elite number, in both undergraduate and graduate programs). The numbers cited aren't exactly a lie - but ***they don't actually mean what people think they mean!*** These numbers are often intentionally twisted for marketing purposes, so let's get their real meaning.\n\nI'll give you one \"worked example\". Using publicly available data for one state \"flagship\" University that reported that only 4% of applicants are accepted, I was able to dig through a number of tables (surprisingly hard to find, took shifting through hundreds of pages of admission statistics), I was able to determine that two sets of statistics were kept and reported: domestic (citizens of the United States) and international (everyone else in the world).\n\nOf the US citizens that applied to the institution and to even one specific department (I picked Engineering as one example, being indeed an international topic), ~40% were admitted. Of the international candidates that were admitted, ~3-4% were indeed admitted. How is that possible? **The international applications dwarfed the domestic applications, with more than a 10:1 or even 100:1 ratio in some years!** Many US institutions are flooded with international applications, while at the same time engaging in active funded outreach programs to try to find more US citizens to apply to their programs!\n\nMany institutions don't make these stats available, or at least hide them in mountains of other reports no one likely reads, so it's hard to say just how generalized this situation is - but I've yet to view program for a department or speak with someone who has commented that they just don't have enough international applicants for their program. On the other hand I've been contacted by a number of US Universities who actively are trying to head-hunt for applicants from undergraduate and high school programs, etc.\n\nThe reality is that at many (all?) institutions in the US, there are two application tracks: one for US citizens, and one for non-citizens. The University/department/program determines an amount of seats available in the program (considering funding, professor availability, etc), and often a set amount of seats are potentially available to international candidates. This can be a flexible number or fixed, but generally it is understood that it is neither desirable nor even possible to accept more than a certain percentage of international students.\n\nThis reality is determined by funding sources (many grants and fellowships from the US government are not available to non-citizens), the higher natural rate of failure of international applicants (due to stress of living in a new country, lack of local support resources, preparation/quality of home institutions/education in that country, reliability of foreign test results, and many other factors), bureaucracy (Visas, endorsements, etc), language/culture barriers, local cultures in the US that aren't supportive/accepting of foreign students, etc. \n\n*Coming to the USA to study is a hard, hard road, and one that is desired by more people than the road itself is really able to support!*\n\n---\n\nSo given the above, what does it take to be admitted to the US?\n\nFor one, your application is not in a stack sorted according to % ranking of your country, nor will your application be immediately compared to US candidates (at this stage it doesn't matter how you compare to US candidates in any way - you aren't in that stack yet). Your application goes directly into the other stack - a minority of available seats will be allocated to what is by far the largest stack of applications, simply marked \"International\". \n\nBeing in the top 5% for your country is great, but it isn't something really considered - you will be compared to applicants from every applicable country on earth (other than the US, of course). When you are in a stack this big, honestly even being in the top 10% is great - because you're all probably completely qualified and hard to differentiate. *In a world of unlimited resources you'd all be admitted!* Honestly, **it has nothing to do with what you deserve or have earned** at this point - all of this cream of the crop of applicants would be great candidates for admittance to most institutions in the US.\n\nSo, how do you stand a chance? Well, for one thing **the US is a big place, and every institution sets it's own relative weighting of factors!** Some will only accept candidates who've already been to the US before, some will prefer candidates with family here, some will give more weight to reference letters, others will independently evaluate every publication you list in your CV (and will care about little else), others will give greater weight to your personal statement, and yet others will look straight to your grades...etc. \n\nThis is where the wisdom of \"apply to many places\" comes in - because institutions generally do not advertise their weighting criteria! It may even change every year!\n\n---\n\nWhat can an \"international\" applicant to the US do about all this?\n------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n1. Realize that rejection is going to be common - insanely so. The vast majority of applications will not be accepted, and honestly nothing you do will change that reality - rejection is the rule, not the exception, for international applications. And I don't mean 2:1 - even 50:1 shouldn't be a complete surprise.\n2. Apply to many places - you might request fee waivers to help cut the cost down, as some places to understand that $50-200 in US funds is minor here yet an outrageous fee in many countries.\n3. Try to customize your application per institution - this is generally more helpful if you actually know what they are looking for and more about the place so that your application doesn't look like a mass form-letter. You might be applying to lots of places, but - just like when looking for a job - you don't want people reading your application to get that impression! Vaiton your statement/application at least a little, if nothing else. If you can even talk with someone in the department who is able to offer some insight into what they are looking for from international applicants, take advantage of that!\n4. Don't be an international applicant. Many people have gone through the expensive, multi-year process of becoming a citizen of a new country and working any menial crappy job they could get just to get the benefits of being a citizen - even though it doesn't guarantee anything. On the other hand, many people just say \"screw it\".\n5. Be an applicant to a place that's more welcoming of international students from your region. If you are in Asia, consider a higher-profile nearby Asiatic country. If you are in Europe, consider a different part of Europe, etc. There's lots of wonderful places in the world outside the US - and many of them are even known and respected in the US, too.\n6. Apply to places that aren't so swamped with international applicants. Smaller, less internationally recognized state schools and private institutions will be less likely to have insane amounts of applications for a tiny amount of available seats. Institutions that are advertising that they are expanding their programs or creating new ones may be more risky in some ways - they don't have a proven track-record of success - but they will also have way less applicants to chose from and may be more flexible in their admissions criteria (or at least have more time to look at each candidate more deeply).\n7. Consider \"getting your foot in the door\" by actually applying for an undergraduate degree in the US, either more general or more specific than your previous one. You may prioritize \"feeder\" institutions where you will have the opportunity to meet and/or work with people who make decisions on admittance to graduate programs. This way not only will you get rid of the problem of not being from a recognized school/country, but you can also work yourself into being a \"domestic\" applicant AND having earned your own social connections and recognition to help aid your future applications.\n8. As with going for an undergraduate degree in the US, you might also wish to target places/programs that have good industry connections, as if nothing else you can at least leave academia with professional interests in the area of your passion and in a place where there is demand for your skills.\n9. Seek out international campuses/extensions of US institutions. These can be ultra-competitive too, but not all are - and they come with a built-in connection to \"brands\" that are valued in the US and Europe, and there is the potential to make international connections with the home institution.\n10. Finally, reconsider your existing credentials and professional outlook - with a specialized degree, often job opportunities are very regional-specific and not well advertised. This is true everywhere - here in the US I lived in a place where there seemed to be 2 total positions for my professional skills, while 150 miles south there are a dozen companies who are getting into a bidding war for candidates because they can't find enough qualified people!\n\nNo matter what you do, I hope you realize that no path will be easy, and neither does any path - regardless of difficulty - guarantee anything related to success or even happiness. In the US alone we have more people who commit suicide than die in traffic accidents - over 30,000 per year choose not to live any more. Even if you get what you want and even if you decide to move to the US or any other country, there are people who are unhappy there too, regardless of even if they were getting what they wanted. \n\nYour journey will be whatever it ends up being - this may include going to another country sooner or later, or not. What you've achieved already is proof that you are capable of a great deal, and surely that you also are capable of even more than that. Don't accept only a single isolated path as The One True Way - be open to other options too, so that you get to chose the best option, rather than just end up with the only one that ended up possible. And so in this you won't ever give up - only choose the option that seems to be the best, even if that was not necessarily what you had originally planned!"
