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thread-29414
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29414
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What is the difference between part-time and full-time study in postgraduate courses?
|
2014-10-04T17:40:28.007
|
# Question
Title: What is the difference between part-time and full-time study in postgraduate courses?
I am interested in several courses and I need to do a job also to support myself financially. I would like to ask;
What is the difference between Part-Time and Full-Time study in Postgraduate courses?
and which suits me well with a private job in Scotland or Netherlands?
# Answer
I don't have any private job experience in Scotland or Netherlands and I don't know your conditions as well, so I don't really know what suit's your conditions indeed. I am focusing on your first question here.
Full-time learning is mostly suitable for the candidates who are not aiming to work outside the university. For instance, students who are able to stay full-time in the university and do their academic chores are more encouraged to apply for these discipline. Part-time learning is more suitable for those who want to work outside the university as well as attending their classes and conducting their research at the university. This type suits the people who work outside academia and are not willing to be at the university all the time.
Please note that, some universities hire or pay their research students while they are studying at the university. This does not mean that those students are part-time students because they are simply *working* or *hired* at the university. These are full-time students who are doing academic work. These are different that part-time student who works in industry.
As you mentioned in your question that you are interested in several courses, it comes to my mind that it does not make any difference to you to study in a specific area; so this eases your way to find a program for yourself. As an instance, in a university, one department may not offer part-time degrees to the applicants while the other department may offer various taught and research part-time programs that the prospective student can easily choose one for himself.
However, as far as you are seeking for a degree with the insight to your professional career, I encourage you to choose the course and degree which helps you with your professional responsibilities *and* your interests.
**Don't run, Walk!** Please choose a part-time program wisely;
1. Please carefully read the regulations of the programs you are applying to and check the minimum requirements for part-time degrees at the university where you want to study. These programs may require some extra application process, interviews or documents for their applicants.
2. The duration of the part-time degree is longer than a full-time degree. For instance, a masters part-time degree will have two year duration compared to one year full-time study. Please note that the duration of the degrees varies from one department to another and one country to another.
If you are going to do research in your part-time program, please note that some part-time degrees require their students to do full-time research during their studies. I mean, you have applied to a part-time degree. Although you are allowed to study for a longer period of time (for instance part-times may take classes in four semesters while full-times are allowed to finish their classes in two semesters) but the course requires you to spend two semesters full-time research as well. So, please check whether these conditions exist or whether you are eligible for such programs or not.
3. You may need some scholarships/funding to support your studies financially. Then you should double check whether the scholarship covers the part-time degrees or not. To my best of knowledge, some scholarships require the students to attend only full-time courses.
4. Check the cost of the program you are applying for. Although it seems that the full-time students will pay lower fees compared to the full-time students, but, keep in mind that the total payment of both disciplines may be the same and only the part-time student may pay lower amounts of money in each semester. On the other hand, there may be some part-time degrees which are due to higher educational fees. As far as the rules are different in different countries and departments, please check the financial part carefully before you apply for any degrees.
5. Check the accommodation and housing for part-time students as well. Although it seems that you are staying with your family; if you are seeking to stay in another city where you are working and in this city, you are seeking a part-time degree; please check whether they offer housing to the part-time students or not.
6. Part-time degrees may only allow you to work inside the city where the university is located. So, if you are working outside the city, check the regulations of the university and see if you can manage to attend your classes regularly or not.
7. Part-time learning differs from distance learning and online degrees. These disciplines have different regulations and their degrees may have lower or higher values in the industry you are working. As far as you need your degree for your professional career, make sure which type suits you well and do not think these degree-types are the same.
8. Pay Attention to your studies too. Please don't think that because you are working and you are a part-time student; you are allowed *not* to study and *not* to attend your classes and *fail* the exams. Your role at the university is studying and research, whether you are a part-time student or full-time student.
But, as a part-time student, you will have less credits each semester that you will be able to study besides to work. So, still pay sufficient attention to your courses.
9. Also, please check the visa type you are holding and whether you are basically allowed to work or not. Some international students are allowed to work a limited amount of time each month or each week. If you are thinking about working in another country and studying part-time there, please think about such things too.
> 2 votes
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Tags: part-time
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thread-29441
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29441
|
Does it matter from whom we receive a letter of recommendation?
|
2014-10-05T11:19:58.420
|
# Question
Title: Does it matter from whom we receive a letter of recommendation?
I am wondering is it important who is writing our letter of recommendation? I mean, does it matter whether the faculty is assistant professor or distinguished professor?
# Answer
If all of your choices wrote the *same* letter, then of course the letter from the distinguished professor would carry more weight than that of f the assistant professor.
However, often the letters from assistant professors are much more detailed and insightful than the letters from distinguished professors, because they have usually worked with the applicant much more closely. They can therefore offer more detailed insights than can more senior staff. This is not always true, but it is at least mostly the case in my experience.
> 12 votes
---
Tags: graduate-school, recommendation-letter
---
|
thread-29446
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29446
|
Is it a good idea to submit a recommendation letter from a friend who is doing PhD at the university I am going to apply?
|
2014-10-05T15:08:41.377
|
# Question
Title: Is it a good idea to submit a recommendation letter from a friend who is doing PhD at the university I am going to apply?
I got a friend who is doing PhD at one of the prestigious universities. Two and half years back we were classmates in graduate studies. I have good relations with him. I started working for industry and he is doing PhD. He has good credentials as far his research and academic records are concerned. There is PhD vacancy at the same university but in different department. I need to submit two recommendation letters. Is it a good idea to take recommendation letter from him? Will it increase the chance of getting selected for that position?
# Answer
No, it is not a good idea to ask your friend to write a letter for you.
Recommendation letters for graduate admissions should be written by people experienced within the field, who know you well enough to form a clear opinion of your preparation and potential for graduate work in your chosen field. In almost all cases, they should be faculty members with whom you have worked closely, or at a minimum, taken classes with.
Having your friend write the letter would be useless:
* He is working in a different field and would not know what skills are needed in your field.
* He presumably has little or no experience of research of his own, so will not have as good a sense of the attributes that are needed for success in research in his own field, much less yours.
* He is your personal friend and there would be doubts about his objectivity. (Ethically, if he were to write a letter for you, he should disclose that relationship.)
The fact that he is currently attending the same institution where you want to apply is irrelevant. That doesn't give his opinion any extra weight.
Beyond being useless, submitting a letter from your friend would lead an admissions committee to think one of two things:
* You cannot find two faculty members who have a good opinion of your abilities, so you asked your friend instead. This would suggest that your preparation is extremely poor and your application should be rejected.
* You are completely confused about how the application process works and did not understand that a letter from your friend would not be helpful. You have not done your research and probably don't really know what grad school would be like or why you want to go. They are not likely to accept such an application, either.
> 33 votes
---
Tags: phd, recommendation-letter
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|
thread-29439
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29439
|
Should I withdraw my other PhD applications when I have a secured funding and a supervisor but I am waiting for the faculty decision?
|
2014-10-05T10:23:14.050
|
# Question
Title: Should I withdraw my other PhD applications when I have a secured funding and a supervisor but I am waiting for the faculty decision?
I'm applying for PhD studies to a university in Netherlands, the procedure entails that you should contact a professor and obtain a letter of acceptance. I have already secured funding and now found a supervisor and obtained acceptance. I now have to obtain admission from the faculty.(Which will take about two months) I have sent out other applications and I was in the middle of sending more PhD applications. I want to know:
1. What are the odds that I will be denied admission even after securing funds and getting acceptance from a professor working in the faculty?
2. Should I stop sending out applications and withdraw my other applications now or wait until I am granted admission by faculty? (I have read on this site that wasting other people's time in academia by going to interviews or applying for a position you know you're not going to take is considered unethical).
# Answer
## No!
Until you receive an official offer of admission, you have not been accepted to the PhD program. Do not withdraw your other applications until you have actually been accepted somewhere.
(In fact, I would not recomend withdrawing your applications at all, but rather, if possible, waiting until you have *all* your official admissions offers and *then* deciding which one to accept.)
> 33 votes
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Tags: phd, graduate-admissions, withdraw
---
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thread-29433
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29433
|
Should I stay an extra semester to complete a second minor?
|
2014-10-05T07:12:59.807
|
# Question
Title: Should I stay an extra semester to complete a second minor?
I am currently an undergraduate physics student in the fall semester of my junior year. Until recently, I thought I would have to stay an extra semester to complete my undergraduate physics degree, but after looking over my scheduling possibilities for the next three semesters, I've realized I will be able to graduate on time (spring semester of my senior year).
My dilemma arises from the fact that I am also trying to meet the requirements for two minors (one in computer science and one in math). The two possibilities I see are as follows:
1. If I choose to graduate on time, my curriculum for the next three semesters will consist of 9 physics courses, 2 computer science courses, and 1 general education. I would finish with my bachelor's in physics and a minor in computer science.
2. If I choose to stay an extra semester, I will be able to complete the requirements for both a computer science minor and a math minor, and I will be able to spread out my physics classes a little more. Additionally, I may be able to take one or two extra elective classes in either math or physics.
My plan is to go to graduate school after my bachelor's , so given my circumstance, is it worth it to stay that extra semester just for the minor in math? Will the additional time to graduate or the extra credential make any difference when it comes to physics graduate school admissions?
# Answer
> 4 votes
Basically, a second minor doesn't really convey any additional benefits to you in terms of admission. It just means you've done enough courses in a specific area to be recognized by your specific school as having completed a "minor." Some schools in the US (and most foreign schools) do not offer minors, so it won't make a big difference.
Also to consider—if you are planning to do graduate school after your bachelor's degree, taking an extra semester in the US likely means that you will have to wait *a full year* before starting graduate school. This can have significant impacts, as you will then need to find something to do in what would have been your spring semester. There is also the possibility that, because you will be out of school for a while, you may need to start repayment on any student loans you have. (Usually you're allowed a six-month grace period before repayment starts.)
# Answer
> 0 votes
Will the additional time make any difference in admissions? I don't think so, since you are pursuing more credits, it's natural that it takes more time.
Will the extra credits count? Since you're enrolling a post-graduate degree that is also your major, I don't think it matters much. If you're doing a master on Math, it probably matters. Don't forget you can always consult the admission office.
It sounds like you enjoy (or at least don't dislike) university life anyway, so if financial support is not a problem for you, I'd encourage you to take an extra semester. Besides earning the extra minor, you'll also benefit from a more relaxed schedule, which should improve your grades.
---
Tags: graduate-admissions, physics
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thread-29454
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29454
|
How can we check if a book is a sequel edition of an older one with different names?
|
2014-10-05T19:46:31.627
|
# Question
Title: How can we check if a book is a sequel edition of an older one with different names?
How do you check if a book is a new edition of an older book, but they have different titles, without accessing the books? Are there websites which maintain such records?
For example, is this book
```
Fundamentals of data structures in C / Ellis Horowitz, Sartaj Sahni, Susan Anderson-Freed.
Edition 2nd ed.
Published/Created Summit, NJ : Silicon Press, 2008.
```
a newer edition to this one
```
Fundamentals of data structures / Ellis Horowitz, Sartaj Sahni.
Published/Created: Computer Science Press, c1976.
```
Does the second one have later editions?
# Answer
> 1 votes
I don't know if there's an easy way to track this. The Library of Congress catalog, for instance, shows no trace that the second book was an earlier edition of the first. However, if the edition numbers are consecutive, there's usually no "intervening" edition.
# Answer
> 1 votes
There's really no general answer to this, since sometimes a book is completely rewritten (including things like changing the computer language that is used in the books examples) and published as a second edition, while in other cases a book will be published by a new publisher under a different title with very few actual changes (typically after the authors have regained the copyright from the original publisher.) The choice of whether or not to call the book a new edition is really up to the publisher.
As another example of the this, look at Don Norman's "The Psychology of Everyday Things" also known as "The Design of Everyday Things." These are basically the same book with different titles.
---
Tags: citations
---
|
thread-27604
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/27604
|
What is the etiquette for repeatedly emailing questions to an author whose work I'm building on?
|
2014-08-25T13:48:02.477
|
# Question
Title: What is the etiquette for repeatedly emailing questions to an author whose work I'm building on?
I am doing my master thesis on wireless networking. I am working on the source code, which the writer of one of the articles provided to me. Initially, I sent him an email and I asked him to send me his C++ source code . So he did. But the problem is, there was no documentation for his code and he is the only one that knows anything about this codebase. As a result, I totally depend on him. Last night I sent him an email and I asked him a question about his code and he replied to me very quickly, only three hours later. Probably, I will need his help again.
Before my last night's email and after spending one month working on his code, I saw minor progress to my work. But after yesterday's mail and his guidance, my work was significantly accelerated. I will probably need his help again maybe another two or three emails in a week. But I am afraid he will become angry with me for sending him a lot of emails.
So what should I do? Assume you are the source code programmer. Do you think he will become angry about my emails? Or he will be willing to help (since I will cite his article)?
# Answer
Although your intentions are probably good, you seem to take advantage of the creator of the source code. He is not your personal debugger nor he must be the one writing the code for your thesis (especially for free). He has written a paper and he has given you his source code. That is all the information you need to know. Read his paper (or his paper slides if they are publicly available) a hundred times, till you know every little detail of it and then look at his code (another hundred times) until you correlate everything between the paper and the code. Of course this will be slower than sending him a couple of emails but it is YOUR thesis not his. Only when you do all this and still there are unanswered questions, then collect all the possible questions you might have (including queries about his code and his paper) and then send it him ONE email, with all your questions. Anything more than that is exploiting his kindness. This kind of back and forth emails with questions is one of the many reasons why many people are unwilling to share their codebase.
Since he is probably a nice guy, you should consider that in the future you might collaborate with him or need his help. Being pushy or lazy (and delegating your work to him because you do not want spend 1-3 weeks refactoring or studying his code more carefully) is a sure way to burn bridges with him. And you really do not want to do that.
On the other hand, if after giving you access to his source code he understands (by your email) that you did everything humanly possible to understand his code and paper and just want some extra help, he will be willing to assist because: a) you seem to appreciate his work b) you seem to understand his time constraints c) you are also a smart, hard working guy worth collaborating with. And this is the message you need to convey.
> 37 votes
# Answer
Why not just ask him? He knows how busy he is, how interesting your project is for him, and how *dumb* (if any) your questions are. You can also offer to pay him back by writing a (partial) manual on his code, as you go on understanding it.
If I was to receive this kind of email I would see that you are acknowledging my effort and trying to be respectful with my time. And maybe this will be good for me, forcing me to rethink aspects of the code, and make a mental note of doing better documentation in the future.
Also, in that situation, I would greatly appreciate to be kept in the loop about your project. Even if I can't or won't help, I would like to see the the progress.
A quick answer is usually a good sign, it means that he finds your questions interesting and not something you should have been able to figure out by yourself. In any case, if you want to make sure, you can ask someone that is roughly familiar with that code (probably your advisor), and see if the questions are indeed something you should have been able to figure out by yourself; and if you are not, they should teach you the techniques you are missing to do it.
All this said, I have been given messy code to work with three times, and the three of them I ended up grabbing the paper and reimplementing it myself in a couple of days (and in two of them, the result was way better). Maybe your case is too big, but you should consider it.
> 32 votes
# Answer
As someone who is often on the receiving end of such questions, my advice is:
1. First and foremost, understand the theory behind the code before you go ask questions. Many of the questions that I get about my code reveal that the person with the question simply doesn't have basic background knowledge in optimization (e.g. "what's a Cholesky factorization") without which they couldn't possibly understand the code.
2. Make sure that you have the latest version of the author's code. Don't use an earlier version.
3. Understand how the software is licensed (if at all.) You will have to work within the terms of that license (e.g. the author might have put the code under the GPL, and your derivative work will also have to be GPL.)
4. Don't complain about the quality of the code or features that it lacks. If it doesn't do what you need, ask ask the author whether this is possible within the current code, or by a simple extension or whether the algorithm fundamentally doesn't handle that case or whatever. Do not assume that what you want will be easy or even possible at all. Depending on the author's response, you might get a ready made solution, or you might get some information on how to modify the code, or you might get told that it isn't practical.
5. If you're getting errors, then please provide the input data and output so that I can recreate the problem. Make an example that reproduces the problem as simply as possible rather than giving me all of your code. I will attempt to recreate the problem on my machine.
> 10 votes
# Answer
To some extent I'm probably repeating what others have said here already. But in any case, here I go with my 2 cents.
First, the situation you describe is actually quite unusual. In most cases where code is used in a publication, the code is not published, and if it is not published, it is often unobtainable from the authors. If they do provide it, they are not very likely to answer questions about it. For example, often the code is written by some junior person like a grad student, and once that person has departed, the senior authors, who are also the corresponding author, don't know anything specific about the code, because they have not actually written any of it. They may also no longer have a copy of it, if they ever did.
So, you are already in a good situation, that someone is responding to you.
Another thing to bear in mind is that academics like people to be interested in your work. Since your correspondent wrote the code, he is probably the main author of the work; people who write the code generally are. So, he may not mind answering questions about his work as long as they are not stupid. Avoid basic/general language-related questions which are not specific to the code, for example.
As someone else said, if you want to know how he feels, why not ask him? So, I'd suggest three concrete things.
1. Express your appreciation for the time he is spending replying to you. Don't go overboard; a sentence or two is enough. But it is important to do so.
2. If you interested/willing to have him as a co-author, ask him if he is interested in being a co-author. If he is not interested, or you don't want him as a co-author, ask him permission to add him to the acknowedgements. You should certainly add him, if he agrees.
3. Ask him if it is Ok to keep asking him occasional questions. Perhaps outline what and how much you expect to be asking him, if you have an idea, so he knows what to expect.
4. This is going above and beyond, in some sense, but since you say his code is not documented, document it, perhaps checking with him first about how to do so, in case he has preferences. Then, send the documentation to him. That's a nice concrete way to show appreciation.
> 2 votes
---
Tags: etiquette, email
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thread-29174
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29174
|
When a research statement of a fixed page length is required, are references counted in the page length?
|
2014-09-29T18:19:45.767
|
# Question
Title: When a research statement of a fixed page length is required, are references counted in the page length?
On mathjobs.org, a few jobs request a research statement of no more than 3 pages. Are reference pages typically counted for such requirements in the United States?
# Answer
Unlike the NSF, where references often do not count towards page limits, I would assume that references *do* count as part of the 3-page limit for a research statement in a job application.
At the same time, few research statements I have seen in mathematics are as thoroughly referenced as an NSF proposal. The main goal of a research statement when applying for a job is to describe your own research and to demonstrate that you will be able to meet the research expectations of the job. As such, you want to keep the research statement relatively brief.
If you really need more than 3 pages including references, you should email the chair of the search committee to find out if it is acceptable.
> 3 votes
# Answer
Generally speaking, no. Two reasons:
1. Nobody reads the references.
2. It is unethical to penalize the author for giving credit where it is due.
That said, an HR staffer may not know about academic practices.
> -3 votes
---
Tags: mathematics, faculty-application
---
|
thread-29463
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29463
|
Putting verbal offer of PHD position on resume
|
2014-10-06T02:10:29.580
|
# Question
Title: Putting verbal offer of PHD position on resume
While I was studying abroad, I was offered a PHD position for having a very impressive project. I was actually only in 3rd year engineering at the time and I din't want to go into the professor's specific area of research, so I declined the offer. The only written confirmation I have of this is an e-mail exchange.
That course is important in the field that I'm going into, so I really want to mention that I did really well on it, but I'm afraid that a verbal conversation and an e-mail exchange isn't official enough. After all, if someone asks the professor, it's highly probable that he will have forgotten and he might claim I mis-understood the e-mail exchange. Should I:
1. Include the fact that I got an offer on the resume anyways.
2. E-mail the prof to get a written confirmation and only include his distinction in my resume if he replies. What type of written confirmation would this even involve?
3. Tone down the claim to say that I had the best project and leave out the offer.
# Answer
> 20 votes
I would not include such an offer on a CV. Saying you were offered a position is fine to include in a cover letter or statement of purpose or other such document, but a CV should be a listing of demonstrable accomplishments. Including something like this is potentially awkward—and declining a job offer is not normally what you want to "show off" on a CV anyways.
# Answer
> 11 votes
I would recommend against including a verbal offer on your resume. Even aside from whether the professor remembers, an offer of a PhD position might not be very meaningful. Professors vary in how careful and responsible they are about making such offers, and I've known of cases in which faculty expressed interest to potential students in ways those students thought of as near-binding offers but which were not intended that way. (If someone says "Would you like to come do a PhD with me?", they may view the question as having implicit conditions such as "provided you meet the admissions requirements and I can come up with funding for you," while the student may not realize that. This question means the professor will try to make things work out, but it doesn't guarantee that they will try hard or succeed.)
Of course your offer may well have been far more serious, but it's hard to convey this on your resume without going into too much detail about it.
> Tone down the claim to say that I had the best project and leave out the offer.
I would take this approach, assuming you have some official recognition such as an award for the best project in the class. (If it was at a prestigious university, then having such an award might mean more than the PhD offer.) If you don't, then there's insufficient basis for calling it the best project.
If you're applying to graduate school, why not ask the professor in question for a letter of recommendation? That would give him an opportunity to write about how impressive the project was, how it was the best in the class, and how he wishes you wanted to specialize in his area since you would make a wonderful PhD student. Hearing these sentiments from him would mean more than anything you could list in your resume.
Similarly, if you're applying for jobs, you could ask the professor whether you could list him as a reference.
If it wouldn't make sense to ask him for a letter or to serve as a reference, then it's probably not important enough to be worth worrying about indicating on your resume.
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Tags: phd, cv
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thread-29456
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29456
|
What to say in PhD application when potential advisor is moving to another university?
|
2014-10-05T21:33:05.497
|
# Question
Title: What to say in PhD application when potential advisor is moving to another university?
I am in the process of applying to PhD programs in Computer Science. A professor with whom I'm interested in working is moving from university A to university B. While he is not super well-known, his research interests and mine align very well, and I am quite sure I would have been admitted to university A had he remained there.
He will not moving to B until latter half of 2015, which means that he will not be able to give input into PhD applications to university B for the 2015 admissions cycle.
I will be applying to university B (with the hope that I can work with him), but is there anything that I can (or should) do with regard to my application? Or just mention it in SoP?
(B is slightly more competitive than A, and both are top 15 schools)
# Answer
> 13 votes
> which means that he will not be able to give input into PhD applications to university B
This is incorrect. He certainly can, if he chooses, e-mail the director of graduate admissions at B, say that he's interested in working with you, and ask him/her to consider your application favorably. They don't have to admit you, but that would be true even if he were at B now and had been there a long time.
I'd recommend mentioning this in your SOP, and perhaps also e-mailing him and letting him know that you are applying to B with the idea of working with him. (If you have not done so already.)
That said, "I am quite sure I would have been admitted to university A had he remained there" sounds possibly a bit presumptuous, although I don't know your circumstances. In any case, do what you would have done if this professor wasn't moving: apply to the graduate program where he'll be, let him know, and hope for the best. Good luck.
# Answer
> 0 votes
Usually it's presumptuous to plan the professor you'll be working with in years 3+ of your Ph.D. before completing the first couple. There are many reasons you might not want to work with a professor, but either you will not want to (your interests or goals change) or they will not want to or be otherwise unavailable.
Therefore, **first and foremost, you need to demonstrate to a school you belong at the school.** Specific interest in a professor may very well be a major factor in your decision, but from the stance of your application it will be supplemental. If the target professor can vouch for you, remember they are vouching for you to be admitted to the school, and that they would be very interested in working with you in the future.
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Tags: phd, graduate-admissions, advisor, computer-science
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thread-29472
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29472
|
Can work experience overcome bad undergrad grades for admissions to masters programs in Germany?
|
2014-10-06T05:02:06.517
|
# Question
Title: Can work experience overcome bad undergrad grades for admissions to masters programs in Germany?
I did my graduation in Electronics and Communication engineering, and now I am working as a software engineer for more than two years.
I have this problem that during my graduation I failed in a few subjects like analog electronics and organization behaviour. (Yeah!! It sucks that I kinda failed in Analog and Organization at the time, but now as I have experience working, I feel that they are very interesting and knowing there practical applications)
I cleared them in the following year, and passed my graduation all clear in the 4 year period.