}
] |
2015/03/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40950",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31239/"
] |
40,953 |
My paper has been under review for 2.5 months now at PLoS ONE. I am still waiting for the first review result.
I have sent three inquiries to ask about the progress, and all the responses were telling me that the paper is out for review and PLoS ONE is doing their best to process my paper efficiently.
In the title of the PLoS ONE website, it writes "accelerating the publication of peer-reviewed science". I am really disappointed. PLoS ONE is the slowest among all the journals to which I have submitted.
My question is, does it still make sense to send additional inquires about the progress to the journal? If it does, what should I write in the inquiry?
===update===
Three months now from the submission, I still have not got the first decision. My case is an example showing Plos One is very slow. If you want to publish something quickly, Plos One is the wrong choice! Indeed, it is the slowest among all the journals I have submitted to.
===update===
Just got the first decision a few days ago. i.e. The first decision is made around 3 months after submission. The review results are very simple and positive actually, simply asking to cite more references and add some discussions. Still can not understand though why so simple and straightforward review comments need 3 months to conceive!
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40954,
"author": "gnometorule",
"author_id": 4384,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4384",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "I don't know about your field, but 2 1/2 months doesn't strike me as particularly long. I realize that in part you feel that their reference to being speedier than others seems now like false advertising; still.\n\nI would not push more too soon, but if and when you do, I wouldn't ask \"Is it ready?\", but something like \"I realize that the paper is out for review, and so out of your (=editor's) hands. I don't mean to keep stepping on your feet, but is there any way in which I could help speed turnaround up; and if not, do you have any idea when the reviews might be in, based on your experience with the referees?\""
},
{
"answer_id": 40962,
"author": "Andrew is gone",
"author_id": 27825,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27825",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "Chasing the journal again doesn't seem like a good idea - you'll almost certainly get the same email back. Most PLOS papers are still out for review at this stage, so annoying though it is for you, it's not unusual for them!\n\n[As of mid-2013](https://metarabbit.wordpress.com/2013/06/03/how-long-does-plos-one-take-to-accept-a-paper/), the mean time to ~~publication~~ acceptance in PLOS One was 134 days (~4.5 months) with a median time of 100 days (~3.5 months). Anecdotally I don't believe it's got much longer or shorter since then, so 2.5 months seems entirely normal."
},
{
"answer_id": 40963,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "I think PLoS ONE's \"accelerating\" tagline has more to do with their open-access philosophy than the time to publication. My two experiences publishing there took 5 months and 8 months from submission to acceptance---that's still pretty fast compared to many journals, but nothing remarkable. Just leave it be for a little while and don't worry unless you go 4 months without receiving reviews."
},
{
"answer_id": 40967,
"author": "Jeremy Miles",
"author_id": 6495,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6495",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "PLOS One are pretty good at hassling editors to get a move on (I know, I am one) and if an editor doesn't move on a paper, they will reassign it to a new editor. So I don't think asking what's happening will help.\n\nThe usual reason for delays is reviewers. You ask someone to review. They don't reply. They are reminded. After two weeks, you give up and try to find a new reviewer. You invite them to review. After one week they agree. Two weeks later a reminder is sent. A week after that another reminder is sent. A week after that you give up and invite a new reviewer. We are at two months, and we don't have a reviewer yet. \n\nThe one thing that you might do to help is suggest reviewers. You might be aware of people who are working in the area that the editor may not know about (for example, because you have seen them present at a conference)."
},
{
"answer_id": 41014,
"author": "CyberMan",
"author_id": 31236,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31236",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "Usually three months are needed to wait for any inquiry form any journal about status of paper, but it is common, journals take more than 3 months of reviewing a paper. This is due to duration, which usually reviewers keep paper for reviewing ."
},
{
"answer_id": 41058,
"author": "Kakoli Majumder",
"author_id": 9920,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/9920",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "You have already written to the journal thrice within a span of two and half months, which I think could be bothersome to many journals. Two and a half months is really not too long for the review process to get completed. In fact, it might take the journal that much time just to get reviewers. Yet, the journal has responded politely and positively each time. I think you should not write again, but just wait patiently for the decision."
},
{
"answer_id": 41095,
"author": "user49483",
"author_id": 30768,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30768",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "Is it 2.5 months under review or 2.5 months since submission? If the latter, how long did it take to get an editor assigned (i.e. to change to 'With Editor') and when did it go out for review (i.e. status changed to 'Under Review')? In my experience (not with PLOS ONE but with other PLOS journals), it can take a while to get an editor assigned, which can increase time to first decision. While 2.5 months is fairly slow (life sciences at least), it's not uncommon. There is a big difference between 2.5 months under review and 1.5 months assigning an editor and 1 month under review, so that information would be helpful. \n\nA couple of notes about time to first decision stats.\n\nFirst is in regards to the answer by @Andrew. A first decision of 30 -35 days at PLOS ONE should not include any desk rejected papers because PLOS ONE's mantra is that importance/impact/sexiness does not matter - all that matters is whether or not the methodology is sound. I've never submitted a paper to PLOS ONE but I presume they send out any legitimate manuscript for review. \n\nSecond, time to first decision is usually given as a median not a mean. In effect, a median time to first decision tells you nothing about those papers that take a really long time to review. So a journal could still have a low median time to first decision if it 1. it desk rejects a high proportion of manuscripts, 2. returns some of the manuscripts sent out for review in a reasonable time (unless it rejects a very high proportion), 3. takes absolutely ages for the rest of the manuscripts.\n\nThird, some publishers don't issue major revisions in an attempt to lower their time to acceptance stat. Instead they go with the 'reject with option to resubmit', which allows them to assign a new submission date for your heavily revised manuscript, thereby artificially reducing the time to acceptance.\n\nSo I'd take the time to decision stats with a grain of salt."
}
] |
2015/03/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40953",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/15547/"
] |
40,955 |
One of the students whose work I'm grading has just handed in a piece of work which is much better than what I've come to expect of them after several classes. I was just about to write some rather positive comment on their work, along the lines of *"Good job! You're doing much better than you used to."*, when it struck me that perhaps this is not such a great idea after all.
The problem is that, even after the jump in performance, the student is by far not the brightest in the group (not that they're not bright; the group is simply very strong overall). This leaves me with a couple of possible concerns. Maybe that would be somewhat unfair to the other students, who usually perform at a consistent level. More importantly, this might come across as a backhanded compliment. Something along the lines of *"Well done, you are now about average, which is very high, judging by your abilities."* (which of course is very far from what I mean to convey). Are these legitimate concerns?
On the other hand, it feels slightly wrong not to acknowledge improvement. And I usually try to leave some kind word next to a particularly good solutions of people at the top of the group.
So, is it a good idea to comment on the fact that student is doing better? If so, how do I make sure I will not be misunderstood?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40956,
"author": "user141592",
"author_id": 27327,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27327",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "Try something along the lines of: Keep up the good work!"
},
{
"answer_id": 40958,
"author": "Penguin_Knight",
"author_id": 6450,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6450",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "Just personal opinion + some experience.\n\nFirst, if it's graded and the grade shows a large jump, then I'd just leave it as is.\n\nSecond, perhaps the first homework was not a true reflection of the student's ability (sickness, etc.) Just be mindful but I trust that you have gotten a clear impression of the class by now.\n\nI feel that it's okay to remark on the improvement *if the last homework was apparently bad* (say, like a fail or near-fail.) Otherwise the student may not even realize it was bad all along, and this \"better\" comment can be a harsh blow of reality.\n\nMy desire to remark will grow stronger if I have written some suggested improvements in the last assignment or highlighted the common errors in class and the students actually followed my advices. My rule is to *pair each good remark with a reason, and each bad remark with a suggestion*. So, rather than \"good job!\" I'd suggest \"good job on [whatever done right]\" in order to reinforce such positive behaviors.\n\nAnd lastly, just my thought and I expect not everyone would agree with me: I don't think giving customized remark or suggestion is a sign of being unfair. If someone struggles and wants to put in the effort to perform better, I wouldn't mind giving more detailed guidance in my feedback. The important thing I always remind myself is while past records are important, we should be prepared to evaluate our students with fresh eyes as well whenever possible. Don't give the impression that we had already given the final grades in our head after the first couple classes."
},
{
"answer_id": 40960,
"author": "Brian Borchers",
"author_id": 4453,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4453",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "There's a fundamental philosophical issue in education about how much \"talent\" or \"ability\" matters compared with \"effort\" and how this interacts with grading specific pieces of student work.\n\nStudents are easily demoralized if they believe (or if they're convinced that their teachers believe) that all that matters is native ability. If you reinforce the idea that students can learn and be successful if they make a sustained effort, then this can help to motivate students. However, saying \"you worked hard, Good job!\" when the resulting work is really not good enough is dishonest and students are likely to see through the lie. \n\nThus, \n\n1. You should honestly praise students' effort, particularly when they really are putting in a lot of effort. You should also connect this effort to their successes. e.g. \"I see you've been visiting the tutoring sessions three or four times a week. I think that this has helped to improve your homework grades.\"\n2. You should discuss the students' work objectively and honestly, focus on what could be done to improve it, and do this in a way that makes the student feel that they have a path to follow to be more successful. It's important to offer specific actionable suggestions on how to improve.\n\nIt sounds in this case as though you feel that this particular student's work has improved dramatically but that the student still has much further to improve. \n\nDon't just say \"Good job\", because that reinforces the notion that good work is the result of talent or luck and doesn't offer the student any suggestion of how to do better. \n\nRather, say something like \"This is a substantial improvement on your earlier homework. In particular, I think you've improved a lot in your use of quantifiers in your proofs. However, you're still having trouble constructing proofs by contradiction as in problem 5 of the latest homework. Please review the discussion of this in section 3.3 and then stop by my office some time so that we can discuss this further.\""
},
{
"answer_id": 40973,
"author": "Wolfgang Bangerth",
"author_id": 31149,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31149",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "I think it is generally good life advice to be generous with compliments. In cases like yours I would usually say something like \"*Well done, I very much like the direction of your grades*\". This would seem uncontroversial to the good students in the group, and not explicitly reference the worse grades he's had in the past."
}
] |
2015/03/03
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40955",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7328/"
] |
40,968 |
In my thesis I have several photographs, which have captions in the form of
`Photograph of building X, taken on date by the author of this thesis`
Citations to referenced papers follow the [1] (BibTeX plain) format. My supervisor suggested to cite my own photos by using the following caption format:
`Building X (my name, year)`
This however follows a different reference style (APA style) and may be confused with a reference to a paper. What are the recommended styles to follow for own made photographs while making sure that I am the actual producer of the photos (as I've seen theses that commonly take photographs from other sources without actually referencing the source)?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40971,
"author": "RoboKaren",
"author_id": 14885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14885",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "At least in the social sciences and sciences, a photograph by itself would not warrant its own citation. You would refer to them the same as other diagrams, figures, and photographs:\n\n* Figure 1.1, 2.9, 3.7\n* Photograph 3.0, etc.\n* Diagram 4.5\n\nMost people use some form Chapter.Number series enumerating, which makes it simpler when you add additional material in an earlier chapter. Most document editors will renumber your figures for you appropriately. \n\nThen when the photograph comes up, you would caption it appropriately.\n\n\n\n**Photograph 5.1: Crazy house on Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv. Photograph taken by Sambach on xxxx.xx.xx. Released to Wikimedia Commons.**\n\n(If you are the photographer/author, you could simply state *Photograph by Author, taken on xxxx.xx.xx*).\n\nIn text, you would refer to Photograph 5.1 in the text, just like that. If you needed to, you could add an explanatory note for example to: \n\n> \n> Photograph 5.1 (\"Crazy House / Tel Aviv\") is a prime example of what architects would call a *maison folle*. .... .... I would like to direct your attention to faux turret on the top corner of Photograph 5.1 ... blah blah blah...\n> \n> \n> \n\ntl;dr: As with all things, do what your advisor suggests. However, the style I give here is more appropriate in the journals and publications that I'm familiar with.\n\n---\n\nFine Print: If you are a fine artist and you list each piece of work (or series) in your cv as part of your intellectual/artistic output, then you *could* refer to your works using author (date) or other similar styles. But doing so in the sciences and social sciences (and most humanities) will just earn you a bit of scorn. I would only do so if you had solo shows, gallery representation, or some other form of appropriate peer-review recognition of your work within the artistic community. I'm guessing that is not the case since we get so few fine artists in a.se but I'm happy to expand on this if you were. \n\nFine Print 2: If you are an architect and you designed the building, then you are also free to cite your buildings as separate works."