I have three questions
1. Will I get into a high ranking German university?
2. Will the work experience count?
3. What else can I do to improve my profile.
# Answer
The answer to all your questions depends on the university. There are only some rough standards which needs to be implemented by the universities.
If you consider computer science at my university the state dictated that one has to have a *good* bachelor to enroll in the master courses. Now there are two possibilities: Either you have a grade better than 2.5 (which is a B- in the European grading system and considered barely *good*) or you have to give reasons why your bachelor is weaker and then a committee has to decide whether you are allowed to enroll. But I know that other universities and even other departments at my university have other rules.
> 5 votes
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Tags: graduate-admissions, masters, grades, germany
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thread-3153
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/3153
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How does one change to engineering for graduate school after undergrad in a science field?
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2012-09-09T01:54:06.540
|
# Question
Title: How does one change to engineering for graduate school after undergrad in a science field?
I've always had an interest in electrical engineering (actually all engineering in general) and I've decided that I'd like to pursue a graduate degree. I guess I'm wondering if I should really try to do this or just keep it as a fun hobby I spend all my free time doing.
So, the question is, how does one change fields between undergrad and grad school? A specific example follows, but please provide answers that address a more general case, so that your answers will be helpful to other people with the same general question.
I already have a BS and MS in chemistry with a minor in applied math.I published three papers during my MS, one first author in the top journal in my specialty and two as coauthor in an average and a so-so journal. I hope those will count for something. I finished my BS with around 3.1 and my MS with a 3.9 gpa. I'm sure that my MS advisor would write me a great letter. My GRE scores are too old to count so I'd have to retake it or try and get a pass on it since I already have a graduate degree. Since finishing school I've been working for 4 years as a chemist. I can get great recommendations from my supervisor who is a PhD chemist.
I've been working for a while to cover some of the things I would have learned in a BSEE to try and make up for my lack of one. I worked through some texts on analog/digital design, lots and lots of programming, built a balancing robot that got a bit of internet attention, and I'm currently working on an autonomous robotics project that's looking really good so far. After that I have more project ideas than I have time or money for.
I want to apply for PhD programs (specifically in controls/robotics) but I'm worried that my application will get tossed right away because I don't have a BSEE. Maybe I should just apply to MS programs?
# Answer
> 5 votes
I will answer a slightly more general question. **How does one change fields between undergrad and grad school?** The answer *very carefully* is correct, albeit unhelpful. The single most important criteria when applying for a strong PhD (at least in math, engineering, or the natural sciences, but probably true in other fields too) are **letters of recommendation** and **demonstrated research ability**. Bad grades can sink your application, but good grades (even from a top school) are not enough to get you in (nor good test scores, although they help).
If you want to get a PhD, but don't have any experience in the area, you should **first apply to a masters program**, where **you can gain experience and impress potential letter of recommendation writers**. Often admission to a masters program is less competitive than to a PhD program (if even getting into the masters program is difficult, you could start as a non-degree student). But if you can publish a few papers during your masters and convince a few of your professors that you have both the *ability* and *desire* to succeed in grad school, then you're application to a PhD program will be much stronger. I also recommend that you **talk with the schools where you plan to apply** and ask what they suggest that you do to strengthen your application.
You might also like to read this question and answer Is it possible to attend graduate school in pure math after undergrad in CSE?
# Answer
> 1 votes
I think Dan C has covered the most important points. I will add just one more which is relevant here as the OP mentions to have been a practising chemist for 4 years.
I think professional/industrial experience can also add to the weight of a PhD application. This is *even when* there may not be any visible or direct connexion between the field being sought for PhD and the field being professed (at or just before the time of the application). Such candidates are desirable because they are assumed to be target-oriented, disciplined, good at time management, and team players.
Therefore, a letter of recommendation from say the director or chief technology officer of the company that highlights such characteristics can also increase one's chances. Actually, if such a letter additionally expresses high confidence on the *fast learning and grasping abilities* of the candidate (justified with tangible examples along with achievements), then I believe that that letter can be even stronger than letters from your MS co-supervisor or a professor whose lectures you excelled in, etc.
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Tags: graduate-admissions, engineering, changing-fields
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thread-26773
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/26773
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Are there still journals who only publish their papers in the paper form?
|
2014-08-04T08:00:28.550
|
# Question
Title: Are there still journals who only publish their papers in the paper form?
As far as I can say, for the papers published nowadays, there is usually a possibility to get an electronic version of the paper. (Often it requires payment or institutional subscription, but many publishers offer the papers free of charge for older issues.)
Are there still journals, which do not offer possibility to get electronic version of the paper online and use paper version as the only way of distribution of their journal? If yes, is it the case only for small publishers? Are there differences between various disciplines? (I have experience mostly with mathematics.)
# Answer
> 12 votes
Yes. But they are more or less irrelevant at this point. Very, very few people will bother to read them.
One journal in my own field was strictly print until a couple of years ago. They are finally included in one database, but with a five year embargo (meaning only very old articles are available electronically). Another newer journal with a similar target audience is completely open access. Obviously, the open-access journal is getting cited more, the established paper-only one less and less.
In my opinion, the aversion to making a journal available electronically is based on old-fashioned technophobia. There is no serious rationale for it. Yes, they could get more money from actual subscriptions if libraries and/or individuals were willing to pay for them, but that's simply no longer a viable model.
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Tags: publications, journals, academic-history
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thread-29475
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29475
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Choosing PhD advisor in a field different from your undergrad research?
|
2014-10-06T09:23:59.903
|
# Question
Title: Choosing PhD advisor in a field different from your undergrad research?
I am applying to grad schools now, in physics dept. I have been doing my undergrad research on high energy and astrophysics. But recently I have started to gain a lot of interest in condensed matter physics. If I get accepted to grad school, I will be selected on the basis of my massive undergrad research which is mostly focused on high energy physics. But, I want to do my PhD on condensed matter. But one of my main concern is finding an advisor. I am worried that the professors in top tier universities may not comply with it.
Is it possible to persuade advisors in condensed matter to guide me? (especially in a top tier university)
If yes, how easy is it ?
I am not so sure about it....But is this thing really common among grad students?
# Answer
> 1 votes
You are talking about what you did as an undergraduate. When talking to a potential supervisor, you have to remember that you are still going to be a student. You will be learning things. A supervisor will see your previous research and your *potential* for additional research.
As an undergraduate, I'm pretty sure that you did not become a world expert in astrophysics. So it's not like that you will have "wasted" knowledge, now that you will switch to a different topic.
Also, it's not like you're changing from biology to physics. You are staying within the realm of physics, and any skills that you gained doing your ("unrelated") undergraduate research will only benefit you when doing your graduate research.
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Tags: phd, graduate-school, advisor, research-undergraduate, changing-fields
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thread-29482
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29482
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Why would a senior PI need to take a part-time job at another university?
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2014-10-06T14:36:29.770
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# Question
Title: Why would a senior PI need to take a part-time job at another university?
A senior professor works at one university, has his own lab and research group(s). Recently, he took another part-time job at a better university. So why do professors need to take part-time jobs? Is it because his main university started to pay half salary or is it because he needs extra funding to work together at another university? Or just because he lacks funding and seeking opportunity somewhere else?
Does this professor reserve to right to ask the new faculty to employ or joint pay his research fellow? Or this is more usual that he needs to pay his staff with his own funding.
# Answer
> A senior professor works at one university, has his own lab and research group(s). Recently, he took another part-time job at a better university. So why do professors need to take part-time jobs?
Of course there's no way to say for sure based on so little information, but I wouldn't assume it has anything to do with finances, actually. The most likely explanation is that he wanted to be associated in some way with the more prestigious university. Maybe just because it sounds impressive (either to society at large or on papers/grants), maybe because he hopes to move there fully in the future, maybe because the association might help him attract strong students or postdocs, maybe because he is collaborating with someone there or managing a joint grant, etc.
> Does this professor reserve to right to ask the new faculty to employ or joint pay his research fellow?
There's no way of answering this without much more information. Some people have affiliations with other universities that consist of just a title (with no salary or research funding at all), others genuinely have part-time jobs, and some have negotiated deals involving all sorts of things. In general I wouldn't assume there's any agreement to provide joint funding for research fellows, but there might be.
> 14 votes
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Tags: career-path, professorship, part-time, joint-appointment
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thread-13119
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/13119
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How to pursue graduate admissions in mathematics seven years after a humanities undergrad degree?
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2013-10-01T15:11:14.317
|
# Question
Title: How to pursue graduate admissions in mathematics seven years after a humanities undergrad degree?
The simple version:
I've been out of college for 7 years and want to pursue graduate studies in a field unrelated to my undergraduate degree but am not sure how.
The detailed version:
My college career began as a Physics major. I made what I now consider the mistake of changing to a technically driven humanities major (Electronic Media, Arts and Communications) although I completed a great deal of my pure sciences coursework.
Years later I have a very solid job in a field that I hate and want desperately to get back to school to work towards higher degrees in mathematics. I've spent the last five years as a systems engineer with a focus on network distributed video and have a very solid resume in my field, but my academic credentials are poor. A 2.8 GPA (albeit from a strong school) and an unrelated B.S.
I've made it a point to keep up studies in math, participing in a great many MOOCs to try to backfill my mathematical education and keep my skills sharp.
What I *don't* know is how to re-approach academics. Would I need to earn some additional undergraduate credits before applying for a graduate program? I expect GREs will be required, but that's not a major issue as I've been scoring quite well on practice exams.
I *know* that I lack educational recommendations and undergraduate research, and I have absolutely no idea how to supplement this lack...
# Answer
> 2 votes
As mentioned in the comments, visit the Universities, meet with the professors of the fields that interest you the most (of course, make an appointment to see them). I would suggest emailing professors (not to the point of pestering) - asking them about research papers they've had published - show an interest in and knowledge about their work.
Going further, you have Physics and you have been taking a lot of courses to keep your skill set up to date, so these would work in your favour. On top of that, your work experience provides a solid work-ethic and some more applied skills and knowledge (which, depending on what you are going for, may of a huge benefit to you).
Talk to the admissions people of the faculties in the universities that you are interested in.
Most of all, in all interactions, be truthful about everything including your grades, academic history, work experience and motivations. But speak of the skills that you have gained from each thing you have done.
# Answer
> 8 votes
To get admitted to a graduate program in math, although work experience may suggest greater maturity, etc., the issues will be letters of recommendation and documentable standard-material background (whether in conventional courses or somehow-verifiable self-study...), and possibly a GRE subject test score if only to show that one is aware that the thing exists and is widely believed to be relevant (even while many, including myself, do not consider it a good predictor of anything much beyond multiple-choice-test-taking abilities).
Unless you've self-studied into a quite unusual state of expertise, you'll most likely not have much success in getting an idea of what contemporary research in mathematics is about, and it might be awkward to attempt a conversation with faculty about their current work. Perhaps such a thing would be feasible in other fields (I have no idea...) it is not typical in mathematics. That is, people going to grad school usually have only a general idea of the direction of their interests, even with a solid coursework background. In particular, funding for graduate work is rarely dependent upon connecting with any particular faculty more than tentatively. (Again, this is evidently unlike other fields.)
Helpful letters of recommendations would be from professional mathematicians actively involved in research, acquainted with graduate programs in mathematics, who can speak from direct personal experience both about what such programs will demand of you, and about your qualifications to meet those challenges in terms of prior preparation and in terms of interest.
Probably the way to put yourself in a position to have such letter writers is to take upper-division or beginning-graduate courses at a solid university, as a "non-degree student", do well, and thereby be able to ask the instructor for such letters. It's not the *credits* themselves, but the information and the certification by faculty (beyond "getting a good grade"). That is, you'll want people to attest to your *future* potential, beyond accomplishments to date, in the sense that (hopefully) "you've only just begun", rather than having peaked-out.
If you *are* an outstanding multiple-choice test-taker, getting a stellar score on the math subject test GRE will catch the eye of many! :)
Other routes for certifying that your self-study has made progress are difficult. E.g., certificates from on-line courses are not worth much, and, most often, those courses are too elementary to be relevant to graduate study in mathematics.
If you are not geographically flexible, going to the nearby universities mathematics departments and asking "what it would take" for admission, \_with\_funding\_ (don't go without funding), and try to do it. The whole process might take long enough that it'd be wise to keep the job you have, even if you don't like it, to support yourself (and others?) through the preliminary stages of gaining entry into a graduate mathematics program.
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Tags: graduate-admissions, mathematics, changing-fields, time-off
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thread-29484
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29484
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Who should be listed as authors on extended abstract of thesis?
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2014-10-06T14:54:16.393
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# Question
Title: Who should be listed as authors on extended abstract of thesis?
I want to submit an extended abstract of my Ph.D. dissertation to a workshop that looks for summaries of recent work. My dissertation is based on several publications done in collaboration with other researchers (and my adviser).
Who should be listed as authors for the purpose of the workshop submission? Just myself, because I am the sole author of the dissertation, and would be the sole author of the newly written extended abstract. In which case, I knowledge my collaborators. Or do I list all the collaborators as authors of the extended abstract?
# Answer
> 5 votes
It's safest to ask your collaborators what they would prefer. You can't include them as coauthors of an extended abstract without their permission, and they might be upset if you leave them off. (Even if doing so is standard at this workshop, they might not know that or might disapprove of this standard.) I'd guess that they would politely decline authorship of the dissertation abstract if asked, but there's no way to be sure other than asking.
But first I'd recommend asking your advisor about this issue. I'm not sure what sort of workshop you mean, which suggests that this may be field-specific. In that case, you need to be aware of the conventions of your field and this workshop in particular. Presumably you aren't the first person to submit a dissertation abstract to this workshop, so this issue must have been dealt with before. If your advisor doesn't know offhand, then it's worth looking through past years to try to find examples. (As a last resort you could ask the workshop organizers for advice, but you shouldn't bother them with this unless you have to, and I'd be very surprised if you had to.)
Then you can write to your other coauthors and say "I'd like to submit an extended abstract of my dissertation to Workshop X. When people have done that in the past, coauthorship of papers appearing in the dissertation has been handled like this: ... Is it OK with you if we do the same here?" It's worth including a copy of your proposed submission, so they can see exactly how they would be mentioned if they won't be authors.
If you don't include them as formal authors of the abstract, then of course you should make it very clear that this is merely a summary of work published elsewhere and who the authors of those papers are.
# Answer
> 1 votes
Well, you will mention your co-workers in your dissertation, and I would recommend to add the significant ones to the paper. If your new abstract is just discussing your own work, you should be the only author, but from your question I got the ipression, that original work of others is included and therefore they should be co-authors. One exception could be if you are just citing already published material, then it would be formally correct to be the only author - but personally I would not choose this option unless I really have t,o because it lowers the motivation for others to collaborate in the future.
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Tags: phd, thesis, authorship, abstract
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thread-23681
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/23681
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Is it hard to get an article published in a journal as an undergraduate?
|
2014-06-19T18:32:49.680
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# Question
Title: Is it hard to get an article published in a journal as an undergraduate?
I'm an undergrad and I would like to publish in a research journal, specifically, ones about chemical pedagogy.
Is it hard to get an article published in a journal?
Are there any other venues which may be easier - i.e. do you know of any say magazines on chemical pedagogy or aimed toward chemistry educators? I'd imagine that the standards for publication in a magazine are lower than in a scientific journal.
Any advice for a beginner at writing and publishing?
# Answer
> 6 votes
I would imagine that your best bet is to talk to a faculty member about it. Find a faculty member who is also interested in the topic. They can probably give you good advice on this and may even be interested in co-authoring the paper with you (which is probably more realistic as an undergrad), and honestly going this route wouldn't be too bad for you since your name would then be associated with an expert on the subject, giving you more credibility.
One thing I've learned in college is that if you have an idea, talking to a faculty member about it can get you a *lot* of opportunities. And if you talk to someone and they can't help you, they can almost always refer you to someone else who can be of help.
# Answer
> 3 votes
Depends on the journal. You might want to try publishing in your university's undergraduate journal if you don't have backing from a faculty member.
\[For an example of a university-specific undergraduate journal, click here.\]
# Answer
> 3 votes
If you ask questions "Is it hard to get an article published in a journal?", about journals and in general "Any advice for a beginner at writing and publishing?", etc. then it is very unlikely you will publish something in a reputable journal, based only on a few lines of advice via Internet.
However:
* try looking at student's conferences; very often there are great places to share undergraduate work, and learn how to present results (via posters, talks, sometimes - conference proceedings),
* ask someone from your university to look at your work, and guide you through the first publication (a lot of work, but worth it); but since it's chemistry you do it in someone's lab, right?
# Answer
> 1 votes
Yes, it is hard to publish in a peer reviewed journal.
If it were easy anybody and everybody would do it. That should not prevent you from trying.
Typically a magazine is easier to publish in. The real question you need to ask yourself is "Who is my target audience?" The general public? Or experts in the field? If the general public, a magazine might be the best choice.
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Tags: publications, research-undergraduate
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thread-29489
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29489
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What are the requirements for admissions to a masters degree in computer science in Canada for an international student?
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2014-10-06T17:11:23.223
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# Question
Title: What are the requirements for admissions to a masters degree in computer science in Canada for an international student?
I am a double major in Physics and Computer Science from an underdeveloped country. I would like to apply for a masters in computer science in Canada. What requirements do you think I should fulfill?
Currently, I have a CGPA of 4.0 (and I have only four additional semesters to go), although that CGPA is likely to go down by a small margin over time.
# Answer
> 2 votes
You should check the minimum requirements of the program you are aiming to apply.
But, generally speaking; you may need some proof of language skills (depending on whether your language of study in your BS was English or you are native English speaking, you may not need this document) and official report of your grades and GPA.
Some universities may need a statement of purpose and depending on the entry requirements, you *may* have to sit an entrance exam or an oral interview via internet. Some universities may require a report of GRE score which you should prepare for separately.
Also you need to find a way to pay your tuition fees and living costs. If you are not self-funding, it is a good idea to check the scholarships which you are eligible for (some of these scholarships are reported on the website of the departments and universities).
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Tags: graduate-admissions, masters, computer-science, international-students, canada
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thread-29478
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29478
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Can I study and obtain two PhDs in different subjects simultaneously?
|
2014-10-06T13:53:00.097
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# Question
Title: Can I study and obtain two PhDs in different subjects simultaneously?
I am a student of LLM. After LLM I want to do Ph.D on Waqf family courts. I am also interested in doing a Ph.D on comparative religion from Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi. My doubt is can I do a Ph.D in both subjects simultaneously from the same university or different university, or is it necessary to complete in one subject and then pursue another. After all is it allowed to obtain two Ph.Ds.
# Answer
> 2 votes
## Check the policies and regulations
Answering to your question hugely depends on the policies of the universities where you want to do PhDs *and* the country and education system where you are located. Some may allow you and some may not. Even, some universities may not also be interested in students doing simultaneous degrees. Moreover, you need to make sure whether your funding provider (if you are not self-funding) allows you to study for two degrees or not. So, nobody can give you exact information on this part of your question.
However, I have a general advice to you:
## Don't run, Walk!
Take a deep breath and answer this question: Why do you want to apply for two PhD degrees simultaneously?
A PhD degree requires the student to spend most of his time studying and collaborating with his/her advisor. You may need to take some courses in each program, spend your time searching for topics and current papers and books, read them, find an original topic for your dissertation. Put all these huge academic chores besides to your personal life.
It is not a good idea to study two degrees even if the policies allow you to do so.
## Don't leave your interests
However, if you are so interested in both subjects, you can apply for one PhD as your major research path and follow the other path as you second or minor research interest. Read papers and books about it. Even, in your free time, you can talk to a professor whose research field is near to your minor research path. Attend conferences, colloquiums and seminars about your favorite subject. Keep in mind that you simply don't need to obtain another PhD to meet your research interests.
# Answer
> 2 votes
You may want to consider doing your PhD in the interdisciplinary space between Law and Religion, rather than pursuing two separate degrees. This prevents your becoming spread too thin--with time and energy--to be effective at either. You may also find that the interdisciplinary space provides you a unique opportunity with unique research problems.
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Tags: phd, second-degree, law
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thread-29368
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29368
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What must a researcher know or understand about another researcher to ensure successful research collaboration?
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2014-10-03T17:20:34.240
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# Question
Title: What must a researcher know or understand about another researcher to ensure successful research collaboration?
What must a researcher know or understand about another researcher to confidently conclude that he or she can become a good partner in collaboration? Specific opinions will be appreciated, e.g. the researcher must understand how his or her potential collaborator's skill set.
# Answer
The most important thing to know about a potential collaborator is *what their expectations are* with respect to the collaboration.
For example,
* **Division of labor** \- who is responsible for which part of the work? If new tasks come up (as they will), how will the collaborators make decisions as to the division of labor?
* **Authorship** \- who will be an author on publications resulting from the collaboration, and in what order? If the collaborators are students, are they planning to involve their advisors in the joint research effort to the point that they'd also be authors? If the are professors, will they involve their students? How will decisions on changes to the author list be made?
* **Publishing** \- where will they publish articles resulting from the collaboration? Is one collaborator or another set on a specific venue, or specific level of prestige? Do the collaborators have a similar minimum level of reputation for conferences and journals they're willing to submit to? How do the collaborators feel about pre-publication dissemination of the work, e.g. preprints, presentations?
* **Timeline** \- what is the timeline for this research collaboration? Is this a strict timeline, or is it OK if things end up taking much longer?
* **Communication** \- how often will the collaborators check in with each other? Will they meet regularly, or just contact one another to share news (good or bad)?
There are of course no right or wrong answers to these questions; it's agreement that matters. More than any particular skill, compatible expectations are necessary for a successful collaboration.
> 5 votes
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Tags: research-process, collaboration, soft-skills
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thread-29507
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29507
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Can images with a "noncommercial use only" licence be used in teaching and academic presentations?
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2014-10-06T22:48:11.800
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# Question
Title: Can images with a "noncommercial use only" licence be used in teaching and academic presentations?
Can I use images with a "noncommercial use only" license (such as CC-BY-NC) in my slides, both for teaching and conference talks?
# Answer
> 16 votes
I'd bet it's probably fine, but there's no way to get a definitive answer without asking the copyright holder (this is one of the weaknesses with the noncommercial Creative Commons licenses). The Creative Commons definition of commercial use is use that is "primarily intended for or directed towards commercial advantage or monetary compensation". Most teaching and conference talks seem pretty clearly noncommercial to me by this standard. But what if someone argues that you're only doing that teaching to earn money? Does the mere fact that you are using this material to help you do your paid job transform it into commercial use, or can you argue that in fact your use was not motivated primarily by earning money? What if you're getting paid an honorarium to give a talk - does that make it even more of a commercial activity? You could end up in all sorts of debates about what the "primary intentions" are, with many borderline cases, and there's no objective way to resolve the disagreement.
The Creative Commons organization does not attempt to settle these issues, but does note that "not all educational uses are necessarily NonCommercial uses, so your use of an NC license may preclude use of your work in some educational contexts". There seems to be no official guidance as to what this is intended to cover. Maybe it is limited to cases such as selling teaching materials, or maybe it is much broader.
In practice, I imagine most people using a noncommercial license would not object to these uses. There is a study of what users have in mind when choosing such a license, which doesn't directly address your issues but may shed light on them. However, it's worth noting that people have in fact had nontrivial disputes over what constitutes noncommercial use, with at least one court decision that disagrees with what I would have predicted.
I can't really imagine anyone would sue you over ordinary teaching or conference talks. The worst plausible scenario is probably offending the copyright holder (and being asked to remove the image), not getting sued. That could be a risk worth taking if you believe that these uses should be considered noncommercial.
Of course I'm not a lawyer or an expert in Creative Commons licenses, and I don't know the real risks, so you should take this whole answer with a grain of salt.
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Tags: copyright, graphics, presentation, creative-commons
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thread-29492
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29492
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Are there situations where taking an honorarium for trying a textbook on a class is acceptable behavior?
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2014-10-06T17:27:40.113
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# Question
Title: Are there situations where taking an honorarium for trying a textbook on a class is acceptable behavior?
A publisher for an e-textbook is offering me an honorarium if I try it with a class. My own ethical take on this is that I would not entertain this regardless of the size of the honorarium (which I don't know). I certainly wouldn't do this without full disclosure to the students who I'm forcing to buy the book. I also don't see this as a particularly good text for my course.
While my own position is sort of steadfast, it's something that I haven't seen before in academic publishing, so I'll ask "Are there situations where taking an honorarium for trying a textbook on a class is acceptable behavior?"