},
{
"answer_id": 130888,
"author": "Soalpa",
"author_id": 109037,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/109037",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "In the APA style, it is recommended to just use the date the picture was taken:\n\n> \n> If you are the photographer, cite in-text only. Do not include in the Reference list.\n> [...]\n> \n> \n> Include a caption, which is a detailed description under the photograph that explains it meaning and context, such as date, people, and location. For example:\n> \n> \n> *Figure 1. School-aged children playing tag in Edworthy Park, a public park in Calgary, Alberta. November 18, 2016.*\n> \n> \n> \n\nSource: <https://bowvalleycollege.libguides.com/c.php?g=494959&p=3828594>\n\nThis is what I will use for my thesis in geoinformatics."
}
] |
2015/03/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/40968",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31253/"
] |
41,000 |
I observed some very good math journals are not indexed by Thomson Reuters. The basis of my evaluation is the composition of the editorial board, the university or press that house the journals and the authors that publish with them. My question is what is likely the reason for this non-indexing?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 40971,
"author": "RoboKaren",
"author_id": 14885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14885",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "At least in the social sciences and sciences, a photograph by itself would not warrant its own citation. You would refer to them the same as other diagrams, figures, and photographs:\n\n* Figure 1.1, 2.9, 3.7\n* Photograph 3.0, etc.\n* Diagram 4.5\n\nMost people use some form Chapter.Number series enumerating, which makes it simpler when you add additional material in an earlier chapter. Most document editors will renumber your figures for you appropriately. \n\nThen when the photograph comes up, you would caption it appropriately.\n\n\n\n**Photograph 5.1: Crazy house on Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv. Photograph taken by Sambach on xxxx.xx.xx. Released to Wikimedia Commons.**\n\n(If you are the photographer/author, you could simply state *Photograph by Author, taken on xxxx.xx.xx*).\n\nIn text, you would refer to Photograph 5.1 in the text, just like that. If you needed to, you could add an explanatory note for example to: \n\n> \n> Photograph 5.1 (\"Crazy House / Tel Aviv\") is a prime example of what architects would call a *maison folle*. .... .... I would like to direct your attention to faux turret on the top corner of Photograph 5.1 ... blah blah blah...\n> \n> \n> \n\ntl;dr: As with all things, do what your advisor suggests. However, the style I give here is more appropriate in the journals and publications that I'm familiar with.\n\n---\n\nFine Print: If you are a fine artist and you list each piece of work (or series) in your cv as part of your intellectual/artistic output, then you *could* refer to your works using author (date) or other similar styles. But doing so in the sciences and social sciences (and most humanities) will just earn you a bit of scorn. I would only do so if you had solo shows, gallery representation, or some other form of appropriate peer-review recognition of your work within the artistic community. I'm guessing that is not the case since we get so few fine artists in a.se but I'm happy to expand on this if you were. \n\nFine Print 2: If you are an architect and you designed the building, then you are also free to cite your buildings as separate works."
},
{
"answer_id": 130888,
"author": "Soalpa",
"author_id": 109037,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/109037",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "In the APA style, it is recommended to just use the date the picture was taken:\n\n> \n> If you are the photographer, cite in-text only. Do not include in the Reference list.\n> [...]\n> \n> \n> Include a caption, which is a detailed description under the photograph that explains it meaning and context, such as date, people, and location. For example:\n> \n> \n> *Figure 1. School-aged children playing tag in Edworthy Park, a public park in Calgary, Alberta. November 18, 2016.*\n> \n> \n> \n\nSource: <https://bowvalleycollege.libguides.com/c.php?g=494959&p=3828594>\n\nThis is what I will use for my thesis in geoinformatics."
}
] |
2015/03/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41000",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30756/"
] |
41,005 |
I've just graduated in Brazil and I plan to apply in some different Master courses in US. I plan to apply to different universities and I did not want to ask my professors to write many different letters.
Should the letter of recommendation be specific to the university I am applying to or can I use a generic letter for all applications?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41007,
"author": "o-0",
"author_id": 21552,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/21552",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "**Never hold your own recommendation letter (looks unethical), let your current lecturers send the recommendation letter to the universities directly (via email for example), that you applied for.**\n\nMost universities, ask for two recommendation letters, by asking the information of the lecturers (e.g., email, address, phone, etc.) who do that for you. So the recommendation letters will be sent by your lecturers (e.g., email, mail, online form, etc.) to the universities you applied for; without you seeing/holding the letter."
},
{
"answer_id": 41008,
"author": "Chris C",
"author_id": 7745,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/7745",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "It general, as the departments you are applying to are similar, your recommendation writers will probably write a template letter that can be quickly modified to a particular university. They should be specific enough for each university, but the overall picture of you will be the same in each. \n\nUsually these days, these letters are done via a secure email or webpage of sorts where they can ask privately questions of your recommenders. (Probable e-signed) In the rare cases, I've heard of doing it through the mail, in which cases, I would help your recommenders with envelopes, with stamps and addresses."
},
{
"answer_id": 41015,
"author": "Matheus Danella",
"author_id": 29341,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/29341",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "Well, I am a student who also had to get two letters of recommendation from professors when I was in my university (I'm on exchange right now), and I think I have learned the lesson very well: do not write a generic letter and simply ask your professors to sign them. They have more experience than you, and they could even have passed through the same situation that you are experiencing right now. So why would you ask them to shut their mouths while you write all the stuff you want? It does not make sense, because they may know more than you about how the admission process works, and also how some universities like those letters to be written.\n\nSince you still have some time (and planning that now is a good idea), my advice is to ask them to write the letters for you, and then you both sign. It's more natural, honest, and ethical."
}
] |
2015/03/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41005",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14731/"
] |
41,013 |
I'm getting my Software Engineer degree in one year here in my country, and I want to continue my studies with a Master degree in the US.
Since here in my country is not a common practice to ask or write such letters, I'm not sure about some details.
I have two main concerns about them:
1) How important is the written date of the letter? (It's OK to get one now, dated accordingly, if I will be submitting it in say, 2 years?)
2) Must the letter be always addressed? (It's OK to be generic, not addressed at anyone in particular? -At this moment I don't know what University I would like to apply-)
I'm asking those two questions because currently I'm developing an important software for the local Police (the 911 emergency line) and I think this could be a nice vouch for my technical skills, however since I'm changing jobs in a few weeks it's possible I won't stay in touch anymore with the Chief, or maybe this Chief won't be around in the future to ask him. This also because now I can ask for it and get it in paper, with the official letterhead and seal/stamp, so that will be a proof of authenticity.
Let's say my idea is to get this letter now and save it for later. Of course this would be a field expertise type of letter.
Thanks!