# Answer
> 10 votes
I think if you'd not seriously consider the text *without* the honorarium, that clinches a "don't do it". That is, external monetary motivations should not be allowed to color your professional judgement. And, given that the appearance of impropriety is itself a potential problem, even if the text is plausible, better to be able to later claim objectivity by not taking an honorarium/bribe...
# Answer
> 9 votes
In this situation "honorarium" seems like a glorified bribe. It would be OK to accept payment for actual work (like, producing a written report on how the book did in a class), but as long as no such work is expected then all the publisher would be asking is for the instructor to sell his students. So my answer would be a plain "no".
One of the reasons that Universities pay their professors handsomely is precisely in order to buy them freedom.
I would add that such a publisher deserves to be made "famous" for such practices.
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Tags: teaching, ethics, books, publishers, conflict-of-interest
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thread-29528
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29528
|
Making additional changes to manuscript after the refereeing process is completed
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2014-10-07T12:19:10.477
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# Question
Title: Making additional changes to manuscript after the refereeing process is completed
After doing some revision to my paper to include changes suggested by the referee (who will not see the paper again, having recommended the paper for publication), is it OK for me to make a minor change of my own, in the manuscript (before I send it to the editor)? Should I declare this in the list of changes or should I wait till the paper is officially accepted for publication by the journal? Would it then be up to the editor to check the validity of the slightly changed statement?
(I've noticed something minor in the manuscript, which needs to be fixed - and amounts to changing a couple of words in the comments section).
# Answer
> 5 votes
I always make minor edits (unrelated to the reviewer comments) at the time of doing revisions, and make a comment in the response letter, e.g. "we have also made minor changes to improve the readability of section 4.2." It's in the interests of the journal to have a well-written article.
Depending on the journal, you will probably also have a chance to make very minor revisions during the copyediting process.
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Tags: publications, paper-submission
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thread-29536
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29536
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How to address graduate school recommendation letter?
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2014-10-07T13:36:03.140
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# Question
Title: How to address graduate school recommendation letter?
Since I'm applying for grad school, I'm currently in the process of acquiring recommendation letters from my professors. They usually ask me a few questions about how to guide the letter, such as what do I want to emphasize and how to address the letter?
How does one address a grad school applicant's recommendation letter? I mostly settle for "Dear Madam or Sir". Is "Dear Graduate Admissions Committee" or some other alternative considered better?
# Answer
According to Wikipedia
1. Dear Sir or Madam or 'Sir/Madam' (If the gender of the reader is unknown).
2. To Whom It May Concern (If the writer wishes to exclude the gender of the reader from the salutation and/or to convey that the reader should forward the copy to one more suited to receive or respond appropriately).
As @Davidmh has mentioned it is least concerned. I personally have chosen to use "To Whom It May Concern" when I applied to grad school as in some grad schools the recommendation letters might get forwarded from the admissions staff to various professors.
**Edit :** The first is British English and the second is American English as mentioned by @Davidmh
> 5 votes
# Answer
If you are required to send your letter of recommendation to a specific person (may be your future advisor), the admission committee, head of department or an office in the university where you are applying to, then you should tell your professor to address that specific person or office. If in the guidelines of your application, you have not seen any emphasis on to whom/where should the letter be written, then ask your professor to write you a general recommendation like the one indicated in the @Srikanth's answer.
P.S: As I read the first paragraph of your question; I think your professors want to know what is most important for you to be included in your letter of recommendation. Something which will positively affect your application chance and something that should become bold in their recommendation. Of course they have many students in their classes and they may miss some positive and important points about you. So, they ask you to remind them the important things which comes to your mind. I have seen some professors that ask the students who want letters of recommendation to write a draft themselves and by reading the draft, they write a recommendation letter for their student.
> 2 votes
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Tags: etiquette, recommendation-letter
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thread-29547
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29547
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Should I contact the journal after "with editor" for two months?
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2014-10-07T14:49:13.927
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# Question
Title: Should I contact the journal after "with editor" for two months?
I submitted a paper to an Elsevier journal two months ago. I checked the status today and it was "with editor". I understand the reviewing process may take a while, but apparently it is not under review yet. I did a bit research and found that most papers in the journal are accepted less than 6 months. I am wondering if it is appropriate for me to send inquiry message to the editor in this case? Or a more general question is how long should I wait till sending them inquiry/reminder messages. Thanks.
# Answer
You can always send a message to an editor to enquire about the status of your manuscript. But, you need to consider a few basic points.
First, try to assess how the journal operates, for example what time frames are usually met by people submitting work to the journal. Try also to see what is considered the norm in your field (assuming this journal is in that field). Since the way journals operate varies between both fields and amongst the journals themselves, you need to assess what is a reasonable time.
Second, Try to see if you can figure out what this message "with the editor" means. I would interpret it as not having been sent out for review yet. If that is true then it seems like posing a question would be timely. If the message indicates the paper may also be under review or possibly even back after review for the editor to evaluate, then two months is certainly not too long. So, understanding the process stages and how the messages relate to these may help you decide whether a request is timely or not.
Editors, should not mind responding to brief questions of this sort but if it is clear from their point that the request is clearly premature, it will add to the stress. In other words, an assessment from your side of the normal waiting time along with an appropriate question is a good ground for the communication. Such an assessment can be made by asking your peers and others who have submitted to the journal. You can also kindly ask the editor to provide some insights into the time frame of the review process. It is after all not uncommon that authors may be more or less ready to handle revisions at different times and knowing what to expect is therefore useful.
> 1 votes
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Tags: publications, etiquette, paper-submission
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thread-29535
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29535
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Is it okay to directly address your reader when writing a scientific paper?
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2014-10-07T13:22:54.010
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# Question
Title: Is it okay to directly address your reader when writing a scientific paper?
I'm currently writing a paper that has some kind of tutorial parts in it. I have written sentences similar to:
«... depending on your operating system, the procedure is different»
Is addressing the reader directly like that in a scientific paper ok? Or should I try to rewrite these sentences?
# Answer
Except when outlining a motivation for a particular section in a paper, I would recommend speaking in third person as much as possible. An example of the exception is:
> Because our primary interest is in \____ we have chosen to follow the method developed by \___.
For your case I would reword your sentence as:
> Depending on the operating system used, the implementation will differ.
Always shift the focus to the things being manipulated, whether it be an experiment, computer program, or anything else.
As for your sentence in the comment you could write it as:
> How the scripts are run is at the user's discretion; it may be interactive, line by line, or in batches, depending on its function.
I have used the `at the user's discretion` a lot in my work; it's a professional way of saying `you can do this part however you like`. Also, whenever I have to identify somebody whose completing a task, I try and identify them based on the task they are completing (e.g. `the analyst`, `the user`, or `the programmer`). If you say `you`, you are assuming that the reader is the one who will be carrying out these tasks, which may not be the case.
If you have to address the *reader*, then you can say something like:
> For the reader's convenience, the pertinent information has been summarized in Table 5.
or the famous, albeit witty, cop out:
> \_____ is left as an exercise for the reader.
> 7 votes
# Answer
Whether to speak in third person or directly in first person is a matter of taste and tradition. However, when you consider reading papers that are written in an active voice and in a direct way, compared to third person and passive voice there is probably no contest which will put you to sleep first.
Using "this author" about yourself or "the reader" distances both you and the reader from the work, it is as if you are reading account which only concerns others. There is no question that appropriately using "I" for yourself and maybe you for the reader is more direct and makes the communication clear. In an account where you also involve the reader you can also use "we" as in the reader and you, jointly. This is not the royal "We" as used by some.
In your example of "...depending on your operating system, the procedure is different" skipping the "your" would not detract from the message: "...depending on the operating system, the procedure is different". But since you really want to say that differences appear because of the type of operating system used, I would suggest rephrasing to something like "...depending on the choice of operating system, the procedure is different". I am, in this case, not sure if "your" makes the point any clearer to the reader.
> 4 votes
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Tags: writing-style
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thread-29494
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29494
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How do some Ws on transcripts affect PhD admissions in mathematics?
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2014-10-06T18:40:25.990
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# Question
Title: How do some Ws on transcripts affect PhD admissions in mathematics?
I am a senior who is graduating in December with a Bachelor's Degree in Pure math. I would really love to apply to the PhD program. However, I have been really depressed because even though I have a good GPA (3.85), and I have gotten mostly A's in all of my math classes (I have taken math classes up to Topology, measure theory, and Algebra), I feel like this is not good enough since I have 8 W's \[withdrawals--no grade given\] on my transcript. The horrible part is that 6 of these W's are on math courses. All those W's occurred during my first year at my university. The second year up to now I haven't gotten any W's.
My question is: How horrible (by the Committee who selects candidates for the program) is a W seen on a transcript? Is there anything I can do about it?
I feel like I have a big hole on my transcript, and it has been chasing me throughout my undergrad years even though I managed to hide myself from this monster and continued to take a lot of math courses, earning A's (and two B's) in all of them.
# Answer
Your situation doesn't sound so bad to me at all.
First of all, though perhaps I shouldn't, I will admit that many graduate admissions personnel do not thoroughly scour the transcripts. They look at the GPA and they look at the courses taken. Often this information is given separately on the application, so a look at the actual transcript may only be required if there is something missing there. So there's a **tip** for you: if you are asked for separate information about courses taken, definitely be sure to list it. (If on the other hand you are asked to list the courses taken together with the grades you got, it seems to me that you are ethically obligated to list the W's.)
More than this though, W's occupy a sort of nether region in academic grading. In my university we have WP (withdrew passing) and WF (withdrew failing). Only the latter affects your grade, and my understanding is that WP is not meant to be a stigmatic mark at all. (In fact undergraduate students are limited to 4 WP's over the course of their careers.) Unless the registrar puts an asterisk next to your 3.85 GPA and says **warning: there were some W's!** then in at least one very official sense the W's are *not being counted*.
More good news: all of the W's are in your first year. That is exactly the sort of localized difficulty followed by dramatic improvement that admissions committees are looking for.
I think it would be a good idea to use your personal statement to *briefly* address the W's. I'm thinking of one or two sentences which acknowledge that they exist, say a few vague words of excuse (e.g. "time to adjust to a new academic environment", "personal difficulties long since resolved"; nothing too specific or gory), and especially: point out how nicely you've moved on. If you feel like you can use the W's as part of a larger depiction of a crescendo of academic accomplishment, you might try that, but that's a more "advanced technique", so to speak.
I think it is quite likely that the average effect this will have on your application is little or none. Honestly, to me you sound significantly more guilty / apprehensive about a minor issue long since resolved than you need to be. I forgive you! Please don't hesitate to apply to all the PhD programs you're interested in. (If you like algebra/number theory/geometry/topology, please consider UGA.)
> 27 votes
# Answer
Well, I'm personally a current Ph.D student who was in exactly this situation....I had a *ton* of withdraws for psychiatric/medical reasons on my transcript, but I had my life and my psyche straightened out by the time I was ready for grad school. My advice is to be open and honest in your communication with the schools in question, let them know the reasons for the withdraws and that you have your headspace settled now.
There's a long tradition of mental health issues and mathematicians, there's a lot of us out there.
> 6 votes
# Answer
The first thing is to talk to the professors who would write recommendations for you. Firstly, those professors know a lot more about what happens in graduate admissions than you can guess. Secondly, recommendations are usually more highly weighted (and more closely read) than grades, so if they give you good recommendations that will out-weigh odd things on your transcript (especially if they were in freshman year).
> 0 votes
# Answer
Good point in your transcripts is your GPA. However, you have some withdrawing courses which may/may not affect your admission chances. Here are my general suggestions:
1. For a PhD admission, you will need two or three letters of recommendation. You can ask the professor who knows you and is writing the letter for you to explain why you had such problem. I think it will be better if the professor who is writing for you be the lecturer of the course you withdrew. He can explain the instances on it. (For instance, some other people in the same class also withdrew the course, the exams and assessment was really tough, etc.)
2. You can improve your chances and your problems with your transcripts by having a better GRE score report; so try to have higher scores on your GRE to improve your chances in your admissions.
And a final advice; this is your transcripts. You may not be able to change it. Don't be afraid of it and apply for the programs you like. Don't prejudge and let the admissions committee decide whether you are eligible for their program or not. May be the other applicants may not have better resumes than you and you be admitted in a good program, who knows? You will not miss anything.
> -1 votes
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Tags: graduate-admissions, mathematics, transcript-of-records, withdraw
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thread-29554
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29554
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If a professor is not offering funding to a PhD applicant, does it mean that he doesn't really want to be his advisor?
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2014-10-07T16:17:25.997
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# Question
Title: If a professor is not offering funding to a PhD applicant, does it mean that he doesn't really want to be his advisor?
In some countries, it is required for students to contact a professor and find an advisor before they start their application for that university. I have heard from some of my friends who are studying PhD that if a professor is eager to advise a student who has contacted him (because of his outstanding vita, publication, etc.), he will help that student to find a good scholarship or even offers some scholarships from funding providers he knows (maybe from industry, research institutes, etc.).
I am asking this because after I heard this comment, I feel that if a professor does not show support for scholarships, or if he says in emails
> I will be happy to advise you on your PhD, please go to admissions webpage, also visit scholarships webpage and apply for one you are eligible for receiving.
it means that this professor is not *strongly* interested in advising me.
I mean, if the professor really wanted to have me in his research group as a PhD student, he would try to help me finding scholarships. If he is not helping and is not talking about it, he is not really interested in having me as a PhD student. He believes that I am not a strong student and I will not find any scholarships. So, this is a way to politely and automatically reject a PhD student. Is this really true?
# Answer
It could be, as is usually the case in the UK, that the Professor has no direct influence on the awarding of scholarship money. It would, therefore, be irresponsible of him to mislead you about your chances of obtaining funding. I certainly wouldn't take it as a sign that he doesn't wish to supervise you.
> 13 votes
# Answer
That could be the reason, but I can think of a few alternatives.
* He may have a deadline for a paper next week, or has heavy teaching, or any other very time consuming task.
* He hasn't had a new PhD student lately, so he is not really updated in the funding sources available.
* You know your eligibility much more than he does. For example, you might state in your CV that your were born in Colombia, so he knows you have that nationality, but you may also have a Spanish passport, and thus be eligible for funding for EU citizens.
I would guess that these applications require you to submit some sort of research plan; that should be done with your future supervisor. Once you found a suitable funding possibility, ask for help to write the proposal.
> 9 votes
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Tags: graduate-admissions, funding, professorship, email
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thread-29466
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29466
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Do GRE verbal scores matter for graduate admissions in mathematics?
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2014-10-06T03:39:31.463
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# Question
Title: Do GRE verbal scores matter for graduate admissions in mathematics?
For the next 6 months or so, I plan to study hard for GRE. Since I don't have much time, I plan to ONLY study for the mathematics portion of the test as I would like to score at least in the 90th+ percentile for the Mathematics Subject Test. But in order to have the capability to achieve such a task within my time frame, I plan to spend no more than 3-4 days to study for the analytic writing and verbal reasoning portion of the general test.
So my question is: Do graduate schools focus or take into consideration the (possibly low score for the) analytic writing and verbal reasoning portion of the test if you were to score high on the mathematics part? Advice from those who are familiar with how selection committee of graduate schools (in Mathematics) pick applicants would be great!
Some clarification: I feel as if I was not too clear with my question. By "studying hard" I don't mean to sit down and just study "specifically" for the GRE test but rather to enhance my knowledge in Real Analysis, Abstract Algebra, Topology, and Differential Equations among other topics such as Set Theory and Logic. GRE Mathematics Subject Test will be something that I will be preparing for along the way. My reason to spend ~6 months has nothing to do with scoring high on GRE. I will perhaps spend no more than 1-2 weeks reviewing the Princeton Review. I just don't know if I will have much time to work on my writing skills if I'm deep-neck into learning Mathematics.
# Answer
> 8 votes
Yes, a decent verbal score is definitely desirable. I mean it: I have done graduate admissions for my math department, mentioned low verbal scores as a point against the applicant, and had the point taken by the rest of the committee. But I would think that spending three-plus years in a university would be the best possible way to study for the GRE verbal: if after all that you need separate study in reading comprehension, sentence completion, and so forth, something has gone wrong!
(I remember the GRE as the SAT all over again, to the extent that my GRE scores were each within 30 points of my corresponding SAT scores. The GRE has been retooled multiple times in recent years with the unfortunate effect that a lot of people doing graduate admissions, like me, are now a little vague on what it actually contains. We tend to assume that the changes are cosmetic and that the exam is more or less the same as the one we took years ago.)
The math subject GRE is not a hard *test* in the sense that you need to devote much (or any, necessarily) time to study for it. I remember contemplating studying for the Math GRE (circa 1997), learning that the study guide was really pretty miserable, and maybe spending a weekend flipping through a book on differential equations because I had never taken a course on that. More pertinently, I remember that at least one third of the test was rendered trivial by my deeper study of subjects like topology and analysis: e.g. I think there was a question like "Which of the following properties does the real line, as a topological space, *not* have? Hausdorff, compact..." To me this read more like a mathematical joke than anything else.
Here's the bottom line: please don't spend six months only, or even primarily, studying for any/all of the GRE. What a terrible waste of your time. If I am honest, the fact that you think this might be a good use of your time makes me concerned that you might not be a good candidate for a graduate program in mathematics. I would not say this if you provided any distinguishing or identifying information whatsoever, but as you are completely anonymous it is something to think about. The way you prepare for graduate school in mathematics is by learning math. That means absolutely mastering truly basic, undergraduate level topics like linear algebra and deepening your knowledge of algebra and analysis. This knowledge and mastery will serve you well at every step of the graduate process, starting with admissions.
# Answer
> 6 votes
As a graduate student you will have to write a thesis or dissertation. Your communication skills are important!
When I'm evaluating applicants to our graduate program in mathematics, it goes without saying that the applicant had better have a very high quantitative score and anyone who doesn't isn't going to be a desirable applicant. What separates the desirable students from the undesirable students are reasonably high scores on the other sections of the test.
Keep in mind that students in many disciplines take the GRE. I don't expect a mathematics student to be as good a writer as a student in English, but if the student has a ranking in the 10th percentile, I've got to wonder whether that student will be able to write an acceptable thesis without me doing a lot of editing.
# Answer
> 4 votes
My fairly extensive anecdotal experience is that "verbal" scores are harder to "cram" for, perhaps harder to "game", than the math subject test and "quantitative" exam... so that, perhaps oddly, a high verbal score seems to be a very positive indicator of future success, while subject test success has a more limited indication.
Lowish verbal scores, even with high Subject test scores, seem to be correlated (again, extensive-anecdotally) with a certain brittleness moving forward into PhD-level mathematics, ... perhaps after considerable success in lower-level mathematics. (We can observe the substantially non-verbal, nearly cryptic stylized form of much low-level mathematics.)
So, yes, some people on admissions committees (e.g., me...) pay attention to those other numbers. On the other hand, it's not at all clear that these things can be "studied-for", much less studied-for for several months.
As Pete Clark noted, learning more sophisticated mathematics is often far more effective at more-than-gaming the system, since quite a few of the prankish-shallow questions that would stump novices are transparent to a person with some experience, perspective, and context.
Even so, self-coaching about how to take a timed, multiple-choice test, and some prior samples, are surely helpful to best represent one's knowledge of the subject matter. And being rested, not over-caffeinated, not hung-over, etc. Despite the potential silliness of the last observation, I have observed many people disserve themselves by putting themselves into bad physical states for these and other exams... If diagnosable anxiety is an issue, it should be dealt with forthright-ly...
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Tags: graduate-admissions, mathematics, gre
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thread-29570
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29570
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Is it worthwhile to find a teaching letter writer who can also speak to research abilities?
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2014-10-07T22:42:14.033
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# Question
Title: Is it worthwhile to find a teaching letter writer who can also speak to research abilities?
When applying for academic jobs in the US, one is often asked for a recommendation letter from someone who can attest to your teaching abilities.
Should you try to find a teaching-letter-writer who can also speak in some way to your research? (For research-focused jobs, since you get to submit a bounded number of letters, this could be a sneaky way to get more research content into the letters.) Or do search committees for research-focused jobs generally not read teaching letters deeply/at all?
---
I am personally in mathematics. I am assuming the answers will not be too field-dependent (please correct me if I am mistaken), so I left it out of the main body of the question.
# Answer
> 3 votes
Search committees that I know read all the letters written for the candidates in whom they are interested, though of course some people read some letters more closely than others. I will admit that at my "research-focused" university, I often read teaching letters very briefly. In my defense, many teaching letters are not worthy of more than a very brief reading. They simply do not separate out the candidate or provide any really incisive or useful information. If teaching letters are to be believed, then approximately 99.5% of all candidates are above average teachers. Why do I find myself skeptical of this?
That said, I don't really see much advantage to "hiding" research in a teaching letter (or vice versa). If you get a teaching letter written by a "research professor", then they may be a little nervous about not mentioning the research whatsoever or feel through force of habit that they must say something. But really, when we read a teaching letter we want to hear about teaching, so saying something at the beginning like "Dr. Ray has asked me to write about her teaching, and so I will" would be fine.
You speak of a "bounded number of letters". That must be true, but the supremum may not be what you think. In most jobs that I know of, nothing stops you from submitting more letters than the number they ask for. Past a certain point maybe it looks obnoxious: I remember one candidate for an assistant professor position that had nine letters of recommendation (8 research, 1 teaching, I think). I felt that was a bit much but we certainly didn't disqualify the guy or write back to say how many of the letters we had burned without reading. In fact he made the short list and almost got an interview.
I would say: if you want to send **one or two more letters** than the application asks for: just do it. If you want someone to talk about your research, don't have them do it in a way that other people might not read, or might read but dismiss because they are expecting to hear about the teaching. Just get another letter. For that matter, it is increasingly common to get more than one teaching letter even for a research job, even though I know of no research job that asks for more than one.
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Tags: job-search, recommendation-letter, faculty-application
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thread-29581
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29581
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Is it advisable to continue with a research project if I'm not learning much from it?
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2014-10-08T05:12:04.217
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# Question
Title: Is it advisable to continue with a research project if I'm not learning much from it?
I’m an undergrad involved in a research project with a professor that has potential to lead to a publication in a good journal. The field concerned is a relatively new field of biology and this project is completely voluntary. My work till now has been brunt work- monotonous, painstaking work. There’s more in the future just like that. My concern is that I don’t seem to be learning much. I don’t understand everything that’s going on. My advisor doesn’t seem too concerned to acquaint me completely. His attitude is this: This stuff is something beyond the scope of my understanding right now, so I shouldn’t be very worried.
On one hand that seems reasonable- I’m only an undergrad who obviously cannot understand everything that’s going on simply because I don’t have the background for it. But I’m not too eager to quit either because I know that a good publication in the undergrad level will have a huge impact on my chances of getting into grad school. On the other hand, if I don’t understand everything going on, what does a publication mean? It will be pointless I think to continue with this project just because it will boost my chances of getting into grad school (but I don’t know yet how easy or difficult it is to land a project and if I can just throw this away so easily).So the question is whether I should be continuing the project (since this is voluntary, I can quit anytime if I feel the need to).
# Answer
You don't need to understand *everything* that's going on.
But if you don't know enough to interpret what you're doing and why it's important, then you're right: there's no point in doing it.
Having said that, this doesn't necessarily mean you should quit right now. Ask your advisor to suggest some papers, textbooks, or other resources that can help you understand the background necessary for your experiment. There is no such thing as a topic that undergrads are not capable of understanding. There may be topics that would require *a great deal of work* for an undergrad to understand, but if you're willing to put in the work your advisor should be willing to point you in the right direction.
However, if your advisor is not willing to help you learn (or at least suggest ways for you to learn independently), then you're better off volunteering your efforts to someone you *can* learn from; it's time to leave.
(If your work does not represent a meaningful intellectual contribution to the research (as per your description), then your advisor will not be able to write a compelling letter of recommendation that speaks of your research ability for admissions to graduate school.)
> 6 votes
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Tags: research-undergraduate
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thread-29583
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29583
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Are replies from editors automatically generated?
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2014-10-08T05:40:55.790
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# Question
Title: Are replies from editors automatically generated?
I never reply to editor's and conference organizers' mails, since I somehow always thought that they are automatically generated and replying just to thank would be considered as spamming, since they probably write to hundreds of people.