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41025,
"author": "Davidmh",
"author_id": 12587,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/12587",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "Your letters should preferably be written by one of your professors, that will hopefully be aware of the protocols on how to write them. Also, usually you don't get access to your letters, but provide the university you are applying to with the contact of recommendation writers that have agreed to write your letter. The idea is that letters are supposed to be blind, so the recommender can freely express their opinions about you, and also make sure you haven't tampered with it.\n\nI would advise against getting a letter from the police chief. He can certify that you did that job (and that should be attached to your application), but he doesn't have the technical skills to evaluate your job beyond \"it works\", and he cannot put you in perspective compared with other students. Plus, industry letters are usually a string of cold facts:\n\n> \n> This person worked here from November to April developing the system C.\n> \n> \n> \n\nWhereas an academic letter is on the line of:\n\n> \n> I strongly recommend the student for the program because... as he showed working on ...\n> [And some paragraphs more saying how awesome you are].\n> \n> \n>"
},
{
"answer_id": 41542,
"author": "Soupturtle",
"author_id": 31633,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31633",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "A good letter of recommendation should be specific for the position you are applying for, and be written by someone you actually worked with personally (or did course work for), so that they can say something about you and not just about your work. So I do not think that a generic letter from the police chief will be very useful as one of the reference letters you will be asked for in two years time.\n\nHowever, that doesn't mean that it isn't worthwhile to get some sort of formal statement of the work you did. My advice would be to ask for a short statement saying what you did, and (hopefully) that you did a good job. Then in two years time you can include that with your applications on top of the required reference letter(s) from your professors, as I do think developing something for the emergency services is worth including in your resume."
}
] |
2015/03/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41013",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31284/"
] |
41,016 |
Question
========
I'm wondering about people's experiences with navigating job offers while pursuing a Ph.D. How did you make the decision to stay or leave? If you left, how did you break the news? Were you satisfied with the decision you made?
Context
=======
I'm currently in an internship, which is required as part of my program. The internship is outside of academia. I've been doing great work there, and there's already been some insinuation from management at the internship that they'd like to keep me around. Honestly, I really like the work I am doing at the internship.
In regards to the work:
* I am working on projects where I can showcase my strengths.
* I am working at a level where I can see lots of potential for professional growth, and I am in the midst of experiencing that growth.
* The work I am doing is boosting the marketability of my resume by orders of magnitude above and beyond what I have, could or would get from my program.
* I've been able to take on a leadership role with high level projects and contribute in valuable ways.
* I think the work I am doing is meaningful and has the potential to make a difference in the world. It also has the potential to end up as a brief that sits on someone's desk, but potential exists nonetheless.
In regards to the job/employer:
* I'm surrounded by very smart people. I'm quite sure that management thinks of me as an A-Team caliber employee, but I know that there is a lot to learn from the people I am surrounded by at the internship. Honestly, I have not felt this way in my program.
* There is a great work life balance. Full time salaried employees can work no more than 39.5 hours a week. Anything above that is considered overtime, and employees are compensated appropriately.
* The benefits for full-time employees are better than what many people in my field will likely have when they are employed.
* Compensation is slightly above average, but stable with guaranteed incremental raises.
* There's modest potential for career advancement. If I did go to work for them, how much I could advance would likely be due to the level they hired me at. Honestly, at the higher levels (i.e., the level of my current boss), there's really not a huge difference in pay as you move to other levels in the company.
* MA/MS with experience are not compensated less than those with a PhD.
Bottom line: It is a place I could see myself putting in a decade for sure. I'd leave the job after that decade in a good position to work in a variety of other contexts.
Tension
=======
I really don't want to piss anyone off too bad if I get an offer at this job and leave. It's never been my intention to stay in academia or even in the research firm circuit, which is still kind of academia. I've always been very clear and direct with my advisor about that point. My advisor has been fine with that, although very pointed in telling me that she/he has never worked outside of academia and all he/she really knows how to do is prepare me to be an academic... so if I want something additional from my experience in grad school I need to figure it out myself. My advisor has largely been supportive of allowing me to find my own path in graduate school, and I've been successful at finding that path and not too much wandering along the way. So, really it's a question of whether or not I owe it to my advisor to stay and forgo being paid an actual salary that I can live on, passing on a potentially great job opportunity, etc. A part of me says yes, but I'm wondering if the more mature answer is no. Everything I wanted in a job appears to be right in front of me. Would you take it?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41017,
"author": "mako",
"author_id": 5962,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/5962",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "As an advisor, I want students to be up front about what their long term goals are. If a student is not interested in an academic career, I'll take that into account when I decide to work with them. Part of that calculus is the concern that the student might jump ship part way through.\n\nIt sounds like you've been up front and honest about your intentions with your advisor at every step of the way. Your advisor will probably be disappointed, but they will not likely be surprised. I don't think you owe it to them to stay and that seems like a bad reason to stay doing something other than what you want to do with your life. Your own time is simply too valuable and your advisor should respect that."
},
{
"answer_id": 41018,
"author": "Pete L. Clark",
"author_id": 938,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/938",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "You lay out such clear preferences for taking the industry job that there seems to be little doubt that you should try to pursue this option. If you didn't want to stay in academia anyway, why wouldn't you try to take the kind of job that you wanted to get after getting your degree? \n\nAs a PhD advisor, I find the idea that a student might \"owe me\" enough to make it plausible to pass on a lucrative, stimulating career of the sort that they always wanted completely crazy. People have a tough time deciding whether they owe their spouse, their parents or their children that much. I don't see how you could possibly have accrued this much indebtedness to your thesis advisor. The more indebted you feel, the more help you can provide in ensuring a smooth transition and that he has someone else to take over your responsibilities. That's really about it. Also, you really do well in industry, maybe your contact with your former advisor will turn out to be advantageous in a way that your work for him was not. So your relationship with your advisor and your department might not even suffer at all in the long run. \n\nThe one warning I would give is that things can move much faster in the business world than academia. As you write, you certainly want to get an offer before you burn any bridges on the academic side. Even if you do, I would try to angle for taking a semester or a year off, or to leave the door to that particular academic program partially open. You don't say how long you've been doing your internship, but I assume less than a year. It is plausible to me that they think you're doing fantastically now and are willing to offer you a job...but that offer would be to try you out and maybe after a few months to reevaluate your future in the firm. True career security in the business world is hard to find.\n\nBut you really sound like you are finding your joy outside of academia. Above subtleties aside: when that happens, you should leave academia. You can do it: it's your life, not ours."
}
] |
2015/03/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41016",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/19610/"
] |
41,019 |
I made several applications to Universities in the US, Canada, and Europe. One of the universities in Europe asked me for an interview which I attended several weeks ago. I felt like they dedicated resources to interview me as there was 5 professor present. They interview was completely technical in nature.
A week ago I received an email where a professor wrote a feedback about my interview, and told me that they are considering me for a position. They will have to arrange an interview with their industrial liaison before I get the offer. (In Europe, a PhD is a job).
I didn't receive any decisions yet from other places which are preferable choices to me. In case I get an admission offer elsewhere, I intend to accept it. Otherwise, I will accept the offer in Europe.
I feel like what I am doing is not completely ethical since it seemed to me that they university in Europe, or more precisely the professor I am in contact with, is dedicating lots of resources just to interview me and they are trying to get someone on the project quickly. They have never asked me about my plans or whether I applied elsewhere
My question: Should I say something in the next interview? Is what I am doing right (Keeping this place as a plan B) while applying elsewhere?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41021,
"author": "Bill Barth",
"author_id": 11600,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11600",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "Interviewers typically assume that applicants have applied to several positions, and it's their free choice on how to organize themselves to determine who to make offers to. Will they be disappointed if they make you an offer and then you decline, maybe, but perhaps you aren't their first choice either. Once you have an offer in hand from anyone, you should work promptly with them to accept or decline it within the time frame you negotiate, and if you accept an offer, you should promptly withdraw any pending applications you still have out there.\n\nI would not tell this European university that they are your Plan B or say anything to them about your concerns. They haven't told you how many applicants they have or where you rank among them. They are unlikely to do so."
},
{
"answer_id": 41022,
"author": "Corvus",
"author_id": 27900,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27900",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "Having spent many years on the other side, I can assure you that what you are doing is completely ethical. Interviewing at multiple locations is simply part of the process. As a department, we spend considerable resources, both time and money, trying to recruit the best students that we can to our graduate program. We are fully aware that most if not all will receive other offers at top universities. And we know from experience that about half of the students we bring in will ultimately turn us down. It's a calculated risk that we are happy to take in order to recruit a top-notch cohort of students."
},
{
"answer_id": 41024,
"author": "Herman Toothrot",
"author_id": 4050,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4050",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "Until you have an offer in hand written black on white, you are free to pursue anything else. And promises of maybe, or almost, or for sure don't matter at all. So while it might feel unethical keep pursuing other options but when you get a concrete offer be clear if you need more time to think about it or accept it."
}
] |
2015/03/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41019",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/18244/"
] |
41,020 |
I am familiar with what the US Code says about copyright and fair use, and am specifically interested in actual practice regarding academic publications which use small amount (under 10% of the original) of a protected work, without obtaining permission. Specifically, I would like to know if an infringement suit has ever been successful when the amount of copying has been under the prevailing "substantiality" threshhold, and the copying was in an academic publication. I'm not asking what might happen or whether I *should* ask permission. U.S. cases and non-U.S. cases would be relevant (to the extent that "fair use" concepts exist in other systems). Alternatively, if you know of a case where the copier prevailed specifically because the use was in an academic publication, that would be relevant.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41029,
"author": "Andrew is gone",
"author_id": 27825,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/27825",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "Half an answer...\n\nI no longer have a copy of [*Permissions: a survival guide*](http://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/P/bo4087193.html) (lent it to someone and never saw it again) but from memory, it discusses a few cases along these lines, particularly from the scholarly-art-monograph world.\n\n(While the XYZ estate can't stop you writing about XYZ, they can make it very difficult if they refuse you the rights to use any of their visual artwork... and publishers get nervy about claiming fair use on things they would normally expect to pay fees for.)\n\nUnfortunately, it's been a while since I read it and so I don't recall if any of them got as far as a legal case; I suspect the publishers usually folded. Worth taking a look if you can find a library copy, and seeing if it names specific cases, as these might be just what you're after."
},
{
"answer_id": 41092,
"author": "Tim P",
"author_id": 31327,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31327",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "One case in a similar direction is Sundeman v. The Seajay Society. A researcher included quotations from an unpublished work in a presentation; this was upheld as fair use. There's some discussion of the case and the outcome [from the Columbia copyright office](http://copyright.columbia.edu/copyright/fair-use/case-summaries/) (have to scroll down a little bit). There are some other related cases listed on the same page, e.g. involving fair use of copyrighted images in less academic publications."
}
] |
2015/03/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41020",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28972/"
] |
41,023 |
I'm a Msc student, and my project is to develop a novel software tool for use in neurosurgery.
There is a current tool that is considered the standard of care for the procedure, but it has low rates of clinical adoption (~45%) due to archaic technical limitations. We propose that we can develop a new system, exploiting advances in available computational power and state-of-the-art image processing algorithms, that could improve the rate of adoption for these systems.
My question: Does development qualify as research? Or does research begin after development? My intuition tells me the latter.
For example, a hypothesis I could have would be "We propose that we can develop a novel system that overcomes technical limitations of traditional systems". However, this seems to be a weak hypothesis to me. Could we ever say that it is theoretically **not** possible to do that?
However, if research begins **after** development, we could propose that "our tool has increased usability compared to traditional systems". This seems much stronger to me: we can test whether our tool leads to significant improvements in different measures of usability.
I am unsure which path is more suitable to present in a formal research proposal, after all, at the stage of the proposal, we have not developed anything.
Maybe I'm not even formulating the initial hypothesis correctly.
I've looked at other dissertations in the field, and have noticed that some do not even attempt to structure the dissertation around a hypothesis, but rather say things like: "The goal of this thesis is the development of such techniques utilizing prominent HARDI data models", "This thesis presents the development of a 96-well plate culture system that allows 4-color, flow cytometry based high throughput screening of defined, serum-free hESC differentiation conditions". It seems that they just present the outcome of development, rather than test some constructed hypothesis.
I ask because my courses and committee seem to desire a formal hypothesis and I am hesitant to provide something weak.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41026,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "The goal of research is to advance the state of human knowledge. The goal of development is to create a new capability that did not previously exist.\n\nSometimes, these goals are separate. For example, one might acquire knowledge by studying outcomes from a medical intervention without needing to develop anything new. Likewise, one may do development that provides new capabilities but doesn't particularly add to the state of human knowledge (e.g., making phone app versions of existing software or web sites).\n\nOften, however, as in the case of your own research, the goals are inextricably intertwined: the capability comes from the synthesis of recent developments in knowledge, and will in turn produce new knowledge (\"Yes, this is better positioned for adoption\"). If you're doing it right, there will tend to be a lot of feedback between the two sides in the process, and thus the idea of does research come \"before\" or \"after\" development doesn't make much sense.\n\nRather, when you are putting together research proposals, I would suggest that you focus on the following questions:\n\n* What will be possible when you have finished the project, which is not possible now?\n* How will you be able to measure that you have succeeded?\n\nThe first is the development aspect, the second the research aspect (which is inextricably tied to the development)."