But is this really true? Do editors prefer not to get trivial replies to their email? Are their emails really automatically generated, or just some parts of them?
# Answer
In the case of editor's mails, some will need some form of response, some will not. If you receive mails from an editor requesting information concerning a manuscript you have submitted, you will obviously have to reply.
Since most journals use electronic manuscript handling systems, many mails will be generated automatically as reminders or to tell you something about the status of your manuscript. Unless there is a specific question for you to respond to, you do not have to respond. Editors handle lots of manuscripts and and the automated systems generate lots of mail for each as information to authors, reviewers and the editor. Responding to mails that do not request information is not wrong but completely unnecessary and the editor will likely glance at it and go on. Obviously the situation would get out of hand if everyone responded to all mails in such a system so just focus on those that request a response, that is all that is expected.
As for conferences, I would expect a similar scenario. Many mails will be information and only those that request information need to be answered.
The bottom line is, you need to make sure you answer the mails where you are requested to do so but the rest can safely be left as the information they were intended to convey.
> 3 votes
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Tags: conference, peer-review, etiquette, editors
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thread-29587
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29587
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Is mentioning submission rejections in SOP wise?
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2014-10-08T06:52:42.860
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# Question
Title: Is mentioning submission rejections in SOP wise?
I kind of want to mention in my SOP that I have been through rejections many times so as to hint the reader that I have a more mature mentality to persevere when I am a professional researcher. But, a question that naturally follows is: Would this act instead backfire?
# Answer
I doubt the signal you will convey is that you persevere through your mature mentality but rather that you may lack the skills to perform science or write acceptable manuscripts of sufficient quality. This said without intending anything personal since only you know the reasons for the rejections.
Given that rejection rates in journals are generally high, 50% is not uncommon and higher rates exist, everyone has papers rejected for one or another reason. That said, however, repeated rejections signals something is wrong, in the most positive light it could mean your research is novel and have difficulties being accepted by the community (the problem is then the community or how you try to communicate) but as stated first, the most common reason is that there is some deficiency in either the research or the reporting (most often) of the research and this is most likely what people will pick up upon.
As a final note, rejections can be something positive if you learn from them to improve later manuscripts. To use them as a learning experience is therefore the best way to use them.
> 7 votes
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Tags: phd, graduate-admissions, application, statement-of-purpose, rejection
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thread-29560
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29560
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How can I thank a senior faculty who's written me a good reference which helped me land a desirable job?
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2014-10-07T18:19:13.343
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# Question
Title: How can I thank a senior faculty who's written me a good reference which helped me land a desirable job?
I recently got a good job and I want to thank a very senior professor in my department, who spent time to write me a very good reference.
I am thinking maybe to give him a thank you card when I go to see him before leaving the department.
I come from a culture where gift-giving is considered obligatory if someone has helped you to achieve something major. I'm not sure this is appropriate in the UK context.
Any ideas?
# Answer
> 11 votes
A thank-you card would be perfect, or even just saying thank you.
There isn't a strong culture of giving thank-you gifts in the UK so your professor won't expect one and certainly won't feel that you are ungrateful if you don't give him something. However, it's almost never inappropriate<sup>1</sup> to give a small gift if that's what you want to do. The suggestions in the other answers (a gift card for a coffee shop, a bottle of wine or especially something from your own country) are all good ideas. I wouldn't spend more than about £10 on such a gift.
<sup>1</sup> The situations where it would be inappropriate would mostly be cases where the gift could be interpreted as a bribe; that obviously isn't the case, here.
# Answer
> 26 votes
A thank you card is definitely a good idea and I cannot see that it would be considered inappropriate. If you are from abroad, a little something typical of your country of origin may also be appropriate. Like a small box of traditional sweets, a little traditional doll, a fan, or something like that. I have had this kind of little things given to me by students.
Also, the university will probably have a policy on gifts which you may be able to locate on their web site. The general idea is that it should not be something worth a significant amount of money.
Rather than asking a classmate, I would ask a junior faculty for what goes as the norm. A classmate may be as inexperienced in this as you are, because the rules in academia can be significantly different from other parts of society.
# Answer
> 3 votes
A well thought-out thank you note would be good. Better if you know them well enough to know they like a particular place, e.g. their favorite coffee shop, and you could buy them a gift certificate. I'm probably reading my own biases into this, but I would not get them less than a $20 gift certificate, or maybe a nice bottle of wine (if you know they'd like it). If that's too expensive for you, just focus on making your thank you note mean more than a couple cups of free coffee.
But you're under no obligation. They performed their duty as they were obliged to do, likely because you did so as well. If you're on good terms, and I think it's safe to assume you are, a simple thank-you note is likely to mean much more than anything else you might do.
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Tags: phd, etiquette, united-kingdom
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thread-29593
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29593
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For writing samples, is it necessary to provide an English translation of a conference paper written and presented in my native language?
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2014-10-08T08:39:25.087
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# Question
Title: For writing samples, is it necessary to provide an English translation of a conference paper written and presented in my native language?
I have a paper, written in my native language, presented in a conference. If I want to use it as a writing sample in the applications to phd programs in the US, should I provide an English translation of that paper?
# Answer
It would be advisable to submit a translated copy of the paper (with the original) for a PhD program in the US (or any English speaking country), as chances are, the people reviewing your application may not speak your language nor have easy access, or time to have the document translated.
It may be wise to submit the original with the translation, with an official note stating that it is a true and accurate translation (say from your university or the publisher if they provide this service).
> 6 votes
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Tags: publications, phd, graduate-admissions, application, translations
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thread-29595
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29595
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Is it worth registering for an innovations in medicine conference, being a CE student?
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2014-10-08T09:45:07.540
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# Question
Title: Is it worth registering for an innovations in medicine conference, being a CE student?
I'm attending an "Innovations in medicine" conference but the registration fee is a bit high, I am a computer engineering student and the conference will have various technological topics.
Do you think that having the attendance certificate from the conference will be of any value in my CV, considering the fact that there are some chances I might work in medical technology in the future?
# Answer
> 1 votes
*Full disclosure: I originally planned to go to medical school, but things happened and I received an MS in CS instead.*
The question on whether you should attend weighs heavily on something you haven't clearly specified: **how serious is medicine for you?**
If you're just "Oh, I might do something medically related and want to attend" feel free to attend. However, unless you're actually studying biology or other related medical topics, this conference will not provide you very much besides being a CV stuffer.
Both medicine and CS alone are full-time education paths. If you're learning 10 CS courses for 1 intro to biology course, then I would say medicine is not really an associated topic of study. I would say, at the very least, you should have enough credits to have a minor in Biology or some other medically related field to indicate an actual understanding of the medical field.
If you are super-interested in the topic of medicine and feel that "Yes, this is what I want to do," then this is a program you should attend. You will meet people, make connections, and possibly end up doing research with them. The conference is a source of opportunities. You have to back up that dedication with actually learning biology, chemistry, and physiology. Like any set of study, learning medicine is a commitment.
That being said, medicine and computer science together tends to be more towards the Bio-Medical Engineering field. Or Bioinformatics, both of which are graduate-level programs as well. Plenty of things in these fields, like robo-surgery or automated diagnosis, and all great research-friendly topics. Electronic medical records software and clinical trials software, however, medical knowledge is usually not required and can be provided by people trained in the medical field.
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Tags: conference, computer-science, cv, medicine
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thread-29602
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29602
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Do grades obtained after applying to a graduate school matter?
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2014-10-08T13:56:20.060
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# Question
Title: Do grades obtained after applying to a graduate school matter?
Suppose one submits his/her application to a graduate school this November and grades for the ongoing semester are due after that. Do these grades, received after submitting the application, matter in the admission process?
# Answer
> 7 votes
Yes. Many graduate departments may accept your application, but require a final undergraduate transcript before you actually start your first semester there. If your grades have seriously dropped in your last semesters, they could rescind the offer of admission, and not let you in after all.
So in short: extra good grades in your last semesters can't help you, but bad grades can hurt you.
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Tags: graduate-admissions, graduate-school, grades
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thread-29608
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29608
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Should conference papers be counted as publications?
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2014-10-08T14:51:01.953
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# Question
Title: Should conference papers be counted as publications?
Is there a consensus as to whether or not conference papers are counted as publications?
I know that if something is a journal paper then that thing is tacitly understood as a publication, but is the converse true?
# Answer
To elaborate a little on Pete L. Clark's excellent comment, if your paper appeared in publicly available conference proceedings, then it is a publication. How valued or respected this form of publication is depends on the customs in your field, whether the paper was refereed, etc. Computer scientists may be more impressed by prestigious conference papers than journal papers, while mathematicians often view conference proceedings as an inferior publication venue. Still, the question isn't whether it's a publication in the first place, but rather how significant or worthwhile a publication it is.
On the other hand, some people use the term "conference paper" to refer to a paper they presented at a conference, which may not even have had published proceedings. If there aren't proceedings or the proceedings don't contain the paper, then it isn't published.
And of course there are borderline cases. If there were only a few copies of the proceedings, and they are not available in major libraries (even by interlibrary loan) or online, then the paper is at best just barely published. But this shouldn't occur for a conference sponsored by a reputable organization.
> 3 votes
# Answer
If the conference paper was refereed before been accepted for the conference, that counts as a refereed publication. If it was not, it is a non-refereed publication, and should be counted as such.
Different fields have different rules for how publications are accounted for, specially in how multi-author publications are handled, so you should at least state which field you are talking about.
> 4 votes
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Tags: publications, conference
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thread-29543
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29543
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Should I list my papers which are published in less known journals in my CV?
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2014-10-07T14:33:48.600
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# Question
Title: Should I list my papers which are published in less known journals in my CV?
In preparing my academic vita for applications to PhD programs, I came across this question: Since I have some papers published in less known journals, should I list them or not to list them?
Will listing them instead hurt my applications?
# Answer
> 21 votes
PhD admission committees look for evidence of your ability to successfully complete the PhD program. Published papers can be a big hint that the answer is "yes".
Unless it can be argued that the journal is a predatory one, I would suggest mentioning the published paper in your application if you think that the paper is of good quality. Even when the journal is not so well known (but has good standards), it shows that you can perform the type of work expected from you if they choose to accept you.
# Answer
> 17 votes
Here is a well-known list of predatory journals.
As DCTLib says, you probably shouldn't publicize publications to any of these. For any others, go ahead! A less reputable journal paper is better than no journal paper. Once you have dozens of publications, you can start thinking of filtering out less reputable stuff.
Note: I would have added this as a comment to the previous answer, but don't have the reputation.
# Answer
> 7 votes
Unless you have published in predatory or other journals with some suspicious reputation, all publications count positively. The more you demonstrate your productivity the stronger your application. How much each publication counts will depend on other factors, like the order of authorship (being first or middle; note that depending on the field ordering may be irrelevant) or how many times the publication has been cited.
# Answer
> 3 votes
I asked this same question from the other side of the table: Value of light-to-none peer reviewed pay-to-publish articles when I had a student apply to do a Phd with me who had three articles published in essentially predatory journals (maybe a hair better). My concern was that the papers indicate a student whose potential goals are not well aligned with the requirements of many competitive PhD programs. The answers convinced me that that is not a big issue. I would suggest including them and mentioning in your cover letter/statement of purpose that you understand the differences between high and low quality publishers. I think that would help to convince potential supervisors to evaluate the publications based on the quality of the research and not the place of publication.
# Answer
> 3 votes
From a current PhD student:
I would definitely recommend listing them on your CV.
The publication expectations for PhD applicants are relatively low (compared to postdocs, etc), and many PhD applicants don't have a published manuscript in a peer-reviewed journal yet. So having something on your CV that shows you're published, even if in a journal with a 0.1 impact factor (lesser known), will still make you stand out.
Something else to consider - humans are busy. And academicians are super busy. And unless you're applying to a program in the same field as the journal you published in, there's a good chance the people reviewing your application won't even know the quality of the journal on your CV. And they most likely won't look it up. And even if they do, the key is that you've published something. This, in itself, is great.
As I see it, you can only gain from adding these to your CV.
# Answer
> 1 votes
If you are just beginning your Academic carrier, list EVERY reputable publication, including popular pubs such as magazines and news stories (be sure non-peer reviewed pubs are marked).
Even after you have several publications, and need to thin your CV, keep a list of all published articles in a longer format CV in case it is needed by a committee of some sort.
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Tags: publications, phd, journals, cv
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thread-29605
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29605
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Can frequent messages to an editor about the status of a paper under review be a cause for rejection?
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2014-10-08T14:31:51.190
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# Question
Title: Can frequent messages to an editor about the status of a paper under review be a cause for rejection?
I have submitted a paper on mathematics to a journal and it was there for more than one year. I asked the editor many times about the reason of the review delay. At the end the paper was rejected with trivial comments. Some experts told me the reason of the rejection is that: I had asked the editor many times about the paper, which make him insist that the reviewers make their decision fast, and thus they gave trivial comments which led to the rejection. Can this really be a reason for rejection?
# Answer
> 21 votes
It really *should not* be a reason for rejection. But the world of journals (even restricted to mathematics, which is my field as well) is vast and variable, and no one person gets to see more than a small part of it, so *could* it happen that repeated messages to the editor are a proximate cause of a paper's rejection? Unfortunately it could and probably has at least once...but all kinds of crazy things have probably happened at least once.
What I want to convey to you is that you are perfectly within your rights to check in with the status of a paper at appropriate intervals. In fact it is often wise (or even necessary) to do so, because a lot of processing jobs get done slowly on the part of the referees without specific reminders. (I am speaking in particular *both* about my experiences as an author and as a referee.)
There are better and worse ways to deal with editors -- as a quick example, when I submit a paper I like to suggest that **I will inquire** about the paper after N months (I fill in a value of N, never less than 4) and see what kind of response I get. I have never been told not to do this; at worst, I get a "contact us whenever you like, but don't expect expedited service because of this" type of response. As ever, being polite and professional catches more flies. But fundamentally: no, it is completely unprofessional to reject a paper because an author wants it to be processed in a timely manner. Reputable journals and editors should take it as a point of honor not to do this.
It would be different if you gave the editor an ultimatum: e.g. "I need a report within three weeks or I will withdraw the paper". Many editors will respond to that by cheerfully accepting your withdrawal. But that does not seem to be the situation you describe.
# Answer
> 10 votes
This advice is only for mathematics; other subjects have different cultures.
I think it really depends on the tone you use and how often you make inquiries. Getting rejections for seemingly trivial reasons by people who don't appear to understand your paper is par for the course, and you should try to develop a thick skin about it (it happens to us all; the common wisdom is that if you are not getting rejected 50% of the time, then you are not sending your papers to good enough journals).
I usually inquire at 9 months, at 1 year, at 15 months, and then every two months. My emails are very low-key and non-pushy; here is an example:
"Dear Prof. {last\_name},
I'm writing to check to see if there has been any progress in the refereeing process for my paper "{title}", which is currently under consideration at {journal\_name}. Thank you very much for your consideration.
best,
Andrew Putman"
If I know the editor, I might be a little more casual, but the above is a good template if you are just starting out.
# Answer
> 6 votes
To some degree politics play a role in the final decision an editor makes. For a manuscript that has reviews that make it a borderline decision between major revisions and reject, if the editor finds you problematic, that could make an outright rejection more likely. Except in extreme circumstances, politics will not result in a manuscript that has stellar reviews being outright rejected (or vice versa). There are many reasons beyond an editor's personal opinion of you that can cause a manuscript with trivial comments to be rejected. Reviewers can generally submit confidential comments to the editor which can include serious criticisms, the scope of the work is often grounds for rejection as is how the manuscript fits into the scope of the journal. For some manuscripts and journals, the absence of negative comments is not enough to warrant publication, but rather you need a reviewer to champion the paper and make positive comments.
# Answer
> 4 votes
The question seems to be conflating two different possibilities. It sounds like the "experts" you consulted suggested that referees feeling pressured about time may do a superficial job of reviewing the paper, and superficial reviews aren't good for the paper's chances of publication. But your wording (especially in the title) suggests that the editor actively decided to reject the paper as a direct result of your messages.
As Pete says, the second scenario *really shouldn't* occur, but in a big world, lots of things happen at least once in a long while. The first scenario also shouldn't occur, but in a system run by imperfect, busy human beings, it's possible and probably happens rarely but regularly.
In any case, I agree with Pete's bottom line: it is perfectly reasonable and appropriate for you to make polite, professional inquiries every couple months.
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Tags: publications, peer-review, paper-submission, editors, rejection
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thread-29639
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29639
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Should I apply again to the same research group where I used to work and haven't got any PhD offer from the professor?
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2014-10-09T02:00:46.153
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# Question
Title: Should I apply again to the same research group where I used to work and haven't got any PhD offer from the professor?
Approximately a couple of years ago I was working in a Computer Science project abroad. The task was to implement a software analysis tool with the collaboration of a professor, and if all went well then I could get a PhD position at one of their departments.
Well after expending like half of the year on the project, due to some personal problems that did not allow me to focus entirely on the programming task, ie. taking care of my old parents, it was that the project suffered a delay.
When I was about to end the project and got some finishing results, the research was published in another country by other university. It seems here that the phrase "publish or perish" was more real than ever. Because of that reason the professor in charge did not offer me the PhD position, so I was some sort sad about it.
I have the inner feeling that I could have done better to get that position, so I don't know if I should ask to the professor in charge if he could give me another chance. Maybe if I do that I will bury myself academically, but I don't know what to do.
Any advice?
# Answer
You got scooped. That sucks, but it happens a lot; and it is definitely not the end of the world.
If you think your work was good in the group, I would say go ahead and apply. You could explain to him why the project was delayed; a polite discussion cannot possibly hurt you, and you can figure out in which terms they are with you. Remember that even if you were in your best conditions, some other group may have just more people working on the same problem, or they started one year before you, or any other reason.
By the way, you have now a working implementation of the analysis, and perhaps you can improve it to do something the other group didn't; implement other algorithms, etc.
> 2 votes
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Tags: phd, graduate-admissions, application, research-group
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thread-29648
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29648
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finalising a postdoc employment contract
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2014-10-09T12:47:47.523
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# Question
Title: finalising a postdoc employment contract
I have been offered a 2-year postdoc position in a good Dutch university. What they sent me so far is an email stating that they would like to offer me the position, and whether I would like to take up this position. I then replied with a yes instantly. Does this exchange of emails constitute a formal appointment decision (and acceptance)? I heard from others that it will take some time for them to formulate an employment contract. So what I shall do in the meantime is to wait and not to push them?
Also the PT's preferred start date is 1st February. What does 'start date' mean exactly? Is this the date that I will start getting paid? the date that I actually start working? If this is the case, does a starting date of 1st Feb imply that I should arrive earlier, say, in January to look for accommodation and sort everything out before 1st Feb?
Thanks in advance!
# Answer
Having done a post-doc in The Netherlands, I think I can answer your questions.
1. Your "yes" is an acceptance, though probably not legally binding. They will take it in good faith that you have accepted. The contract may arrive in the mail for you to sign, but you may just sign on your first day.
2. The starting date is the date you will start and get paid from. You will probably need to go to The Netherlands earlier to find accommodation, though you could easily start everything on February 1 without causing any problems. They will understand that in your first few weeks you'll need to vanish to register yourself with the city, to get bank accounts, etc etc.
I would ask them if the have an accommodation service, even if it only provides short term accommodation. Finding accommodation in The Netherlands can be difficult. In fact, I would simply ask them what their expectations are, essentially sending them the questions you've posted above. Unless it is the first time they've hired a post-doc, these questions will be unsurprising and they should have answers for them. The Dutch are good at dealing with direct questions (and you'll need to get used to receiving them ;-) ).
> 7 votes
# Answer
If the email offer is unconditional (for instance, doesn't depend on obtaining a visa or other), then you can consider it as an appointment decision (in the sense that it would be unethical for either side to come back on that decision). However, for some purposes, such as administrative ones, you might need to wait for the actual contract.
The start date usually corresponds to the date where you *start working*, in many places, you receive your first salary only around the end of the first calendar month (sometimes later, if you start late in the month). In your example, you might receive your salary around the 28th of February.
Whether you come earlier or not depends on you and the institution. They could offer you some temporary accommodation, to give you enough time to find a place on your own. But if you come earlier, you won't be paid for the period of time between the moment you arrive and the start date.
In any case, your new institution should be able to answer all these questions for you, you should be very welcome to contact them (you won't be the first person in that situation, nor the last one!).
> 3 votes
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Tags: postdocs
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thread-29653
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29653
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How to find out whether a PhD dissertation is ready to submit?
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2014-10-09T13:24:43.207
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# Question
Title: How to find out whether a PhD dissertation is ready to submit?
How one may know that his/her work is good and enough for getting PhD? Does it depend on the number of words, pages, number of published paper or some things else?
# Answer
You should talk about this with your advisor and your consultant professors. You can complete your report and show it to your advisers. They will read and tell you what lacks in your report. Also, you may talk to the members of your PhD committee orally before giving them your report. They may give you some guides or some of their expectations.
Talk to the previous PhD students and see what brought them to the point that their PhD was ready to be presented.
Another important thing is your PhD proposal in which you have clarified your goals of your dissertation. If you have completed your promises in the proposal (or you have strong reasons why could not reach some of your goals), then your work is completed.
Another thing may be regulations of your department. Some departments require their students to submit one or two journal or conference papers out of their PhD project. You can check your department's regulations on what are their expectations from a complete PhD project.
> 3 votes
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Tags: phd, thesis, advisor, thesis-committee
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thread-29643
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29643
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Can I have a PhD in mathematics or physics after having a bachelor degree in medicine?
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2014-10-09T09:46:33.580
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# Question
Title: Can I have a PhD in mathematics or physics after having a bachelor degree in medicine?
Can I have a PhD in mathematics or physics after having a bachelor degree in medicine provided that I score high in GRE physics or math?
I have had zero coursework in math or physics but I am not sure if I could greatly increase my chances into grad school by taking GRE and scoring highly in the test.
I'm not trying to show that I'm smart or anything but I think that mathematics is my cup of tea for I'm very passionate about it and I have studied analysis and algebra and quantum mechanics other things from standard textbooks getting help from resources such as MIT OCW.
# Answer
> 4 votes
The hard answer is a straight no.
Doing research level Mathematics or Physics requires a broad set of knowledge and maturity that takes years to achieve. GRE exams are quite crappy, they just ask a lot of questions on basic knowledge and arithmetic; but you won't see an integration by parts (first year maths).
But not everything is lost. There are fields where medicine and maths overlap, and definitely your expertise on one field and interest in learning the other can definitely help. Look at Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and perhaps, Biophysics. I myself am a Physicist working in Bioinformatics. I do pure analysis of the data, but in the group we also have a wet lab, where my colleagues are trying (among other things) to come up with new creative ways to gather data more suited for our purposes.
# Answer
> 2 votes
In the U.S., this idea is fraught with difficulties, but is not impossible, in part because the usual undergraduate math curriculum in the U.S. is pretty thin and slow in any case, so that the typical first year or two (or more) of graduate work in mathematics is still coursework, getting-up-to-speed. Despite rumors of "undergrad research" in the U.S., genuine such is quite unusual, although "research experiences for undergrads" do give a positive experience showing that "classroom math" is not what mathematics is eventually about.
But there are intangibles acquired by doing that undergrad coursework, including "being on the same wavelength" as one's potential cohort, and having practice understanding what the instructors expect. While it is true that some of this is not particularly constructive pure convention, it does affect communication in both directions. If you're missing this experience, this will be an added catch-up project.
Beyond conventions and standards for communication, there is also the potential issue of accidental self-deceit about the degree or depth of one's understanding, if one has not interacted with other people. It's *not* that the typical U.S. undergrad curriculum is terribly substantial, but in a way this makes it all the worse, insofar as the truly important points can be lost or misinterpreted in a context of vast ocean of seemingly uniform technical details. Or, from another side, a too-physics-y attitude about mathematics may generate lots of trouble for you in a "strict" mathematics context.
After these cautions, I guess the point is that it is nevertheless *possible*, if one really wants it, to pursue mathematics (e.g, in the U.S.) despite not having the corresponding undergrad degree. Your issues would be primarily two: (1) getting letters of recommendation from *mathematicians* with PhD's, (2) demonstrating some self-study knowledge/awareness despite lack of transcripts showing such. Prepping for the GRE subject test in math might be feasible, and getting a good number is plausible without the undergrad degree, but this wouldn't be sufficient.
Probably taking at least one, probably two or more, upper-division or intro grad level math classes at a serious university would help you generate letters and also demonstrate that you can do the work at that level. At many places in the U.S., it is possible to register for such courses as "non-degree student", paying a lower tuition.
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Tags: phd, graduate-admissions, changing-fields
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thread-29654
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29654
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Publication grade concept drawings
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2014-10-09T13:25:32.867
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# Question
Title: Publication grade concept drawings
I am working on my Masters' thesis in aeronautical engineering and would like to make high-quality drawings (not technical drawings as in detail designs in CAD, but drawings of concepts and ideas, eg airplane with basic forces acting on it).
I am sure is this a common task in technical writings and would like to know if there is software available for such purposes?
Disclaimer: I am not a graphic designer and don't have the skill or time to make nice drawings from scratch. I am hoping there is software that has a library of a bunch of basic shapes and images that can be edited and freely used.
# Answer
I think there is a TeX.SE question that deals with this. The details are not clear to me, but it appears that with a little work you can use TikZ with LaTeX to draw a plane:
This TeX.SE example used a variety of tools including Inkscape, Sketch, Blender, and Cinema4D (of which only Cinema4D is not FOSS) to produce:
From what I can piece together from this TeX.SE answer, details of how the above diagrams are made is available in Italian here. A Google Translate version of the abstract is:
> This article shows how you can use the power of LATEX and PSTricks and TikZ packages in the production of advanced illustrations . The creation of designs that represent the three-dimensional scenes with directions of scientific content is made possible with LATEX . The author shows how it is able to manipulate and arrange three-dimensional objects in a scene with the program Sketch of Eugene Ressler edil its intuitive scripting language , getting a ' output in the form of PSTricks or TikZ commands . The proposed working method allows to overcome the limitations that users of a package as PSTricks , which also has relatively advanced three-dimensional drawing capabilities , meet whenever are going to want to draw and manipulate three-dimensional scenes containing objects simple and primitive .
>
> The teaching of a subject such as engineering Flight Dynamics is a field in which he operates, and which they refer to the specific examples given in the article
which suggests that Cinema4D may not be critical.
> 2 votes
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Tags: thesis, writing
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thread-28821
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/28821
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How much do letters of recommendation help in a statistics PhD program application?
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2014-09-21T01:56:02.243
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# Question
Title: How much do letters of recommendation help in a statistics PhD program application?
I am an undergraduate mathematics student who is looking to apply to a Statistics PhD program. I asked a few professors how much letter of recommendation help a student get in to a PhD program and I was told the following.
> Not much. Often professors don't want to insult a student, so they write good letters. Lots of people get good letter, yours won't make a difference.
and
> Letters of recommendation are everything. They practically **are** your application.
and
> They help some, but it depends on who it is from. If it is from a stat professor that is good. A math professor is OK too, but stat would be preferred. If they are not stat or math, they won't care at all.
As you can imagine, I am now even less clear of how much a good letter helps.
**Is it true letters of practically make or break your application? Or are they simply a formality?**
# Answer
I have no direct experience with statistics programs, but I know of no reason to think they differ from math programs in this respect. Assuming that's the case, letters of recommendation are absolutely critical, at least in U.S. universities. I agree with the person who told you they practically **are** your application, and I'm mystified by how someone could tell you they make no difference. (I wonder whether it's someone who has never served on an admissions committee or was educated in a very different system.)
It's true that just about everyone gets what might appear to be good letters. The issue isn't whether they say bad things about you, but rather how strong they are and how compelling a case they make. I've certainly seen many cases of letters written by the same person that differ enormously in their effect, even though they are all nominally positive.
The third piece of advice you received in no way contradicts the second. It's not enough for a letter just to include flattering comments about you. It needs to make a compelling case for why you will be successful in statistics, written by someone who knows exactly what it takes to succeed in this field, has seen other strong students to whom you can be compared, and has a reputation to protect that will keep them from exaggerating or trying to manipulate the admissions committee. A senior statistician is the best case, but a junior statistician or a mathematician may also be able to do a fine job. A letter from a chemist will not be helpful, and a letter from a professor of literature, no matter how enthusiastic it is, will hurt your case (by demonstrating that you have no idea how the application process works or that you couldn't find anyone more relevant who thinks highly of you).
Exactly what is required depends on where you are applying. At the top departments, you need letters that make a very strong case indeed. Even outstanding students will be rejected, and you need letters that set you apart from the others. At much lower ranked departments, it might be possible to make a favorable impression based largely on grades and test scores, but even then you'll still need good enough letters. (The bar will just be lower.)
> 11 votes
# Answer
This is a piece of my personal experience: when I was admitted to a top 15-ish department of statistics in the U.S., I was told (a bit later, when I came and chatted with the graduate studies director) that a valuable weight in support of my application came from (1) a professor in Econ department who was not related to stat department but who knew (2) the author of the reference letter, another econometrician from Europe, (3) whose book I was then translating into Russian (so I kept bugging person 2 with typo clarifications, suggested examples, etc.). Person (1) was a better statistician than many, with several cool computational methods under his belt, a couple of very rigorous books, and known for teaching measure-theory-based probability to his econ students (if my memory serves me right, *undergraduate* students).
So I would say that Opinion 3 is probably misplaced. A quantitative biologist may be able to say more about you as a statistician (i.e., a person who has to combine data, a bit of substantive expertise, computing, and statistical methods) than your abstract algebra teacher.
Generally, as others suggested, this depends on the culture of a particular institution. Some do look at the letters, some don't. Since you don't know which side a particular school falls into, treat them as if **they are your application**.
> 1 votes
# Answer
Others may have different views but for me, if you are about to admit someone you know nothing about for a long term commitment, you can only rely on some objective and subjective sources:
* Academic record.
* Recommendation letters.
* Interview.
All are important. Letters tend to be *standard* in the sense that everyone writes about how good the candidate is (even some supervisors make the future candidate write their own letters and then they will just sign it!). However, letters give you the opportunity to directly *contact* the person recommending the candidate, and ask them about specific aspects you may be worried about. For example any character flaws that can be hidden in the interview and do not show in the academic record (and most likely where not included in the recommendation letter). Or some remarkable skill that was not highlighted enough in the recommendation letter but you consider very important. In summary, it is important to have the opinion of a third person that knows the candidate. Recommendation letters may be an important source of information when accepting a Ph.D. candidate in particular and when hiring someone in general.
> 0 votes
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Tags: phd, graduate-admissions, mathematics, recommendation-letter
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thread-29652
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29652
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Can I get a job while still applying for a scholarship for PhD studies?
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2014-10-09T13:23:16.743
|
# Question
Title: Can I get a job while still applying for a scholarship for PhD studies?
I'm interested in a Ph.D. program in Switzerland. I know that all Ph.D. students can apply for scholarships, and it is very possible to get it. I am wondering if, meanwhile I could find myself an actual job—and if so, if the salary is not enough, for tuition, rent, and so on, if I could still receive at least part of the scholarship?
# Answer
There are several types of PhD students in Switzerland, among them are:
* **University/laboratory employees.** These receive a monthly salary of about 3 to 4.5 kCHF (the exchange rate is approximately 1 to 1 with the US$, there are rare variations above and below this range) and have to pay a tuition that is typically in the range of 500 to 1200 CHF per year. This salary is low in comparison to the standard of the country (the median salary is about 7000) but enough to comfortably cover the cost of living and some extras. To get on these positions, you apply to them like a regular job and in an increasing number of cases, you have to apply to a graduate school. These contracts frequently include teaching duties, TA work, sometimes infrastructure work (like lab maintenance and management). Having a part-time job besides these position is not necessary, but not unheard of. Note that depending on the location, if you are issued a full time contract, you might legally not work for another employer.
* **SNSF-funded doctoral students.** (rare in the experimental sciences, more frequent in the humanities). These applied to a grant, with the collaboration of a professor or senior researcher. They receive a stipend typically lower than the above category but still in the order of 3000 CHF. They don't have teaching duties. For part time jobs, see above.
* **Industry-funded PhDs.** Companies like large pharmaceutical companies offer industry-based PhD studies in collaboration with the local university. I've heard mixed feedback on these, since they are often paid like a PhD student but require industry-standard commitment and constrains. No chance of having another job in general.
* **'Freelance' doctoral students** typically ex-members of the two first categories who ran out of time as a regular student and didn't manage to finish their thesis during the time they where funded. These people have another job and try to finish on weekends and evenings. Allow 10 years until graduation.
With all this being said, I have a hard time understanding your situation, PhD studies in Switzerland are rarely funded with a 'scholarship'. I think you need to figure it out with the institution you are interested in first. It's rare that PhD students have another job, some do a bit of consulting, some have a start-up, but **the PhD is typically a full time job.**
> 2 votes
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Tags: phd, funding, job, switzerland
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thread-29625
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29625
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What type of workplace accommodations are departments required to make for a mentally unhealthy faculty member?
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2014-10-08T18:50:20.990
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# Question
Title: What type of workplace accommodations are departments required to make for a mentally unhealthy faculty member?
We have a faculty member in my department who has mental health issues. These issues tend to flare up about three times a year, right at the beginning of the year, in January when grading is due and new teaching starts, and again at the end of the year when grading is due. In general these flair ups last about two weeks and are, to my understanding always accompanied by medical evidence that recommends a two week leave and a follow up evaluation after the two weeks. She is not the most mentally stable person at the best of times and I have no doubt that the additional stress from teaching and grading causes her additional issues. That said, her flare ups mean that her teaching generally gets cancelled and her grading gets reassigned. What type of accommodations does a department have to make for an individual who does not seem to be healthy enough, in this case mentally, to carry out core responsibilities and how does a department go about making those accommodations? I am interested in both legal and moral obligations and am located in the UK, to the extent that it matters.
# Answer
> 2 votes
I am only even vaguely qualified to speak on how this is ideally handled in the USA, so hopefully this will be of use at least as a starting point. I am not qualified to say anything about similarities between UK and US law on matters such as this - and I'm not a lawyer! I think this is a very important question though, and I hate to see it going without any kind of answer at all.
In the US, there are a few related but separate pieces of landmark legislation that guide workplace accommodations for "serious medical conditions" and "disabilities" (quoted because these have specific legal definitions).
First of all, the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA):
> The Family and Medical Leave Act ("FMLA") provides certain employees with up to 12 workweeks of unpaid, job-protected leave a year, and requires group health benefits to be maintained during the leave as if employees continued to work instead of taking leave
>
> \[...\]
>
> **Leave Entitlement**
>
> A covered employer must grant an eligible employee up to a total of 12 workweeks of unpaid leave in a 12 month period for one or more of the following reasons:
>
> \[...\]
>
> * **when the employee is unable to work because of a serious health condition.**
There are lots of qualifying statements, but in US academia generally the FMLA applies.
## FMLA TLDR;
Specifically, this means that having to take 4 weeks off a year due to any condition legally defined as a "serious medical condition" (related to a disability, chronic physical or mental illness - see the law specifically for the definition of these terms) is not a "reasonably accommodation" at all, but a legally mandated requirement. A person who takes up to 12-weeks a year of such leave has their job protected, end of story. If this is inconvenient, the legal response is: too bad - you are a big institution, you'll figure out how to make due.
In the USA, this is really a sufficient and complete answer without considering reasonable accommodations, because taking medically necessary time off isn't considered as such.
But let's go further, because more is morally and often legally required.
## Get Proactive: Reasonable Accommodations, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and the Americans With Disability Act (ADA)
In the US, a qualifying employee has the the right to "reasonable accommodations". OK - what the heck is reasonable? I'm a big fan of the Job Accommodations Network (JAN) materials, as they are much easier to read and understand than most other materials.
> III.THE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION OBLIGATION 3.1 Overview of Legal Obligations
>
> * An employer must provide a reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of a qualified applicant or employee with a disability unless it can show that the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the business.
> * Reasonable accommodation is any modification or adjustment to a job, an employment practice, or the work environment that makes it possible for an individual with a disability to enjoy an equal employment opportunity.
> * The obligation to provide a reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of employment. This duty is ongoing and may arise any time that a person's disability or job changes.
> * An employer cannot deny an employment opportunity to a qualified applicant or employee because of the need to provide reasonable accommodation, unless it would cause an undue hardship.
> * An employer does not have to make an accommodation for an individual who is not otherwise qualified for a position.
> * Generally, it is the obligation of an individual with a disability to request a reasonable accommodation.
> * A qualified individual with a disability has the right to refuse an accommodation. However, if the individual cannot perform the essential functions of the job without the accommodation, s/he may not be qualified for the job.
> * If the cost of an accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the employer, the individual with a disability should be given the option of providing the accommodation or paying that portion of the cost which would constitute an undue hardship.
So, what is and isn't reasonable? According to JAN:
> 4. What accommodations are not considered reasonable?
>
> Reasonable accommodation does not include removing essential job functions, creating new jobs, and providing personal need items such as eye glasses and mobility aids. Nothing in the ADA prohibits employers from providing these types of accommodations; they simply are not required accommodations.
What is an essential job function? There is no easy answer, but that same page quoted above provides an in-depth discussion, however I posit this reasonable rule of thumb: something is reasonable if it is not disproportionately costly, and especially if other people in a similar position have such an arrangement. If you aren't sure, get a proper Job Evaluation performed by a competent professional (your institution had better already have one on hand!).
Many professors have grad students perform a large amount of grading (with oversight and some supervision) and often use a proctor to deliver tests, for instance - so to insist that a standard way of working for other professors is not reasonable would strain the credulity of the average person (and likely any judges or review boards, should a complaint arise). On the other hand, utterly exempting a person from duties that fill a large portion of an employees work load is probably going too far.
The law in the US is often intentionally vague in this regard, for a very good reason! The goal is actively to encourage people to think of ways to craft jobs and requirements that allow anyone with a disability or chronic condition to be gainfully employed and contribute to their communities in the greatest way possible. If this means a little re-arranging or change, great - that is way cheaper than someone getting fired or having to take legal actions against an institution. With some vagueness and a "reasonable person" standard that is common in American law, this is hoped to actively encourage people to reach out a bit farther than they usually might to find a solution that works for everyone involved.
## Proscriptive Moral Advice
As an institution/department, it is generally wise to recognize a pattern and reach out to solve an underlying problem. If a build-up of stress causes incapacitation and certain reliable intervals, maybe something can be arranged to reduce the stress during these times and avoid the worst flare ups entirely? When not possible, planning proactively can wonderfully mitigate the pain in the future; implicitly relying on no one getting ill or sick during high-stress times of the year is a masochistic assumption!
It is reasonable (and often advised) to seek out if a reasonable accommodation could be helpful and welcomed by someone with a serious condition or disability. A willingness to think creatively and to find a solution that everyone can be happy about is ideal.
If a huge glut of work at certain times of the years causes anxiety, can this workload be made more manageable and less all-at-once? Are department requirements/demands worsening things and creating a more difficult environment than necessary? Electronic grading systems/options, automated fill-in-the-bubble grading, Teaching Assistants to do some of the grading (when appropriate to the work), Proctors (such as by giving the tests in some classes so the professor can use that time for grading other tests/assignments instead), and staggered test schedules are widely used to varying degrees throughout the world and can be potentially helpful. Can other duties be rescheduled, such as certain evaluations, meetings, etc, to better even out the work flow?
It is possible that one person's illness can be used as a tool to improve everyone's work conditions and satisfaction, by allowing a "suck it up and deal with it" approach that was begrudgingly accepted to be challenged and overhauled. Empathy and compassion - understanding that someone would almost invariably be happy to not be ill - and realizing that the problems of having more work foisted on everyone when someone is ill is often the fault of the work system rather than on one well-intentioned individual, can make some amazing progress possible.
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Tags: workplace, united-kingdom, health
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thread-29665
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29665
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Changing graduate schools after a semester
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2014-10-09T16:41:56.933
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# Question
Title: Changing graduate schools after a semester
I am stuck in a somewhat unusual situation. I am enrolled in a graduate program (masters) in my country in the field of my choice. My college has a good undergraduate program but, as I've come to discover over the roughly two months I've been here, the graduate program fails in comparison.
Basically, the professors teaching graduates seem disinterested, there is no visible scope for research and they are only concerned about grades and getting a well-paying job after I get my degree. I wish to have a career in academia (I particularly enjoy teaching) and my current graduate education experience has left me dissatisfied.
I am in my first semester and I am considering applying fresh to graduate schools outside of my country for the next academic year. I am planning to drop out after I complete this semester.
My questions are:
1. Does it make sense to start afresh? Should I stay and try to work things out? (I've been talking to professors and it doesn't look good so far).
2. Should I mention my current college in my graduate school application statement? Does it hurt my chances if it appears that I have dropped out of a graduate program before?
# Answer
> 1 votes
As an alternative, you could finish the semester and take some credits with you. Changing graduate schools isn't all that unusual, particularly if you are leaving your *alma mater* in favor of a different school.
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Tags: graduate-admissions, graduate-school, application, transfer-student
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thread-20305
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/20305
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Is it a violation of copyright if I draw and publish a figure very similar to another person's published figure?
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2014-05-05T19:26:50.500
|
# Question
Title: Is it a violation of copyright if I draw and publish a figure very similar to another person's published figure?
I am pursuing a PhD (computer science) from one of the reputed Indian universities. I have prepared some white papers for publication in coming journals. I prepared these papers by myself. I referred various links and study guides, books etc.
After getting these papers published, I received one notice from the editorial staff of publication that I have violated the contents/copyright law. They provided me some contents and images (they said violated areas). I am surprised because I prepared all the things by myself. I have already mentioned the referred links, books etc. in the publication.
How can I avoid content violation in my own written material?
# Answer
> 5 votes
Copyright protects not only the original content itself but also anything which is clearly derived from the original content. That is why plagiarism doesn’t depend on whether you copied, retyped, or minorly reworded.
If you created a figure using a figure that somebody else drew as a template, then it does not matter if there are minor differences between your figure and their figure. Because your creation is closely deirved from their creation, then it is still their copyright, from both a moral and legal perspective (personally, as a scientist I find the moral perspective more compelling than the legal).
If you had simply created a figure from scratch, then it is highly unlikely that it would appear closely similar to another person’s figure – there are simply too many possible personal choices in how to diagram the same ideas, even for fairly simple ideas.
At this point, there are two ways to proceed (assuming that the rest of your content is intellectually honest):
1. Create your own diagrams from scratch with significantly different *content,* reflecting the different ways in which you think about the area.
2. Obtain rights permissions from the original publisher, and include “(figure adapted from \[…\])” in your paper. Many publishers have an automated online method for obtaining fragment reuse rights, which can then be sent to the publisher handling your paper. If the original figure was posted in a free-reuse medium (e.g., a US or UK government report), then you may not have to do formal obtaining of rights.
# Answer
> 3 votes
For what I read in one comment you draw also the images, but still if the figures appears somewhere else you should reference them. For example put something like:
Figure 1: Description... (based/largely based in Professor X)
Try to make those changes.
Good luck!
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Tags: publications, phd, computer-science, graphics
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thread-29666
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29666
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How to learn commenting on graphs and tables the right way?
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2014-10-09T16:45:46.353
|
# Question
Title: How to learn commenting on graphs and tables the right way?
I have attended many presentation where the presenter will show a graph/table in one of his/her slides, but they struggle to explain the semantics of the graph/table/results.
I think there is much more hidden in graphs/tables than young scientists can tell. Is there a way to improve this skill.
My adviser is also very strict on this, so I would like to know how to form sentences which really explain well what is being presented in the slide.
I believe a good point to start is explaining the axis and what they represent, and then comment on results. But how to improve this.
# Answer
> 15 votes
One problem people often have when presenting data in graphs and tables is that they often include data that is not relevant. For talks (formal or informal) I really like the process of starting with an empty graph of just the axes and explaining what the axes are and the limits and what they mean. Sometimes I then like to show idealized data from competing hypotheses so people can know what to expect without the added difficulties associated with understanding real, and potentially noisy, data.
Once people understand what the axes mean, I add data to the plot. Ideally, I start with a single data point and explain exactly what the data point means. I then add additional data points from the same "condition", possibly one at a time if they are discrete or all at once if there is some meaningful function that describes them. Once the first set of data is presented, I add on the second set. Sometimes it is helpful to remove or grey out the first set of data while you are introducing the second set of data so people can focus on just what is new. Once the second set of data is explained, bring back the first set and talk about the relationship between the two sets. This should ideally be moved to a new figure or panel to highlight the differences and similarities you want the listener to focus on.
If there is more "hidden" in figures and tables, that means it is too complicated for a talk. In manuscripts space is at a premium and you often have to have figures that tell multiple stories. In these cases the text still needs to walk you through the figure step-by-step and introduce each piece of information in the order in which you want the reader to look at it.
# Answer
> 2 votes
This is a very important skill to master, and a pertinent question. You are correct to first start with the description of the axes (also ensure that axis labels are legible on the slide!); this orientates the audience and will help them understand the results.
To follow on from this, I could share a couple of tips from my experience. First, make sure you understand how the slide fits in to the context of the whole presentation - what is the story you are telling? Then, ask yourself what the key point is you would like the audience to take from this slide (you can maybe get away with 2-3 points). This will guide the formatting of the figure itself, and the animation surrounding on the slides - for instance I find it useful to annotate the figure on the slide as I describe the result (for example putting a red circle around an interesting feature of the plot).
My last tip would be that the importance of practising the presentation by **actually speaking it out** loud (not just in your head!) cannot be understated. This is a sure way to identify areas where you are not entirely sure what to say, then you can make some more notes or write down key phrases to help you in the actual presentation.
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Tags: research-process, presentation, graphics, tables
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thread-29513
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29513
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How to respond after co-authors revise rejected paper without informing first author?
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2014-10-07T02:03:00.070
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# Question
Title: How to respond after co-authors revise rejected paper without informing first author?
As we all know, it is common to re-work a rejected paper to improve the shortfalls of the paper.
Suppose one is first author on a paper, and it is rejected. Following this,
* the other co-authors make some modifications/updates to the paper, and don't inform the first author
* one co-author claims first authorship on the revised work, as he/she has done more work after the rejection
How should the first author respond after finding out about this?
# Answer
A lot depends on the particulars of the situation, but the principles of academic honesty are pretty straightforward here, and an answer for the particular situation can be derived from those principles.
The basic principle is that every **involved** author in a work has a stake in that work and the consent of **all authors** must be obtained before a work is submitted. Most journals actually explicitly ask about this, and the better run ones will send email to every author to inform them so that they have a chance to object.
Somebody who was once author, however, can become uninvolved in one of several ways:
1. The author may object to the nature of the paper and explicitly withdraw from authorship.
2. The author may stop fulfilling their responsibilities for authors, in which case they should be kept as an author but might have their position in the author list change based on how the manuscript continues to evolve.
3. The author may have had a minor role (e.g., in a many-author biology or physics publication), and choose to give blanket consent to whatever the primary authors believe is acceptable, rather than be involved in detail.
So the first thing to determine is, did the first author effectively drop out of their responsibilities? As the lead author, a first author needs to discuss the fate of the rejected paper with the other authors in a timely fashion. If the first author instead vanishes (e.g., changing positions and not staying in communication about the work), then it is entirely reasonable for the others to pick up the paper again. The first author might or might not stay first then, depending on how the paper evolves, how much new experimental work is done, etc. If there is a decision not to proceed, however, then anyone who changes their mind and wants to revise and resubmit needs to re-involve all of the authors again.
If it is the case that the others acted inappropriately, then the action to take depends on how important the paper is to the first author relative to the relationship with the other authors. The range of options includes (from least to most bridge-burning):
* Ask to be involved in further revision and authorship discussions (assuming the paper isn't already published)
* Stop collaborating with the other authors (if the first author is aiming to be a career scientist, there will be many other papers with better collaborators)
* Request a correction or retraction from the publisher
Scientists are people like everybody else, and have everything from stellar working relationships to innocent miscommunications to nasty misbehaviors. Start from the assumption that there is an innocent misunderstanding, but if there is real misconduct involved, the best thing to do is to balance protection of yourself and warning of others as best fits your situation.