},
{
"answer_id": 41027,
"author": "Bill Barth",
"author_id": 11600,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/11600",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "I don't know the standards for neuromedicine, but in my engineering field, the research contribution, cast into medical terms, would be the increased adoption rate leading to measurably better patient outcomes. In my field, sayings like \"no one ever got a PhD/tenure in this department for writing a code\" are extremely common. I think this does a disservice to important work in the field, but it's an extremely common viewpoint. \n\nAs such, most famous software packages have a marker paper out there somewhere which describes the functioning of the code *and* an new science result enabled by it."
},
{
"answer_id": 41028,
"author": "Paul",
"author_id": 931,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/931",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "Generally, scientific theses require an innovative development and some evaluation of its effectiveness for its intended uses. A thesis proposal requires some justification of why the \"improvements\" might be beneficial, but not necessarily direct evidence. Although, if you have already developed the \"idea\" and have some positive preliminary evidence to present in your proposal, this certainly helps. Often, it is not a requirement for a proposal.\n\nIn your final dissertation writeup, after you have all of your evidence and conclusions in mind, you can still structure your thesis around the presentation of the idea and its effectiveness. Either way, as long as you're doing something new and testing it, you're doing more than 'development'... you're actually doing 'research'."
}
] |
2015/03/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41023",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31189/"
] |
41,031 |
I would like to build up my publication profile, including the writing of book reviews. I am not well-known by any means having just completed my PhD, though I am now working full time (contract) as a level A academic in research and teaching in my field.
**I wanted to know whether it would be beneficial to approach the book reviews editor of a journal to see if they have any books in my field/subject expertise that require reviewing, and the best way to go about this.**
This question/response [here](https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/12254/who-gets-to-write-book-reviews-for-academic-journals) advises not to approach editors; however, in a publications workshop I took in 2013, I was advised that I should approach editors who often have a stack of books that need reviewing.
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41039,
"author": "Brian Borchers",
"author_id": 4453,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/4453",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "Yes, it's entirely appropriate to volunteer to serve as a reviewer. In doing so, you should be clear about your current background and current position (e.g. that you have a PhD and are working as a postdoc) and your specific areas of expertise. The worst that might happen is that you'll get no response or be told that they want more experienced reviewers. \n\nBook review columns vary tremendously in the number of books that get reviewed and the depth and quality of the reviews. In some cases the reviews are brief (less than 200 words) and descriptive, while in other cases the reviews are longer and include more of an evaluation of the work. Some book review columns solicit in depth reviews from experts in the field, while other columns (particularly ones that review a wide variety of books including textbooks) may use reviewers who aren't necessarily experts on the topic. \n\nIn my opinion, it's best to try to limit yourself to reviewing books in areas where you really are an expert- I've been asked to stretch further than I'm comfortable with in a few cases, and I didn't like the results."
},
{
"answer_id": 41056,
"author": "RoboKaren",
"author_id": 14885,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14885",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "You should know that book reviews count for absolutely zero towards your \"research\" score at R1 universities. Instead, they only count as \"service.\" That's fair as they are not the product of your research endeavors. \n\nIf you need more publications, then publish from your research more. \n\nThat being said, most book editors welcome volunteers. Just e-mail them. I would not suggest titles to review, but topics areas that you have expertise in."
}
] |
2015/03/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41031",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28324/"
] |
41,032 |
I am applying for a post that requests me to provide student feedbacks. While my evaluation scores are pretty good, the feedback written by students sometime contradict each other. Some student wrote, "He is very nice and caring," while another wrote, "He is too harsh! :(" (*yes, with the :(* )
The contradicting one could be explained somehow, as students have different perspectives, but some feedbacks were invalid. For example, a student wrote "did not mark homework quickly," but my course did not have any homework.
I could foresee the interviewer will ask me to comment on these review—what is the best way to address them, particularly, for the invalid comments. For instance, I worry that the interviewer won't believe me when I say my course did not have homework.
(My university uses electronic feedback system so all the comments were printed on 2 A4 sheets, thus I cannot skip those invalid feedbacks.)
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41041,
"author": "xLeitix",
"author_id": 10094,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/10094",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "Everybody who evaluates student feedback expects a certain number of false positives / negatives. If a small-ish fraction of your students gave bad or just plain false feedback this is nothing to worry about.\n\n> \n> I could foresee the interviewer will ask me to comment on these review, what is the best way to address them?\n> \n> \n> \n\nIf those are only a few, then I doubt that an interviewer will be overly concerned by them. If she is, you can truthfully explain that it is simply not possible to be everybody's perfect teacher. Student's expectations differ, so it is infeasible to be great for everybody.\n\n> \n> In particular those comments which were invalid. For instance, I worry the interviewer won't believe me when I say my course did not have homework.\n> \n> \n> \n\nWhy do these specifically worry you? Frankly, *\"did not mark homework quickly\"* is not exactly a crushingly bad feedback even if correct.\n\n> \n> (My university uses electronic feedback system so all the comments were printed on 2 A4 sheets, so I cannot skip those invalid feedback)\n> \n> \n> \n\nOf course not :) what would be the point if you could just pick-and-choose which feedback you consider valid?"
},
{
"answer_id": 41042,
"author": "padawan",
"author_id": 15949,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/15949",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "Actually, it would be even worse if all the students have written \"what a perfect teacher!\" or so.\n\nIf the commitee has a little bit experience with student feedbacks (and I think they have), they will understand the standard deviation of the comments.\n\nSince **you** are applying, you are the one who is going to explain these. So, they will not try to explain the comments by themselves.\n\nI would suggest you to read them once more to remember for which course and semester they are written. In my opinion, it is more important for someone to keep track of his/her past.\n\nAll in all, if they are looking for someone with zero negative comments, they probably will end up with noone. And they know this"
}
] |
2015/03/04
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41032",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/28695/"
] |
41,044 |
Is there a date when interview invitations stop going out? Some said that interview invitations will come between mid-Jan and mid-Feb, so can an applicant assume that by March or mid-March there will be no more interview invitations?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41047,
"author": "aeismail",
"author_id": 53,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/53",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "I don't think there is a single answer here. Some schools start their interview process in late fall, and other schools don't even conduct preliminary interviews until the end of February. In addition, there's always the possibility that nobody accepts their initial offers, in which case they may want to start a new round of interviews. So basically, you can get an interview request until you get a rejection letter. \n\nHowever, I would suspect that the bulk of interview requests go out by late February."