> 3 votes
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Tags: publications, authorship, paper-submission, rejection
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thread-27649
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/27649
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White paper justifying the publication of a survey paper
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2014-08-26T12:43:21.683
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# Question
Title: White paper justifying the publication of a survey paper
We are currently trying to submit a comprehensive survey article I have been working on for a while as a journal paper. Some of the journals we're considering (I'm in Computer Science) require, for survey articles, submitting a 2-5 page *white paper* to the Editor-in-Chief, in order to evaluate the relevance of the proposed survey (upon which the EiC would either discourage or encourage the submission of a full survey):
> Authors interested in submitting overview articles are required to consult first with the Editor-in-Chief (EiC) of their Transactions of choice before submitting a white paper proposal. White papers are limited to 2-pages and should motivate the topic, justify the proposal, and include a list of relevant bibliography including any available tutorial or overview articles related to the subject matter. (...) The EiC solicits input from the Editorial Board on whether to encourage submission of a full paper.
>
> (specific requirements example taken from: http://www.signalprocessingsociety.org/publications/overview-articles/)
I have found some questions on the topic if white papers, but it looks to me like all of those are either concerning short standalone papers, or white papers for grants, which differs a bit from my situation.
Just to summarize, this white paper (2-5 pages, depending on the journal) is *not* ment to ever be published, but rather to help the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board in deciding on the relevance of the proposed survey. So, for me as the author, the goal of this white paper is to motivate the EiC to invite me to submit the full survey manuscript.
So, my question is *how to structure and what information to include in a white paper, meant as a proposal for publishing a longer survey paper*. Some specific questions I'm thinking about:
* Should I divide it into sections, similar to a regular (short) paper (introduction, discussion, etc.) or should it have some different, (specific or not) structure?
* The reqirements mention including a *"list of relevant bibliography"*: as this is meant to be for an survey article, my complete list of bibliography is much larger that 2 pages. Do I just mention "related work" and omit the references used as sources for the survey from this white paper, or something similar to that?
* Should I repeat some parts of the survey, or just include the motivation and explanation of the survey topic in this white paper?
# Answer
If I understand your question correctly, the longer survey paper is mostly or entirely written already, right?
The purpose of a presubmission like this is generally to help the editor decide if the topic is broad enough and well enough aligned to be of interest to a large fraction of the journal's audience.
As such, the introductory material that you've written for your survey paper should be just what is needed: it should already give the scope of the survey, the motivation for it, and an outline of how the rest of the survey is structured. I would recommend clipping out your abstract and introduction, keeping its references, maybe adding a few other key references if your introduction was reference light, and sending that in.
Finally, in your cover letter, you should say that this is exactly what you are doing. That will also let the editor know that this isn't a submission in advance of having written the manuscript, but an inquiry of whether to proceed with a fairly mature manuscript. Speaking as a sometime editor myself, that's very useful information.
> 4 votes
# Answer
White papers are a great way to get noticed. Many universities also offer them as resources for current students as a way to gain insight to popular concerns within the area of expertise.
Just look at: *http://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/news/publications/white-papers*
You want to make sure that the white paper gives insight or focus to the main thoughts of your subject, and that proper credits are given to any of the relevant discussion within your paper. If you do decide to include the focus on your survey, that would be ok. However, discussion on what the highlights are and not giving the survey the main focus, may lead to offers to have the survey published or have you give more in depth discussion of your findings. Hope this helps.
> 0 votes
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Tags: publications, journals
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thread-28973
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/28973
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How to discuss job search with your advisor when your career plans differ from what your advisor wants you to do?
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2014-09-24T22:43:55.200
|
# Question
Title: How to discuss job search with your advisor when your career plans differ from what your advisor wants you to do?
I'm on the job market this fall (will earn my Ph.D. this spring), and have culled a list of open positions I would like to apply for. I'd like to talk to my advisor about this soon in regards to recommendation letters, as well as for their own information. I'm at a big US research university with an untenured advisor who would also like us all to be at an R1 school or doing research in industry when we graduate. However, my preference is for small teaching schools or lecturing positions, and my list reflects that. Additionally, I have a spouse with a Ph.D., and we will be prioritizing my spouse's job for personal reasons.
I'm among the first to graduate from my group this year. We've all been vague about our job aspirations in previous years, since we've learned that our preferences would often be discounted and it wasn't worth the argument. I don't anticipate anything drastic in this discussion, but I would like to be respectful in conveying the information while still getting across my point that I won't be applying to anywhere my advisor would be happy with.
**Any recommendations on how to approach this discussion?** Tips on how much to share on what's influencing my/our decisions would be helpful too.
# Answer
> 1 votes
I think a lot of how to approach it depends on the reason that your advisor things you should be heading for a traditional research career. It's likely one of two things:
1. Your advisor thinks very highly of your work and doesn't want to "lose" you from the research community.
2. Your advisor is afraid that not placing students "highly" will reflect badly on their tenure case.
Neither of these is a good reason to choose a career path that you aren't interested in. If it's the first, maybe you can get your advisor to listen by explaining that you really do want to embrace a teaching career. If it's the second, then maybe you can explain that it will look a lot better on their tenure case to have an advisee placed at a well-respected teaching institution than dropping out of academia altogether. At the end of the day, though, it's your choice and not your advisor's.
In either case, however, I would strongly recommend also seeking out other faculty members or external colleagues who understand you better. If you can find such other allies, they will be important in helping back you for the career that you want, whether or not your advisor comes around.
---
Tags: teaching, advisor, job-search, interpersonal-issues, two-body-problem
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thread-28068
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/28068
|
What do potential postdoc advisers seek in research statement letters?
|
2014-09-05T16:03:29.867
|
# Question
Title: What do potential postdoc advisers seek in research statement letters?
I am putting together my application for a postdoctoral position in theoretical condensed matter physics. The position is *not* a *fellowship* and is a regular postdoc position. If you have gone through the process of applying for such positions a number of times, or, even better, if you have reviewed such research statement letters, what are the main points that are sought/you seek in such letters? Specifically, should I put more emphasize on my PhD research to demonstrate my "depth of knowledge" on projects I have worked on (past research), or dwell more on things that I want/am capable to do (future research)?
# Answer
Some of this depends a lot on field and laboratory, and I don't know the customs of physics. As somebody who has dealt with this question in both biology and computer science, however, let me give you some thoughts:
Since you aren't aiming for a fellowship, you're probably going to be supported by a funded project of some sort. That means the PI you'd be working for promised their funders they would get somebody do a postdoc-sized piece of work on Topic X. Their biggest concern is thus likely to be whether you are the person who can do that. Accordingly, when I'm thinking about postdocs, the properties I'm looking for are:
1. Flexibility enough to shift from their Ph.D. topic to the topic of the project, which is pretty much guaranteed to be different.
2. Autonomy, creativity, and maturity enough to tackle their part of the project without much hand-holding.
3. Productivity and responsibility enough to deliver research progress at regular intervals.
Formulate your letter accordingly, showing what you have accomplished, that you are capable of formulating a research vision, and that you have interests outside of your research vision. The goal is not to sell yourself, but to be interesting enough that it's worth the PIs time to talk to you in person, which is where the real decision will be made.
In fact, however, you are best served if you can skip the letter entirely and approach potential PIs in person at conferences or other meetings. Get introductions from your advisor if you can. Practice your elevator pitch (explaining what you'd put in a letter in just three spoken sentences). Speaking as a PI, a whole lot of postdoc jobs ultimately originated by PIs talking at a meeting and one of them saying, "I've got this great student who's graduating, and I'll bet they'd fit well in your lab..." or the other saying, "I've got this grant starting next year and there's a gap I need to fill..."
> 9 votes
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Tags: research-process, advisor, postdocs, statement-of-purpose
---
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thread-29264
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29264
|
How to get authoritative bibliographic information about journals
|
2014-10-01T08:26:48.610
|
# Question
Title: How to get authoritative bibliographic information about journals
When I collect bibliographic material, I seem to get grossly inconsistent information. Papers from the same journal are often linked to different publishers, the same journal or publisher is often stylized differently (e.g. `Wiley`, `Wiley-Liss`, `Wiley & Sons`), location information about the same publisher is different (see What address to put in bibliography for Springer (and others)?).
Maybe I'm a bit obsessive, but I would like to be consistent when citing papers from the same journal/publisher, especially in my thesis.
Is there any source for authoritative information about journals and publishers? Also: Is there a good guide for the semantics of the different `fields` in a bib entry? If I knew, for example, that what goes into the publisher field should be the registered trademark or the trade name, I could work out some of these on my own.
(BTW: I'm using Citeulike's mechanism for getting bibliographic info for most of the papers I cite.)
# Answer
I always like to go back to first principles when considering questions like this. The purpose of a citation is to allow another researcher to find the reference in question.
The conventions for citation were developed many decades ago, when documents were always looked up in print, having information like the publisher was critical. These days, we live in an era of search enginers and highly international publishers. That means that:
1. Often there is no such thing as a definitive publisher name or address, because it depends on what perspective you take.
2. There is no unified database for anything, anywhere. If it is valuable, there are many versions of it, and they *will* contain conflicting information.
3. Authors and title are typically all that's actually needed to uniquely identify a document.
What's typically really important to get right is: author, title, and publication venue (journal, conference, \[chapter in\] book). Many citation formats won't even show the publisher or address. Likewise, online-only publications like the PLoS journals don't even have a meaningful address or page numbers. For the rest of the fields: don't give incorrect information, but any of the reasonable variants of correct information is fine.
> 1 votes
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Tags: citations, publishers
---
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thread-28653
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/28653
|
Found an error in a paper I presented at a student engineering conference. Should/can I talk about it in my MS applications?
|
2014-09-18T06:02:32.773
|
# Question
Title: Found an error in a paper I presented at a student engineering conference. Should/can I talk about it in my MS applications?
Some background information: Found an error in a paper that I already presented at a student engineering conference; what should I do now?
I am inclined to talk about the paper because I was awarded the 2nd best paper. And although it isn't published (only printed in conference proceedings) and it was a student conference, I still made a big error.
# Answer
> 4 votes
Reading your background, it seems that everything about the work was correct except for a mistake in translating the algorithm from code to pseudocode. Moreover, you've done your best at correcting the mistake. Mistakes happen in science, and especially when it comes to the dread pseudocode (personally, that's why I always include actual executable code whenever I can).
From what you've presented, I think you have every reason to be proud of this work and none to be ashamed. Talk about the work in your applications. Talk about the paper. Talk about the experience in getting it corrected. Anybody who you'd actually want to work for will see all of these as strengths and not weaknesses.
---
Tags: graduate-admissions, masters, errors-erratum
---
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thread-14
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/14
|
Who evaluates Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship proposals?
|
2012-02-14T20:43:23.893
|
# Question
Title: Who evaluates Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship proposals?
Who are the evaluators of the Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship proposals? Other academics ? How are they selected ?
# Answer
You will find details on the evaluation process in the Guide for Applicants. The evaluators are experts (=researchers) in the field. They will be matched to the proposal according to their profile and to the abstract and keywords. They will for sure be in the general research area, but might not be in the exact same field of the proposal. It is (at least, officially) not possible to find out who evaluated the proposal afterwards, but you can find a list of former evaluators here:
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/experts\_en.html
> 9 votes
# Answer
*Who are the evaluators...?* I am. Along with a few hundred other people, of course! The evaluators ("experts" in EU jargon) are mostly academics from across Europe, with a decent number of scientists from industry, government, etc.
*How are they selected?* There is an open application process to become an EU H2020 expert. You fill out a form on the H2020 website, where you detail your scientific expertise, list your publications, grants etc. Then there is some selection process where, if your profile matches a vacancy on one of the evaluation panels, you get invited to be a panel member.
> 2 votes
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Tags: funding
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thread-26244
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/26244
|
Will an industry funded PhD hurt one's research career?
|
2014-07-22T14:28:13.900
|
# Question
Title: Will an industry funded PhD hurt one's research career?
Most students I know in computer science are funded either by the NSF or their professor's startup package \[in the US\]. But it also isn't completely unheard of for a company to give a gift/grant to a professor to fund a student.
This seem to have a few implications, such as the student's dissertation being tied to the company's interests and the student would probably be expected to work onsite each summer.
The students I have known to do this, go on to industry after graduating (not necessarily the company that funded them). This brings up the following questions...
* Would a hiring committee at a university consider the close ties to industry a negative?
* If the student continues publishing regularly, is there anything about this scenario that can hurt one's research career?
Note: Suresh's answer to the question Will self funding a PhD hurt employment chances? is very relevant, but I think there are some different obstacles for industry funding.
# Answer
> 2 votes
I see no inherent problem with industry funding for Ph.D., and in many cases it can be a benefit. Certainly in computer science there is a broad spectrum of options for different types of research career (government, large industry, startups, etc.), and it's not unusual for people to move between them multiple times over the course of a career. As long as you are publishing well and frequently, you'll have lots of options.
---
Tags: research-process, career-path, funding, industry
---
|
thread-28036
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/28036
|
Literature for commercialisation of research
|
2014-09-04T16:25:00.317
|
# Question
Title: Literature for commercialisation of research
What are some good books to read for people who have been in academia their entire career (regardless of length of that career) and now want to commercialise something from their research? I am looking for tips for people who have no education in law or business, including patent rights and the business side on how to start a research-company etc.
I understand that it is a broad question, but I hope and think that it could in fact be relevant to more researchers than me.
# Answer
Starting and running a business is an entirely different skill set from being a professor, one that takes years to learn how to do well. You also aren't going to be able to put your whole heart into it unless you are planning to quit academia.
If you are at a research university, there is probably some sort of Technology Transfer Office filled with people who would like nothing more than to educate you on this subject. Good TTOs will also help do matchmaking with the entrepreneurs who come to them looking for technologies to build a business around. Your university might also have a business school. If so, there are probably teams of students looking for new business projects and case studies.
In either case, you want to find partners who are on the same wavelength as you and who you can trust. Commercializing has a mix of business management, finance, marketing, and technological development, and you probably want people involved who are specialists in all of those disciplines.
> 2 votes
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Tags: career-path
---
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thread-28196
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/28196
|
Coverage of Web of Science
|
2014-09-08T14:56:43.060
|
# Question
Title: Coverage of Web of Science
The reason I'm asking this question is that I've never used Web of Science before. My apologies if it is silly or irrelevant.
I'm gathering materials for an application to a tenure-track job, and one of the things I have to submit is a list of my publications as indexed in WoS. This is an important thing for them, because they make it clear in the call for applications that those publications that are indexed in WoS are going to count more that those that don't (they do it this way because the call is division-wide, not department-specific, so they use WoS as a scholarship quality metric that doesn't require the members of the search committee to be experts in the specific fields of the candidates).
WoS behaves well in that, if I query my name and field, it returns all of my journal publications, including a couple of obscure book reviews I did in my first year of grad school. On the other hand, it also behaves badly in that it fails to return anything that is not a journal publication. This bothers me because I have a couple of book chapters with reputable presses (e.g., OUP) and proceedings of high-profile conferences that my peers and mentors acknowledge are as important (in terms of quality and contribution to the field) as any of my journal publications; but because they don't appear in WoS, the search committee will view them as second-rate publications.
The question is, is there a way I can make WoS index these publications?
# Answer
Web of Science is terrible in coverage of many fields (not sure what yours is from the post), and if you're stuck with it, you're stuck with it. Try to see if there's anywhere that you can also say, "and here are my important publications that WoS doesn't cover, and here are all of their many many citations..."
> 4 votes
# Answer
To answer the question directly, No, you can't get Web of Science to index your other publications. They only index papers from a collection of sources that they've deemed high quality and been able to negotiate access to. If the journal you've published in isn't on their list (or if you've published in a conference proceedings volume or a book chapter) then it simply won't be indexed. Furthermore, their citation counts won't include citations that occurred in publications that they don't index.
Other services have different policies on this. Google Scholar is perhaps the most broad in its coverage, but this sometimes includes things like student term papers that aren't in any normal sense considered "publications." There are also various discipline specific services (such as MathSciNet for pure mathematics) but their coverage is often quite narrow.
When comparing the publications and citation counts of two scholars in the same field, you can typically use any of these sources and assume that the two authors are on an even playing field. However, it's a very unwise idea to do this across disciplines, since the various services have very different coverage of different fields. For example, Web of Science does an awful job of covering computer science (particularly because of the many important conference proceedings in that discipline) but gives much more reasonable coverage of fields like chemistry and physics.
Similarly, it's unreasonable to compare citation counts across the different services because of the differences in what they index.
> 1 votes
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Tags: publications, bibliometrics, faculty-application
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thread-29702
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29702
|
Should I write "we" or "I" in my research statement?
|
2014-10-10T01:33:48.097
|
# Question
Title: Should I write "we" or "I" in my research statement?
I am currently in the process of applying for tenure-track assistant professor jobs. I was wondering whether I should write "we" or "I" in my research statement. While it is true that I did not do all the research on my own, I have heard that in a research statement, I am trying to sell my research agenda and thus should use "I" rather than "we". Nevertheless, I get an odd feeling as if I am taking all the credit for something that was done with other researchers.
# Answer
> 18 votes
A research statement is a mix of past and future.
When you are talking about the past, you should be honest about the fact that you are not working in isolation---in fact, that is a good thing. Use "we" or "my collaborators and I" or whatever most accurately describes what actually happened.
The other key part of a research statement, however, is your views about the future: what you think is important, what your ambitions are for the future, etc. Those are unambiguously your own opinions, and should be "I" statements.
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Tags: writing-style, faculty-application
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|
thread-29667
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29667
|
What do I need to include in a tenure-track assistant professor job application cover letter?
|
2014-10-09T16:58:25.303
|
# Question
Title: What do I need to include in a tenure-track assistant professor job application cover letter?
I am currently applying for tenure-track assistant professor jobs. One of the positions requires me to submit a cover letter, in addition to a CV, research statement, and teaching statement. (The application is online) I am thinking of writing the following:
> October 1, 2014
>
> Dear faculty committee
>
> I wish to apply for the faculty position in the Department of Mathematics at Stanford University. Currently, I am a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California at Berkeley in the Department of Mathematics under the supervision of Dr. James Moriarty.
>
> Enclosed are my curriculum vitae, teaching and research statements, and two research papers. Please do not hesitate to contact me if further information is needed.
>
> Yours truly,
> John Watson
> Department of Mathematics
> University of California at Berkeley
> 123 4th Street, Box 5678
> Berkeley, CA 12345-6789
> (123) 456-7890
* What is the purpose of the cover letter? Is it just to indicate what are the documents included in the application? I ask this because most of the other positions for which I am applying don't require a cover letter.
* Should I include a brief summary of my research interests and teaching experience, one paragraph each, in the cover letter?
**Edit:** In reality, I am not in the field of mathematics, nor am I a postdoctoral fellow at Berkeley. The details in my cover letter are fictitious and meant only to illustrate the structure of the cover letter which I will write.
# Answer
> 11 votes
I'm a mathematician, and I was at Berkeley. I wrote a cover letter similar to yours and got exactly one interview that year (it was 2010, but still). The only reason I got that interview was because a member of the committee thought very highly of one of my letter writers.
I would suggest you write brief paragraphs regarding teaching and research, and order these paragraphs depending on how you gauge the focus of the department.
I would take this as a basic template for the cover letter you are going to write. As you get ready to apply to a school, you should try to learn as much as you can about the department. Is there someone there you would like to collaborate with? Do they offer any courses you would really like to teach? Do they offer an REU that you could contribute to? You might also morph your research paragraph into a "student research" paragraph if that is what they are looking for.
Many of these departments won't look at the letter at all, but you don't know which. For the ones that do value it, you want to show them that you understand what they are doing and want to be a part of it.
# Answer
> 11 votes
I'll be honest about when I read packages (in chemistry). The first thing I look at is the CV. I also skim the cover letter. Then I read the recommendation letters and the research and teaching statements. Depending on the CV and recommendation letters, I may take more or less time on the research/teaching statements - if the candidate seems promising, I'm more thorough.
But if the cover letter is short, not tailored at least *some* to our department, contains obvious typos, etc. I'll get a bad impression.
Look, anyone applying to a tenure-track position has taken a ***lot*** of time to get to this point. You've secured a PhD, possibly gone through a postdoc position, and prepared the whole application.
Why spoil it with a lousy cover letter. Take some time, think up a paragraph or two about a particular department, consider what you might add, and let us know.
This tells me that the candidate is not just blindly sending out a gazillion applications.
I doubt everyone completely rewrites their cover letters for each application (I didn't). But I **do** want to see that someone has taken the time to carefully craft a paragraph or three about us and how they might fit.
Will we interview someone who seems stellar with a poor cover letter? Probably. But we also get ~100 applications for every opening, so why would you risk it?
# Answer
> 7 votes
In my field, which is not mathematics, a cover letter is a critical component of the job application. I feel like I have seen questions/answers on AC.SE that suggest in some fields the cover letter is less important. In general, in my field research statements, while specific in what the research goals are, are generally not tailored to an individual department. The same goes for teaching statements. My field is interdisciplinary and if you are applying for a position in a medical school you may use a different research/teaching statement than if you are applying for a position in an engineering school or a science school, but for any given type of department/school you would likely use the same research and teaching statements. You might tailor a small portion of them to demonstrate how you would fit into a specific department and the university as a whole, but you would not write new statements for each department. The cover letter on the other hand is where you explain how you fit into the department and university and is essentially rewritten for every application.
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Tags: tenure-track, faculty-application
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thread-29516
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29516
|
Correction of Diploma Having Two Types of Honors
|
2014-10-07T03:28:40.623
|
# Question
Title: Correction of Diploma Having Two Types of Honors
Last semester, I was graduated from a four-year university, and am now a Ph.D student at another university. I received two separate degrees: one in Pure Mathematics and one in Computer Science, both Bachelors of Science. The honors in question are:
* **Summa Cum Laude (1)**: This is a direct, university-wide, GPA-related thing; it applies to both degrees. I fulfill these requirements and so deserve the honor.
* **Summa Cum Laude (2)**: This is applied if the student does a Mathematics thesis. I did *not* do this, so I do not deserve this honor.
* **Computer Science Departmental Honors**: This is applied if the student does a CS thesis. I *did* do this, working independently to produce not just one but *two* theses, containing publishable work. One won best paper at a small conference.
The two separate diplomas were shipped well after graduation, and well after I had moved to a different state. They contain:
* **Mathematics**: Summa Cum Laude
* **CS**: \<nothing extra\>
Clearly, there is a problem. Since I didn't do a mathematics thesis, the "summa cum laude" on the mathematics degree refers to the strict GPA thing (the mathematics department confirmed this). However, by the same reasoning, I should clearly have gotten the same on my CS diploma. And, in any case, I might have expected the departmental honors to show up too.
The first thing I did was ask the university help office, which directed me to the (single) email contact at the registrar's office. This email contact ignored repeated, direct questions asking to clarify the above; replies consisted mostly of one-line, semi-incoherent, half-caps, half-cut-and-paste of irrelevant information I'd already seen on the University's webpage.
Were it not for the typos, this lady wouldn't pass the Turing Test.
The mathematics diploma is correct (since I do meet one of the options for having the honor). However, the CS diploma needs to be fixed. I have surmised that the only way to get a fix is to send the original diploma back with a somewhat ambiguous correction form.
**This leads me to two questions for the academic community:**
1. Is it common practice to include both a summa cum laude honor and a lesser honor? In my opinion, my theses represent far more *value*, especially research value, than a stupid GPA. The contact was . . . unable to clarify whether the university has an established policy on this--but my impression is that it does not. The CS department says it's not their format, so they don't know.
Under these assumptions, I am forced to conclude that there is no established format at my university. Further, as it seems they are taking suggestions, I will submit my correction form to list both honors. If they really do have a policy, they'll know and can contact me.
2. I am having trouble thinking up a good way of stating the honors, however. If this contact was representative of the registrar's office at large, then I *definitely* want my correction to be verbatim. What is a simple phrasing of the honors that makes them clear that they are distinct?
# Answer
In my opinion, the most important statement in your question is "I ... am now a Ph.D student." Assuming that you follow through in your doctoral program, everything about your undergraduate career will rapidly fade into insignificance. Please understand that I do not mean to downplay your accomplishments in any way: it is simply that you are entering a new realm in which you will be judged very differently on a very different type of accomplishment.
Given that, what's important here is to make sure that nothing on your C.V. could be interpreted as a lie in the unlikely case that somebody bothers to check with your undergraduate institution. Check what the CS department believes about you, and write that down on your C.V. You can always update it later if the bureaucracy gets fixed.
Beyond that, it's really more for your own personal satisfaction than for any career value, particularly as regards the pieces of paper that you were shipped. My own personal experience as a working scientist... I recently rediscovered my degrees while going through a box throwing out old papers, and they have now been relocated from a box in a closet to a box in the attic.
> 1 votes
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Tags: undergraduate, formatting, graduation
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|
thread-28849
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/28849
|
Should you mention your ranking in specific courses in statement of purpose?
|
2014-09-21T23:21:55.060
|
# Question
Title: Should you mention your ranking in specific courses in statement of purpose?
I would like to know if it is good to talk about your outstanding ranking in important courses in your statement of purpose.
For example, is it good to say I took "Quantum physics" in the second year and my rank was 1st out of 100 students? Or to mention a list of courses where my rank was 1st or 2nd among many students in the university?
The reason I am asking is because your transcript does not give the complete story of how well you were doing in your courses. You might get an A, but so did 20 other people.
# Answer
I'm assuming that you're talking about Ph.D. admissions, rather than masters' admissions, which often play by very different rules from department to department and institution to institution.
Comparing classes across institutions is virtually impossible, to the point where some graduate schools require you to state the textbooks associated with your undergraduate courses in order to evaluate you. A better way to think about how grades relate to Ph.D. admissions is as a negative filter: if you have iffy grades, then you will not be considered. If you have excellent grades, then you will be placed into a large pile of other excellent students, which is then sifted to see who also has interesting potential to do something besides problem sets.
As such, rather than putting down a rank, ask yourself this: are any of the classes you performed excellently in ones where the professor might be willing to write a letter recommending you for insight or creativity or something else beyond mere mechanical brilliance? That will go much farther toward getting you admitted.
> 2 votes
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Tags: graduate-admissions, coursework, statement-of-purpose, ranking
---
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thread-29695
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29695
|
Apply for assistant/associate professor at same institution as postdoc?
|
2014-10-10T00:31:28.253
|
# Question
Title: Apply for assistant/associate professor at same institution as postdoc?
This was a conversation I was having with a colleague earlier today. He was offered a postdoctoral position and doesn't want to move after that. It's a very highly regarded university so it's understandable that he doesn't want to leave, but it made me wonder how common this is. Do postdocs frequently advance in the ranks at the same university or is it still the norm to go to school A for PhD, school B for postdoc, and school C for professorship?
# Answer
It's not common to stay at the same university after doing a postdoc. When you do a postdoc somewhere, you can certainly apply for a faculty position there afterwards, the same as anyone else, and you might get it. The fact that the department is familiar with you and your work could be a modest advantage, but there may be disadvantages as well. For example, the university already has someone in your general area, namely your postdoctoral supervisor, so they may feel less need to hire you as well.
Without some special reason to think otherwise, the chances of being hired at this university are probably roughly the same as they would have been had you done a postdoc somewhere else. That generally means they're low. In most cases, you can't just pick a university to focus your attention on and hope to get a faculty job there. Even if you're qualified, many other applicants will be as well, and some may be even more so. Of course you may be exceptionally accomplished, or in a hot field in which recruiting is very difficult. If that's the case, then you may be in a strong position to stay, but otherwise it will take a lot of luck.
Another way to look at it is by counting. Most major research universities hire a lot more postdocs than faculty members. (An average faculty member will supervise quite a few postdocs over the years, but the university isn't growing exponentially.) Probably most of the postdocs would like to stay, but there just aren't enough faculty positions to hire them, even if nobody were hired from outside. In other words, it's the same argument as for why most graduate students can't expect to find faculty positions at institutions comparable to the one they graduated from.
> 9 votes
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Tags: job-search, professorship, postdocs
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thread-29701
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29701
|
Can I get a Master's in Economics with a Bachelor's in Mathematics?
|
2014-10-10T01:27:13.147
|
# Question
Title: Can I get a Master's in Economics with a Bachelor's in Mathematics?
I am going to receive a Bachelor's of Science in Applied Mathematics soon. I found out facilitating medical environments is what I found interesting after volunteering at a hospital for two years and getting to meet an administrator and a medical actuary.
I have ZERO background in Economics, minus basic Macro and Microeconomics AP credit that I still remember. I can program really well, and I'm a very, very strong mathematician. I have 4 total undergraduate publications in Numerical Solutions to PDEs (1), Set theory (1), and Mathematical Models in Ecology (2) using differential equations. Although none are economics per se, friends who I have talked to say that economics is highly mathematical and involves rigorous programming, so these tools will serve me well.
I have a 3.98 GPA in Mathematics, have relevant tutoring experience on a campus math help center, etc. Is a graduate degree in healthcare economics or even an MPH with a focus in healthcare economics viable with an undergradaute degree in mathematics?
# Answer
Mathematics is a good undergraduate major for a prospective economics grad student. And I suspect that you could gain admission to (and succeed in) a master's program somewhere with the background you already have. But graduate programs in economics do generally expect that you've taken at least some upper-division economics courses, so you would be a much stronger candidate for a master's program (or even a PhD program) with a bit more preparation.
For example, here's what UConn (where I earned my MA) has to say about application to graduate programs in economics http://econ.uconn.edu/grad/apply/faqs/:
> Do I need to be an economics major to apply? No, though some economics background is preferred. Students with little or no economics training, however, will usually only be considered for admission to the master’s program and, if admitted, will generally be required to take some undergraduate economics courses before beginning graduate study.
So, I think the answer to your question is "yes" for at least some values of "master's in economics". Completing intermediate level microeconomics and macroeconomics (or, if you can only take one, micro) would probably improve your chances of acceptance, though, not to mention giving you a better idea whether this is something you want to spend a year or two on.
From your description of your interests, though, it sounds to me as though a MPH is a better fit for you.
> 2 votes
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Tags: graduate-admissions, mathematics, changing-fields, economics
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thread-29716
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29716
|
How to allow survey participants to contact me without breaching anonymity?
|
2014-10-10T06:49:25.390
|
# Question
Title: How to allow survey participants to contact me without breaching anonymity?
I started a survey yesterday as a part of an empirical experiment, using an online questionnaire. It is among the employees of the institution where I work to pay the bills (that's not the university at which I'm doing my Ph.D.).
Soon I not noticed that there is a problem with the survey. 2/3 of the responses are empty from page 3 on. These are not people who chose to hit the "exit and clear" button, because then the responses won't land in the database. They either closed the browser window, or had a technical difficulty.
Totally stumped at what is happening, I set up a second "survey" with only one question: `What problems are you experiencing with the original survey?`. I sent it out asking people who experienced a problem to tell me about it. And now I have three attempted answers there - empty.
Now I don't know how to let people tell me about the problem if this isn't working either. If I ask them to tell me per email, I will see who is sending the mail, breaching anonymity. The survey software runs on a university server. If I tell them to write to the university admin, they won't trust him because they don't know him and cannot know he is not going to give out their names. I don't know who I could ask from our institution to assist - nobody here is part of my Ph.D. project, and nobody has any responsibility for the university server. If I ask somebody close to me to act as "problem relay" only as a personal favor, the trust of the participants will be eroded again, because people close enough to me to do me this favor won't be seen as impartial.
Any ideas how to get the problem reported? It doesn't matter if it is technical or the questionnaire is so unreasonable that 2/3 of the participants change their mind about completing it. I need to know what is wrong, as this survey is pivotal for my dissertation.
# Answer
This answer may depend on how many participants your survey has in general - but I think one of the main objectives of conducting a survey "remotely", online, rather than personally, in a controlled environment, is to gather an exceptionally large amount of participants. Therefore, I'll assume a sufficiently large number.
Note that online surveys are quite an exception here in that you never get into contact with the participants. In general, you always know to some extent who participated in the survey (hardly anything else is possible when you have to meet in person with the participants). And even for online surveys, contact details are often required if there is any compensation for the effort of taking part, or only the offer to be notified once the results of the study are ready (which is generally the least that should be offered to participants in response to the time they reserved for you).
Therefore, the anonymity assured to participants generally does *not* mean that researchers never learn about any of the personal data of the participants; it means:
* Responses will not be connected to the personal data of participants.
* The personal data will never be published in detail, just as aggregate values (e.g. age minimum, maximum and median across all subjects).
* Any identifying data (e-mail addresses etc.) will be erased as soon as possible.
Unless there is just a small total number of participants, participants can feel reasonably safe that even though the researchers know both their personal data and their responses, those two won't be connected in the future.
> 1 votes
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Tags: anonymity, survey-research
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thread-29713
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29713
|
Can I understand the rejection reason of an article by reading the reviewers' comments?
|
2014-10-10T06:10:11.587
|
# Question
Title: Can I understand the rejection reason of an article by reading the reviewers' comments?
My paper is rejected with this comment from editor:
> Unfortunately, the reviewers generally agree this paper should not be considered for publish in....
My question is do all the reviewers reject the paper?
While, I read the reviewers's comment, some of them suggest some notations in order to improve my paper.
# Answer
> 8 votes
A serious editor makes a decision based on the reports from the reviewers along with their own critical view of both the manuscript and the reviews. This means that both reviewers may not have made the official recommendation of reject, it sometimes happens reviewers give a "major revision" officially while in their confidential comment to the editor they provide their reasoning for providing that recommendation instead of a reject, which they think would be equally appropriate. Hence there is communication "behind the scenes" that is not visible to the author(s). It is also possible that an editor makes a decision for a reject based on reviews that recommend otherwise. In such cases the grounds may, for example, be that the editor sees that the revisions will be too complex to fit the time frame of a regular "major revision". Or, that there is some formal issue that reviewers will be unable to detect. The latter should, however, not be very common since such issues, including suitability to the journal, should be weeded out at the time of submission, not after review (thereby wasting reviewers valuable time).
In the quote you provide, it seems as if both reviewers have found grounds for rejecting the paper. It is probably not very common that an editor changes such overwhelming recommendations (although it can happen). The fact that reviewers provide comments is not in any way unusual. Any serious reviewer knows that part of reviewing is to provide feedback on what is thought should be revised. Hence there is normally no major difference between reviews resulting in a *recommendation* for "reject" than those resulting in, say, "major revision". Any first round review that is returned without any comments and providing either an "accept" or a "reject" will, in my opinion as editor, be signalling a reviewer not willing to do the job and in fact useless for the process (manuscripts so good that they can be accepted without any action are very rare indeed).
# Answer
> 13 votes
You can't really tell, unless it's explicit in the referee reports you receive. A referee could well give suggestions for improvements even if they advise rejecting the paper - they don't assume that just because the paper wouldn't appear in this journal it won't appear anywhere. It also doesn't matter whether all the referees recommended rejection - it is the editors that make the call, and that is what stands.
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Tags: publications, peer-review, editors, rejection
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thread-8436
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/8436
|
Should I include a reference for an image that is released into the public domain?
|
2013-03-07T09:48:34.390
|
# Question
Title: Should I include a reference for an image that is released into the public domain?
I am writing my thesis and came across an image on Wikipedia that I would like to use. The licensing on this image is:
> I, the copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. In some countries this may not be legally possible; if so: I grant anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law.
Should I still include a reference to indicate this image is not my own work, if so, who should be given credit (the author is not known in this case)?
# Answer
> 22 votes
> Should I still include a reference to indicate this image is not my own work
**YES** If the idea is not yours, you need to reference it.
> Who should be given credit
That is a harder question. Ideally, you should find the original author/source. Given a reasonable attempt to find the original author/source fails then reference the secondary/reproduction (i.e., wikipedia/wikimedia).
# Answer
> 1 votes
Here are the recommendations from Wikimedia Commons:
> Content in the public domain may not have a strict legal requirement of attribution (depending on the jurisdiction of content reuse), but attribution is recommended to give correct provenance.
>
> Other restrictions may apply. These may include trademarks, patents, personality rights, moral rights, privacy rights, or any of the many other legal causes which are independent of copyright and vary greatly by jurisdiction.
The rest of the page is very informative as well.
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Tags: citations, thesis, wikipedia
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thread-29725
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29725
|
How should I choose the name of my past degree in application when the options do not not exactly match my degree?
|
2014-10-10T13:17:48.380
|
# Question
Title: How should I choose the name of my past degree in application when the options do not not exactly match my degree?
I am applying for PhD for a certain university (Canadian), and in the form there is a question about the academic background. In the options I see things like Bachelor of engineering, bachelor of engineering with honours, bachelor's degree general, bachelor's degree 4 year, and bachelor of science. There are similar options for the Master's degree: Master of engineering, Master's degree, and master's of science.
I completed my undergraduate study in 4 years and my degree is "Bachelor of science in engineering".There was a project in the final year. I am doing a "Master's of science in engineering". This is thesis based degree.
Which of the above options should I choose? In my country we only have Bachelor of science and Master's of science so I don't know what these things mean.
# Answer
> 3 votes
By "I see things like," I assume you mean "the options are," i.e., the list of options you have given is exhaustive. I shall also assume that you are an engineering student, with a degree at "Bachelor of science" level and you are currently studying at "Master's of science" level. The question about academic background is looking for your highest qualification, so I would list "master's of science."
You could call the university to confirm!
EDIT. I do not agree with compass's remark that a UK MEng degree is provided in lieu of a Bachelor's and has the same study length: UK BEng degrees are typically three years, whereas UK MEng degrees are typically four years. It is possible that compass is attempting to compare Bachelor's degrees between different countries.
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Tags: phd, application, degree, terminology
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thread-29341
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29341
|
If enrolled in Ms-PhD, do I have flexibility not to progress beyond MS?
|
2014-10-03T06:21:54.953
|
# Question
Title: If enrolled in Ms-PhD, do I have flexibility not to progress beyond MS?
I'm looking to do a graduate course in computer science in the US and was particularly attracted to several non-terminal MS CS programs, which you'd enroll as a PhD student, but acquire the MS en route. Some of these MS-PhD programs have better financial support by the institution compared to the terminal MS program. For example Harvard offers all of its PhD students full financial support.
My question is: If I'm enrolled into say Harvard's or any other PhD program looking to get MS en route. After acquiring the Masters Will I be able to have the flexibility to not progress towards after PhD for whatever reason, without any consequences like having to pay back the financial aid or something?
# Answer
> 4 votes
(Copied from my comments)
Firstly:
1. In some cases the terminal MS program costs you more because you are expected to only do coursework, whereas in the MS-PhD program you are expected to service the department as a research or teaching assistant.
2. I would expect that if a school offers both options they would frown upon your entering the PhD track with the intention of quitting after the MS
3. Most importantly, this is something that you can and should ask the administrators at the schools you are looking at. There's a good chance that the policy is different school to school.
To answer your second question, it depends on what you mean by consequences:
If you meant only financial ones: I've known many cases (not in CS) where students quit after the masters, and in none of those cases were they asked to pay the school back. Mostly because of point (1) above. In fact, some departments offering the MS-PhD program seem to take it as a given that some students will drop out. But depends on what you want to do, there could be non-financial consequences: People who've invested time in you may be reluctant to write you recommendation letters etc.
# Answer
> 3 votes
In my experience in looking for graduate programs, many schools won't let you graduate with a Masters if you apply for a PhD.
That isn't entirely true, however. Depending on the school, you can drop out once you reach ABD status (All but dissertation) and they will give you the Masters. This means you have to complete all the PhD course work before granting you a Masters.
Speaking with one of my professors as an undergrad, she told me that if she knew a student intended to be a terminal MA/MS, they'd throw their PhD application out.
To my knowledge the reason for this is mostly because of what Willie Wong said in his answer. PhD students who receive funding are taking resources from the school that could otherwise have been given to another applicant. They don't want applicants who intend to drop out after getting a Masters using up funds intended for PhD students. It requires applicants to be serious about completing the program.
# Answer
> 2 votes
The answer depends on which program you enroll into. Extrapolating from the small number of universities I have looked at when applying for a PhD in computer science, many universities do allow students to leave after getting an M.S..
E.g. at MIT, ~10% of students get the M.S. but leave before getting the PhD, so it's far from being an exception:
> MIT closely monitors the retention and graduation rates of its graduate students. When preparing the data schedules for our accreditation report, the Office of Institutional Research analyzed several graduate student cohorts and confirmed that retention rates are high. For example, **among those entering the School of Science from 1996 to 2001, approximately 90 percent graduated with a masters or doctoral degree (roughly 80 percent earning doctorates)**. Further information can be found in the Graduate E Schedule. Many of our efforts to support and retain graduate students are described in the advising section of Chapter 5.
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Tags: phd, graduate-admissions, graduate-school, masters
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thread-29750
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29750
|
Is teaching experience of any value in a National Laboratory job?
|
2014-10-10T17:50:45.593
|
# Question
Title: Is teaching experience of any value in a National Laboratory job?
I know that national laboratories prioritize research work over teaching experience. Of course, I have some research papers published in my name, but I also have over 4 years of professional (full time) mathematics teaching experience at the university level, which includes teaching a senior level and graduate level mathematics course.
Is my teaching experience of no importance/value to the national laboratories? Is there a way I can sell my teaching experience as an asset to a research position in a national laboratory?
# Answer
> 4 votes
Preface: I worked at a US national laboratory for five years.
Under most circumstances, I don't see teaching experience being very useful in a national laboratory career. You won't lose anything by having it, but you're not likely to be able to spin it as a true "positive" in an interview. The only exceptions to this would be:
* If you're going to be in a "customer service"-type position, where you are going to be working with people who are using the services or tools your team is providing.
* You're in a position co-sponsored by a university, in which case you may have to do some teaching anyways.
Also, if you're invited in for a technical interview, you're almost certainly going to be interviewed by multiple technical staff members, so don't try to spin the teaching into something it's not; it won't win you any points with most of the staff members. (All of the staff members I had the fortune to work with had excellent BS detectors.)
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Tags: teaching
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thread-29742
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29742
|
Does a PhD application decision letter give the reasons for the decision? Why or why not?
|
2014-10-10T15:32:40.670
|
# Question
Title: Does a PhD application decision letter give the reasons for the decision? Why or why not?
Out of curiosity, I am wondering if a PhD application decision letter gives the reasons for the decision?
If yes, why? If not, why?
# Answer
> 15 votes
In my experience in the US, I have never seen any sort of decision letter for an application (whether for Ph.D. or any position) that gives reasons for the decision. It may be different in other countries, but in the US at least, there are many good reasons to never give such information formally.
The actual decision-making process is never as clean and clear-cut as anybody wants it to be, and with the limited information available in applications and even interviews, there are going to be cases where people make mistakes or make good decisions for unclear or hard to state reasons. Lots of good people may get turned down for reasons having nothing to do with them, such as just having too many good candidates in the same area.
If an institution gives real reasons in an official statement (as opposed to something meaningless and bland like "not an appropriate fit at this time"), then it is opening up the door for all sorts of potential problems and disputes, not to mention potential legal liability if something could be construed as relating to a protected category such as gender, age, religion, or ethnicity. They also have to worry about seriously unbalanced people who may take it as a personal insult and begin some sort of stalking or harassment campaign (it happens!). Not giving reasons may feel unsatisfying and cowardly, but it is an easy and safe path for an institution, and as such is generally official policy.
Now, if you have an informal trusted relationship with somebody who was involved in the decision process, then it is sometimes possible to get a strictly unofficial take on what may have happened. You might learn things you didn't want to know about how sausage is made, however.
# Answer
> 8 votes
No, there is usually no specific reason given.
What would even constitute such a reason for rejecting someone from grad school? People sometimes imagine that there might be a clear-cut explanation, perhaps numerical. "The applicant pool was strong enough this year that we were able to set a GRE verbal cutoff of 165" or "We prefer applicants who have taken eleven courses in their major, but you've taken only eight" or "You lost out to someone who published one more paper than you did" or "We accept applicants from Yale only when we run out of applicants from Harvard." That's generally not how admissions decisions work. Instead, the judgment is holistic, based on the entire application, including intangible aspects like how compelling the letters of recommendation are. There's not much to say beyond "We got many strong applications and managed to fill the incoming class with applicants who impressed us even more than you did", and there's nothing to be gained by spelling that out.
Of course, there's occasionally a simple reason, when you really can refuse to admit someone because of something specific. However, that reason is sometimes insulting, and it would be dangerous to give the impression that the applicant could be admitted in the future if they just fixed this one thing. (It's rare to see an otherwise wonderful application with one utterly unacceptable aspect. Instead, if you're unacceptable in one respect you're likely to be at least questionable in others.) It would just be adding insult to injury to say "Well, your application probably wasn't good enough overall in any case, but here's one aspect we found particularly appalling."
I think what applicants often want isn't an explanation of the decision so much as constructive advice. Should they give up on the idea of attending graduate school? Do they need additional preparation? Are they not presenting themselves in the best light? It's completely reasonable to seek this sort of advice, but preferably from a mentor. Brief comments from admissions committees are unlikely to be useful.
# Answer
> 4 votes
At my UK institution it is now required that all applications have a reason for the decision, which is communicated to the applicant. This is meant to ensure and document a clear decision making process for quality assurance purposes.
However, these officially documented reasons are often bland, boilerplate and uninformative. The useful information usually requires direct comparison with other candidates (for the *relative* ranking), which is exactly the information the institution can't release by law.
# Answer
> 3 votes
Here are the only sorts of "reasons" I've ever seen in US decision letters.
Acceptance: "We were impressed by your qualifications."
Rejection: "We had many more qualified applicants than seats."
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Tags: phd, graduate-admissions
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thread-29766
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29766
|
Paper in high impact journal duplicates work done a decade prior, how should I respond?
|
2014-10-10T22:04:28.420
|
# Question
Title: Paper in high impact journal duplicates work done a decade prior, how should I respond?
This paper was published in a high impact journal for physics, Physical Review Letters, in 2010, and basically duplicates work done in 2000 by another author in the field, here.
What is strange to me is that, in our subfield of optical polarization theory and measurement, the author of the second, older paper, is well known. *There is no way that an adequate reviewer couldn't have known about the second author's work in 2010.* **The 2010 paper doesn't cite this former work.**
**What is the protocol for this situation?**
The first, newer paper, has a more elegant and easily understandable derivation, but it still duplicates the older paper, and isn't original, just more concise. However, the 2010 paper, disingenuously states that "non-quantum entanglement" is used to resolve an issue (the issue solved in 2000). This needs to be called out, because mathematically all we have is a 2 element vector with elements that are not linearly dependent, and this is what they are denoting the "non-quantum entanglement."
In my opinion, this lack of citation of the original work by the authors of the first paper above (newer), likely where they got the idea in the first place, *is potentially unethical.*
**Edit:**
Now that I've been in academia for awhile, I find myself often disappointed and disheartened by the following problems, most of which are *primarily political* :
* The unfortunate view that retractions are so unpleasant that they almost never occur. Everyone is wrong occasionally, the literature shouldn't be polluted with incorrect results.
* Everyone always being afraid to be wrong, and subsequently afraid to fail. *Failure is essential to developing new frontiers.*
* The lack of risk taking in mainstream science.
* The focus on positive results, especially in experimental sciences. I'm sure we would all love to know when *not to spend years going down a fruitless path.*
* Ethical issues being addressed as *just ignore it.*
Retractions (for ethically sound reasons, like mistakes, etc.) really shouldn't be so unpalatable that we end up with incorrect results proliferating in the literature.
Ethical problems like the above, *failing to cite likely known prior work* shouldn't be swept under the rug and just ignored for political reasons.
# Answer
This is a very opinion-based answer, but ...
> What is the protocol for this situation?
**Letting it go.**
You say that the paper got published in a high-impact journal 4 years ago. It reproduces results from another well-known paper. It is pretty much guaranteed that you are not the first person to notice that. It seems unlikely to me that the paper is indeed perceived as "suspect and unethical" by your peers.
Maybe your peers value the "more concise" write-up? Maybe there is a subtle difference that you have not noticed? Maybe, for some types of (empirical) papers, having a reproduction paper that basically just confirms that the observations from the first paper are indeed general is a really valuable contribution (although not citing the first paper is of course very bad in this case).
If you feel the case is indeed bad enough that something needs to be done, you have two options:
* Mail the authors of the first paper.
* Mail the EIC of the journal.
However, realistically, the chance of retracting the paper based on a years-delayed decision that the contribution was not novel seems very small, as long as there was no clear case of unethical behavior or a significant technical problem with the results.
> 4 votes
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Tags: publications, ethics, etiquette
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thread-28945
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/28945
|
Are there general guidelines for order of front and back matter sections in a thesis?
|
2014-09-24T06:17:44.060
|
# Question
Title: Are there general guidelines for order of front and back matter sections in a thesis?