},
{
"answer_id": 41049,
"author": "Wolfgang Bangerth",
"author_id": 31149,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/31149",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "It depends on the field you're in. I'm familiar with Mozh and there, all research schools probably finish hiring at the end of February. We might have sent offers in March, but I don't think we ever invited anyone after mid-February.\n\nOf course, the timeline is completely different for senior hires where there is, essentially, no timeline at all. But I assume that's not what you were asking for."
},
{
"answer_id": 41129,
"author": "Fomite",
"author_id": 118,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/118",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "As some folks have mentioned, it will depend greatly based on the field. My own field doesn't even have a well-defined cycle - there are job announcements posted essentially continuously, which means a similarly continuous trickle of possible interview invitations, and some announcements are held open a remarkably long time.\n\nIt may be useful to consult someone specifically in your field, such as your advisor, or another faculty member you trust."
},
{
"answer_id": 42046,
"author": "Sander Heinsalu",
"author_id": 6313,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6313",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "In economics for assistant prof positions, the interviews are all during the AEA/ASSA conference during the first week of January, or similar conferences in Britain and Europe. The interview invitations are usually out by Dec. 15.\n\nVaries by discipline, as mentioned in the other answers."
}
] |
2015/03/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41044",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/24823/"
] |
41,045 |
When I was applying for PhD programs, I got into my first choice school. Some time later, a school that was lower-ranked but still a good school offered me a Skype interview. Should I have declined the interview so they could give the spot to someone else? Or would that have been considered rude?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41046,
"author": "Compass",
"author_id": 22013,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22013",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "If there's a reasonable chance you'd consider the second school after being accepted at your first choice, I feel it's okay for you to interview.\n\nThat being said, if it's a 1% chance you'd change your mind, I'd pass, *especially* if it's an in-person interview."
},
{
"answer_id": 41048,
"author": "aeismail",
"author_id": 53,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/53",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "I think the only thing that would be considered rude would be to have the interview and not take it seriously. Declining the interview if you're not going to attend saves everyone time, and accepting the interview if you think you *might* attend is perfectly reasonable. It can even help you if the less preferred school offers you a better support package."
},
{
"answer_id": 41053,
"author": "sevensevens",
"author_id": 14754,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/14754",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "Given the recent mistaken admission of several grad students at [CMU](http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/02/18/carnegie-mellon-mistakenly-sends-acceptance-letters-to-800-students), I would interview. You should continue interviewing until you've accepted an offer, and have some confirmation from your chosen school.\n\nEDIT:\n\nJust to be safe, treat admission to a university like an employment opportunity. Until the ink is dry on your employment contract, you don't have a job. Same for admission - until you've accepted the admission, and received confirmation, keep interviewing at universities."
}
] |
2015/03/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41045",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/24384/"
] |
41,052 |
I submitted a paper to a Tawxur and Fvancoc journal that uses the ScholarOne submission system. The manuscript status has changed from "Under Review" to "Awaiting Reviewer Scores".
What does this change mean?
What is the flow chart of the different statuses for a manuscript?
|
[
{
"answer_id": 41055,
"author": "jakebeal",
"author_id": 22733,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/22733",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "With a typical ScholarOne configuration, \"Awaiting Reviewer Scores\" means that it is actually out with (at least some) reviewers, while \"Under Review\" would instead mean the previous stage, where it is being considered by the handling editor(s) and might still be rejected without review.\n\nAfter the review scores come back, a manuscript then returns to the handling editor for a recommendation, and thence up to the chief editor(s) for a decision."
},
{
"answer_id": 41060,
"author": "o4tlulz",
"author_id": 6978,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/6978",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "\"Awaiting Reviewer Scores\" means that the paper has been assigned the minimum amount of reviewers that the Associate Editor has set for the manuscript. The minimum would be either two or three depending on the publication but the associate editor might have sent a few more invitations around. \"Under Review\" means that reviewers have been selected and invitations have been sent out but some of them have not responded yet or some of them have rejected the invitation and the editorial board is still looking for reviewers. \n\nI also think that it is up to the specific settings of each journal to show the different status of the review process. In some you can see \"Under Review\", \"Awaiting Associate Editor Recommendation\", \"Awaiting EIC decision\" etc but in others you just see \"Under review\" for the whole process."
},
{
"answer_id": 42747,
"author": "user32537",
"author_id": 32537,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/32537",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "Yes, Indeed mine is undergoing the same process as we speak. under review basically means that your manuscript is still with the handling editor and is being reviewed if instructions were followed, thus fit enough to be sent to blind reviewers. Awaiting reviewer score, it has been sent out to selected reviewers and is still awaiting for their scores (comments)."
},
{
"answer_id": 52437,
"author": "nineth",
"author_id": 39305,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/39305",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "None of the answers above are accurate at least in my scenario. I had a revision decision, and after I submitted the revision, the status went to \"Under review\", and after about 4 weeks, it has now changed to \"Awaiting reviewer scores\". In this case, the reviewers were already lined up to get the revision, and so it doesn't make sense for \"awaiting reviewer scores\" to just mean that the reviewing is in progress -- in fact, it's \"under review\" that means that, and it doesn't make sense for \"under review\" to mean pre-screening. What the \"awaiting reviewer scores\" most plausibly means here is that the reviews are now due! 4 weeks is also the time I'd expect the AE to allot for the reviewers (from past experience), and so the timing is right for the status to change from \"Under review\" to \"Awaiting reviewer scores\" - so it just means some reviewers haven't yet submitted it and the reviews are either due or overdue. This explanation also makes sense if you just look at the English of the status \"Under review\" and \"Awaiting reviewer scores\" -- the scores aren't awaited unless it's due! It's probably why they chose this language for the status message. In addition, for all my submissions in the past, the \"Under review\" status has always meant that the paper was actually with the reviewers as opposed to with the AE waiting for the assignment; papers have been in the \"Under review\" status for me for several months after which they change to \"Awaiting AE recommendation\". So it makes no sense that \"Under review\" means pre-screening (as suggested by one of the comments) - it may be different for different journals but I doubt that is the case for any journal."
},
{
"answer_id": 54426,
"author": "user41177",
"author_id": 41177,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/41177",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "Awaiting reviewers scores simply mean the article is with the reviewers and the journal office is waiting for the comments.\n\nUnder review also can mean that the article is being considered by the science editor for technical and English language check or it is with the subject editor and he is evaluating it for external review, or the article is with the reviewer for evaluation.\n\nSo, the former (Awaiting reviewers scores) is a direct statement that the article is with the reviewers."
},
{
"answer_id": 60092,
"author": "Pankaj K Mishra",
"author_id": 46070,
"author_profile": "https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/46070",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "I have found a tutorial for Editors for Oxford journals. I think, this slide explains it all.\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/IjlXF.png)"
}
] |
2015/03/05
|
[
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/41052",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com",
"https://academia.stackexchange.com/users/30766/"
] |