I am writing my PhD thesis (physics in a European university) and wonder how to order the "meta-data" chapters.
My university gives very few formal regulations and my adviser wasn't sure.
What I have come up with till now is:
**Frontmatter**
* Titlepage (position fixed by University)
* Statement page that I wrote this (position fixed by University)
* Disclaimer that part of this work is subject to publication
* Acknowledgements
* Abstract
* Table of content
* Table of figures
**Mainmatter**
* The "meat" - the real work
**Backmatter**
* Appendix
* Glossary
* Bibliography
I know this question might come off as opinion based but I believe there are reasons for certain orderings which are based on facts.
# Answer
> 3 votes
One of the wonderful things about your thesis is that it is one of the few documents that there is very little constraint on how you are allowed to arrange it. Once you have satisfied the university's formal requirements (of which there are often few), it is up to you (with, of course, the consent of your advisor). So arrange things however you feel makes the most clear and accessible presentation, and it will be OK.
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Tags: thesis, writing-style
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thread-29778
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29778
|
Can I use my own paper for own thesis?
|
2014-10-11T11:17:23.087
|
# Question
Title: Can I use my own paper for own thesis?
I published a paper on a statistical topic after my bachelors.
Currently I am doing my masters thesis and I would like to cite/use my own paper in it.
However, I did not inform my supervisor before that I already had a publication in a similar field of my thesis when I started, because I did not expect it to be directly relevant then. However, now I would like to use this paper.
Is it OK to cite my own paper in my thesis? Will the supervisor be OK with it, despite I did not inform him about my previous work when starting the thesis with him?
Thanks.
# Answer
I don't see why your supervisor would be concerned about it, especially if it is relevant for your current research. But, to be sure, let them know about your previous work and emphasise how it is relevant (and its importance) to your current work.
When you use your paper, make sure that you cite it as you would any paper.
> 7 votes
# Answer
Practiced in moderation, self-citation is natural, healthy, and ethical. There are typical two reasons why excessive self-citation can become problematic:
1. It often indicates a person who is unaware of the related work being done by the rest of the community.
2. Self-citation can be abused to falsely inflate one's perceived importance and citation metrics.
A healthy line of research, however, will often produce a non-trivial fraction of self-citation in each paper because your old work *is* related to your new work. In fact, it would be unethical to *not* self-cite when citation is appropriate.
A simple guiding principle for approaching the question is this: if somebody else besides you had written the paper, would you want to cite it? If the answer is yes, then you should cite the paper. There isn't even any particular reason you need to mention it to your supervisor, though it would probably be fun and enjoyable for you to mention in passing, "Hey, and it turns out this other paper I wrote was actually useful enough to cite!"
Now as to whether you can *include* your other paper as part of your thesis, this is a very different question. The first question is: why would you want to do so, if a citation will suffice? If you've done a Masters' Thesis worth of work excluding this other paper, there is no reason to need to include it. If you haven't, then that is when you need to have a discussion with your supervisor, because the answer will depend on the policies and practices of your particular department.
> 10 votes
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Tags: publications, citations, thesis, masters
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thread-29782
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29782
|
Am I able to change my GPA once I submit a graduate school application?
|
2014-10-11T14:10:38.627
|
# Question
Title: Am I able to change my GPA once I submit a graduate school application?
I am wondering if I apply to graduate school in US in fall and lets say the due date to submit the application is December 1 and fall quarter grades are posted two weeks after that. Now I am wondering am I be able to update my GPA after positing the fall quarter grades,which is after submitting the application?
# Answer
> 1 votes
I think it really depends on the school you are applying to:
You can call their administration that you would like to hand in recent new transcript, or just send it to them and hope they accept (it should certainly not be a bad thing to do it).
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Tags: graduate-admissions, graduate-school, gpa
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thread-29757
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29757
|
Does a few years work in-between study hurt Physics PhD application to a top 20 US school?
|
2014-10-10T19:12:30.833
|
# Question
Title: Does a few years work in-between study hurt Physics PhD application to a top 20 US school?
All things being equal how would a good US graduate physics admissions weigh these paths.
**Scenario 1:** 4 year Bachelor of Science. And then direct application to graduate school.
**Scenario 2:** 4 year Bachelor of Science. 2-3 years work at a government department doing mathematics (not research). And then application to graduate school.
**Scenario 3:** 4 year Bachelor of Science. 2-3 years work at a government department doing mathematics (not research), whilst doing a part-time 1 year Masters spread over 2 years. And then application to graduate school.
Assume scenario 1 & 2 have same number of published papers, and scenario 3 adds one more paper of higher quality.
# Answer
I'll offer several opinions.
1. Work experience does not help you get in to physics PhD programs. It probably does not hurt either, but you should explain in your application why you did it and how it made you a better student. Use a better explanation than the one you gave in the comments.
2. I actually view an MS as a black mark. In the US, if you have an MS in Physics it implies you either a. Could not get in to a real PhD program. b. Failed out of the PhD program. c. Dropped out of the PhD program. An MS in physics will cost money and essentially duplicate the first part of the physics PhD. A PhD makes more financial sense than an MS. This is not true in other countries or disciplines.
3. Publishing more will definitely help your application. If you have lots of publications the rest of your background will be ignored.
Though you did not ask, I would like to point out that delaying the start of your PhD will delay the end of it, and the benefits that come from having completed it. On the whole I recommend you start your PhD now, assuming you really want to get one.
> 1 votes
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Tags: phd, graduate-admissions, united-states, physics, time-off
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thread-29569
|
https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29569
|
Is it advisable to submit multiple teaching letters for tenure-track teaching-focused jobs?
|
2014-10-07T22:38:32.550
|
# Question
Title: Is it advisable to submit multiple teaching letters for tenure-track teaching-focused jobs?
When applying for academic jobs in the US, one is often asked for at least one recommendation letter from someone who can attest to your teaching abilities.
If applying for a tenure-track teaching focused job, should one aim to have multiple teaching letters?
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I am personally in mathematics. I am assuming the answers will not be too field-dependent (please correct me if I am mistaken).
# Answer
Yes, I think it is advisable, especially if you are coming from a "research track": e.g., if you attended a university rather than a liberal arts college (or especially if your undergraduate degree is outside the US); if you are currently doing a postdoc at a research university, and so forth.
The SLAC \[=Small Liberal Arts College\] track is its own subcommunity within the academic community. Though many research-focused academics view the liberal arts track as being an acceptable second choice \[in full disclosure: that is a rather faithful description of my own views!\], the liberal arts college community does not see itself that way and is very wary of hiring academics whom they suspect (i) will not understand what a liberal arts college really is and turn out to be unhappy and/or bad at the job or (ii) will make good enough faculty members for a few years and then turn around and take a research job at their first opportunity. If you don't have "SLAC pedigree", then liberal arts colleges will -- correctly, I believe -- view your application with the above wariness.
To get past this wariness you have to demonstrate real understanding of the SLAC track and teaching interest and credentials which are both more intensive and also different from what one is expected / asked to do as a typical university PhD student / university postdoc. Teaching calc I/II/III every year, getting really good evaluations, and maybe eventually winning a teaching award is **not** a recipe for success on the liberal arts track. Whereas many research faculty teach calculus, graduate courses in their specialty, and advanced undergraduate class related to their specialty when they get around to it \[again, this describes me pretty well\], at SLACs faculty get called upon to teach a much broader course load, often including things that a larger university may not even be housed in the same department (CS, statistics, mathematical biology...). A good candidate for a SLAC will have a broader teaching experience.
Many research universities nowadays have some "broadening" alternative teaching choices for students and junior faculty interested in this kind of career. At my department all PhD students start teaching precalculus and then go on to teach calculus. They can also be involved in a Writing Intensive Program (WIP) and teach elementary education / math for future math teachers courses. If you are coming from such a place and want to make a good SLAC candidate, nailing your calculus teaching *and* having teaching experience -- and possibly even additional coursework / mentorship / administrative experience / volunteer work -- in less traditional teaching opportunities is somewhere between extremely helpful and mandatory. The best way to be convincing in the breadth of your teaching success and skill is to have multiple people write letters about the different aspects of it. So...**yes**, two teaching letters sounds wise.
**Added**: Any additional teaching letters you get should not come at the expense of research letters! As I wrote in an answer to a related question by the same OP: don't be afraid to send along 1-2 more letters than the application specifies.
> 8 votes
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Tags: teaching, job-search, recommendation-letter, tenure-track, faculty-application
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thread-29764
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29764
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Is a second PhD ever necessary?
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2014-10-10T21:23:39.067
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# Question
Title: Is a second PhD ever necessary?
I'm an undergraduate student. I used to think that a PhD certifies a person as an expert in a specific topic of a specific field. I've now been told that while that's true, a PhD most importantly proves that you are capable of independent research in general.
A professor of fluid dynamics told me that if he wanted to shift his research to an unrelated topic like dog anatomy, rather than getting a second degree he would seek out successive projects that get progressively closer to his research interest (e.g. a project on modelling blood flow in a dog, etc.), until eventually he is working on his originally unrelated research interest.
Is the above approach generally valid? If it works, then what legitimate reason is there to get a second PhD?
# Answer
> 27 votes
I would tend to agree with your professor: a Ph.D. primarily certifies you as being capably of creative contribution to research, and secondarily as an expert in a narrow sub-discipline. Combine that with the continually shifting landscape of the scientific frontier, are there is a great deal of flexibility in what a person with a Ph.D. may end up doing over time.
I have heard one of my close colleagues say that: "One way or another, in ten years time we can't be doing the same thing we are now. Either we will have succeeded and need to move forward, or we will have failed and need to try something else."
In such changes, there is usually a significant degree of continuity that allows one to "pivot" from one area for another. Like in your professor's example, there are a lot of ways in which dog anatomy and fluid dynamics are related, and it's natural that an expert in fluid dynamics might well be drawn to the parts of anatomy most relevant to their existing skill.
A nice real-world example of such a radical transition: Tom Knight made his name pioneering networks and computer architectures, then radically shifted into biology. There is a nice interview with him about his history and how he made the transition, which involved lots of re-education but not bothering with the formality of another Ph.D. He's also moved back and forth between industry and academia quite a bit.
That said, I could imagine some transition so extreme that it might require an entirely new apprenticeship, e.g., from astrophysics to medieval French history. But that sort of change would be a rather extreme an unusual example.
# Answer
> 2 votes
It depends. Largely on **is the first PhD recognized**?
Consider someone doing a PhD degree in some field with rather low standards. Say, in politics, or medicine. You may end up being frowned upon if you are in contact with technology PhDs, who (apparently) have higher standards.
It will of course also vary from school to school. And people in medicine and politics will downvote this answer...
So in my personal opinion:
* if your PhD was 3-5 years *additionally* to a masters degree, is from a highly regarded school, involved publishing several scientific papers, and is in a discipline such as CS, Physics, Math: don't bother doing another PhD
* if your PhD was a "small" solution, maybe only 2 years after a bachelor, you didn't publish anything before (if at all), and your work was mostly summarizing and discussing what others wrote before: compare to standards in tech departments.
Your professor of fluid dynamics probably has a PhD of the first kind. Widely respected as capable of doing *own* research. But you know: not all PhD programs have such standards.
I've read of PhD "thesis" assignments that essentially meant transcribing some old medical work into modern language; which apparently many students outsourced this, because they couldn't even read the script anymore...
# Answer
> 2 votes
## Some doctorates are more specific than a PhD
Some tasks require specific qualifications for which a generic PhD may not suffice. For example a researcher working on neuroscience or robotic prosthesis may come from various fields of science, but (depending on your jurisdiction) can be prohibited to work on people independently before obtaining also a degree in medicine - no matter what skills they may already have, the specific degree is mandatory. Similarly, there are areas of sociology and politology where a reseacher would be well skilled in the relevant areas of law, but they may need to obtain a jurisprudence degree to be allowed to practice those skills.
# Answer
> 0 votes
I suggest asking yourself this set of questions before engaging on a second PhD:
* Do I find delight in long hours of profoundly involving, extended, and solitary study?
* Have I achieved my greatest satisfaction in researching and writing long research papers in the previous PhD? Would I enjoy writing more?
* Do I have a compact intellectual drive and curiosity that is becoming more concentrated in the next field of research or several related fields? (This momentum needs to be distinguished clearly and honestly from a drive to have a Ph.D. in order to obtain something else, whether an attractive job, a certain status, a sense of accomplishment, and so on.)
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Tags: phd, second-degree
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thread-29786
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29786
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Which GPA (cumulative or major) is more important for graduate admissions in the US?
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2014-10-11T16:26:07.587
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# Question
Title: Which GPA (cumulative or major) is more important for graduate admissions in the US?
I live in US. In some applications it is asking to enter your cumulative and major GPA. However I am wondering which GPA is more important and which one is used for admittance famous graduate schools (Top 10) in engineering program?
# Answer
First of all, remember that GPA is more of a negative filter than a positive filter. If you do not have an excellent GPA in your relevant major, then you are definitely going to have trouble getting admitted. The GPA outside of your relevant major is less important, but it will still raise major questions if you have, say, all As in major and all Fs outside.
> 2 votes
# Answer
I have a buddy who was an admissions officer some years ago, and he said, "major."
In graduate school, you will be taking mostly courses either in, or related to you major. Therefore, your "major" GPA is considered a better proxy than "cumulative" GPA for a graduate degree.
In graduate school, there is much less emphasis on being "well rounded" and more on "specialization." If your non-major grades are decent, and your major grades are good, that's what counts. My friend had a 3.9 GPA in the engineering major, and only a 3.3 overall.
> 0 votes
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Tags: graduate-admissions, united-states, gpa
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thread-28450
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/28450
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Is "read the syllabus" a sufficient transfer of responsibility?
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2014-09-13T03:21:56.373
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# Question
Title: Is "read the syllabus" a sufficient transfer of responsibility?
In my experience, most instructors spend a large portion of the first period in a term talking about the syllabus. This seems to serve to pass responsibility onto students:
* Students see the deadlines. No student can claim to not know about an assignment or deadline.
* Students see the course rules. No student can claim they did not know they were breaking a rule.
In the past, some students have tried various methods, such as skipping lessons, then claiming to not know about requirements, in an attempt to get the support of the administrators to back their case of "I didn't know".
I have lots of material to cover within the term, so do not like to waste lots of time with talking about the course and would rather get started. Is "here is the syllabus, read it" sufficient for passing responsibilities onto students? If students do not read it (many won't) is the responsibility nevertheless still passed?
# Answer
From the students' perspective, this is similar to giving them a textbook and asking them to show up for the final exam. There are three reasons I see the need to start with discussing the syllabus.
First, talking about the syllabus is an opportunity to introduce yourself and the course, learn more about the students you will be teaching, and set the stage for the semester. It is a beginning of your semester-long relationship with the class after all. Skipping the overview is like taking a road trip without looking at the map first.
Second, it takes more than one repetition of same material, and preferably in different forms, for the material to be absorbed and comprehended. Thus, when the responsibility is passed to the students, their understanding of the syllabus will not be as good, no matter how diligently they read it. How important is it to you that they understand the syllabus?
Lastly, the students are denied opportunity to ask questions and discuss the syllabus and the course progression, if that is not covered in the class. Sure, they can email you, or ask during the office hours, but the entire class will not be on the same page.
> 32 votes
# Answer
It depends on what you mean by "sufficient".
Sufficient for passing the blame to students when they don't do what the syllabus says, and getting administrators to side with you in case of dispute? Yes.
Sufficient for actually getting the students to do what the syllabus says? No.
Sufficient for covering yourself? Yes.
Sufficient for a class that runs smoothly and that students find satisfactory? No.
> 18 votes
# Answer
Here's my take, since I my experience disagrees with Orion's and Nate's answers.
I stopped handing out paper syllabi some 10 years ago. I put all my course information in the web page and on the first day of classes I spend less than 5 minutes at the beginning saying so, and maybe going quickly over the grading scheme and the assignment regime.
Over the semester, the number of hits on the page is proportional to the number of students in the class, which shows me that most students look at the page a couple times a week.
The last time I had an "I didn't know" issue was 12 years ago, and that same day I got an email from another student in the class saying that the "misinformed" student was cheating about it.
> 14 votes
# Answer
To add to Nate Eldridge's answer, in project management it is important that all concerned really know what is supposed to be done. If you write an instruction and have others read it, you will likely have as many misinterpretations as people in the group. To run a successful project it is therefore vital not only to share such information but actually to make sure everyone is on the same page. If you think about it, you may have an idea, you write it so that it is clear to you, someone else reads it and they say it is clear to them, but there are at least three transfers, your thought to writing, your writing to someone's reading and read text to forming an opinion about what is written, so plenty of opportunities to go wrong.
So to cover yourself, you can claim you have done what is necessary by providing a text, but in reality and to provide the best transfer of knowledge, a written paper is far from enough. So the answer depends on what is important, that students really understand or if one (just) wants to fulfill the rules.
I often think of courses as projects with myself as project leaders and students as project members. Despite much effort, it is of course still impossible to reach perfection.
> 8 votes
# Answer
Management roles are much more than just passing down responsibility.
Legally / ethically one way or another may be sufficient to pass down responsibility, but your goal is not that you can punish students who do not obey the rule, your concern should be that the students are following those rules.
In other words, you goal is to have them proceed according to your rules, because it produces better learning experience for them and easier workflow for you, less headache for everyone involved. Students who do not submit assignment by deadline, do not follow formats, they look for you beyond your hours or emailing you with unnecessary questions etc are generating you extra work, extra problem you don't need. It is primarily not a liability issue, it is "lets make things work!" issue.
> 6 votes
# Answer
I agree with Nate Eldredge's analysis. The question of whether responsibility has been successfully transferred seems to have "yes" for an answer. However, I still want to point out some tips for making sure students are aware of their responsibilities and the course structure, which is presumably a desired outcome.
Spending 10-20 minutes in the first lecture talking about the syllabus (which nowadays is normally distributed electronically) can be good to ease the students into the class, making the transition from the break a little smoother. I will often project the syllabus in front of the class so everyone can follow along. I also encourage online discussions (using Piazza) in my class, and many of these discussions turn out to be procedural. Very often a student will be confused about a policy and not know where to look for clarification, and another student will respond online with the correct information before I even know there was a question. You can also make announcements this way and remind students of exams and things. This will certainly "transfer responsibility," since students who miss class will still have access to online posted announcements. Finally, I devote a few minutes every once in a while while lecturing to reminding students of policies and upcoming events. The human brain has a physical limit on how much new information it can process at once, so breaking up lecture to give some procedural explanations can give a needed break from the material, and perhaps even increase retention. You mention not having enough time to cover all of the material you want to, but making the lectures too information-dense may end up having the opposite from the intended effect, and students may end up retaining less. For courses like this, with a lot of material, I think it's fine to keep the lecture pace moderate and assign the students to read some of the material on their own. I'm not suggesting a dramatic change of pace, just a moderate slowdown, but anyway that's not really on topic.
> 5 votes
# Answer
I don't take up class meeting time with a discussion of the syllabus (though on day 1, I do highlight aspects of the course that might be different from what they expect). Instead, I give an online quiz about important policies from the syllabus. The quiz serves dual purposes:
* demonstrates that they can use the online quiz system (if not, it's early enough for them to solve the tech problem or drop the class)
* demonstrates that they have understood key parts of the syllabus
My goal is not to transfer responsibility. As Nate said, I want them to follow the syllabus so that the class runs smoothly. Nothing a teacher does will ensure that every person always follows the directions, of course, but the more students understand what's expected of them, the easier it is to teach them.
> 2 votes
# Answer
While having a well-written syllabus is a very good idea, it does not absolve you from responsibility.
* Students may have missed the first few classes (many universities allow students to register for courses a few weeks after the first day of classes) and be unaware of the syllabus, or its importance.
* Students may forget that something was on the syllabus by the time it becomes relevant.
* The author of the syllabus cannot predict the future. There may be events which force a change of the rules (eg. you get sick and have to reschedule an exam, inclement weather causes school to be canceled) and compromise the status of the syllabus as "always correct".
* The syllabus may be unclear.
You should definitely have a syllabus, and tell students that reading it is mandatory and they risk failing if they don't. But it would illogical to assume that by doing so, your job is done. The syllabus is a set of guidelines, not a legally binding contract drafted with the assistance of a qualified attorney - the reason is precisely this difference in applicability and scope.
> 2 votes
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Tags: teaching, syllabus
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thread-12764
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/12764
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What stops an assistant/associate professor with a strong publication record from being promoted?
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2013-09-17T03:54:10.067
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# Question
Title: What stops an assistant/associate professor with a strong publication record from being promoted?
As far as I experienced, research is the most important factor for promotion, as it represents different features of an academician/scholar, which are needed by higher education institutions: teaching at graduate level, supervising academic projects of graduate students, attracting research fund, fame for the university, etc.
Publications is normally the main measure for research of a professor. Thus, one expects to see a proportional relationship between publications (both quality and quantity) and academic rank.
People can be promoted with less publications, probably because of other activities. But, I wonder why there are some academicians whose rank is far behind their publications. For example, I have seen people with 50 papers but are still assistant professor, or over 100 papers but still associate professor. I am referring to the US universities.
What keeps an assistant/associate professor with a strong publication record from appropriate promotion?
# Answer
Remember, a promotion/tenure review package is just that: a package. While you are correct that a record of strong publications is the driving factor, there are still a number of items in the package that could lead to a tenure/promotion denial:
1. Weak letters of recommendation. You need to get your name out in more ways than just cranking out a lot of papers. This includes presenting talks at other institutions, sitting on program committees, and making sure that prominent people outside your institution write you good letters for your package.
2. Lots of publications ≠ good publications. You need to be published in reputable, peer-reviewed publications. Some of those professors may list a ton of publications that aren't particularly notable.
3. Poor record of graduate student supervision. A professor who never has any students, or who hasn't graduated a student in years isn't going to be competitive for promotion.
4. Poor fundraising. If you're not applying for and getting grants (in many fields), you aren't going to be able to sustain a good research lab. It's tough to keep publishing relevant work without money coming in, although over time you can still build up a fair number of publications (many of which may be mediocre).
5. Poor teaching record. At some institutions, good teaching is more than just something the admissions office declares in all of its trifolds. If you've had consistently poor teaching evaluations, or if students have complained multiple times to the Dean or department chair, this could hurt your chance at promotion.
6. Personality. Your department has to make a recommendation to the tenure/promotion committee, and if you're genuinely not liked around your department, they aren't likely to make that recommendation, regardless of how strong your publications are (within reason).
Bottom line: publications are a part of the larger promotion picture in academia.
> 38 votes
# Answer
Note that "over 50 but assistant" and "over 100 but associate" are meaningless for another reason. It's all relative. In a field where any assistant professor can rack up 50 papers, having 50 is not a sign that you should be promoted, *leaving aside all the other reasons why paper counts are not useful*.
But another point is that in some universities, promotion to full professor is triggered by an application from the candidate (rather than after a fixed period of time like for tenure). So if the professor can't be bothered to apply, they might not. This is not common, but it's not inconceivable, especially if
* the pay differential at the institution isn't that significant
* full professors are required to do a lot more service work than associate professors.
> 12 votes
# Answer
There are multiple reasons why someone might not get promoted or receive tenure, even with a strong publication record:
* Poor fundraising efforts (even if you publish a lot of papers, if you don't bring in enough grants to satisfy the department, you're unlikely to get tenure)
* Poor relationship with departmental colleagues (if you've burnt a lot of bridges with your more senior colleagues, again, much less likely to get tenure)
* Administrative/budget actions: a hiring or promotion freeze can kill otherwise promising tenure cases, just because the university won't allow the cases to be heard
The first two tend to be applicant-specific issues; unfortunately, the last is usually school- or university-wide. In such cases, there's not much you can do, but it is at least announced "publicly" within the university.
> 10 votes
# Answer
The assumption implicit in many of discussions (such at these) about 'promotion' always seem to revolve around the premise that there is some sort of institutional impediment to promotion.
But, there is another reason that never seems to be discussed: perhaps the associate professor isn't promoted because they have no interest in being promoted. Seriously, who cares? I'm an 'Ass Prof' at a school famous for ivy on the walls, and I am quite content to 'stay put'. I have tenure. I work on what I want. That's sort of the point, isn't it? If I get promoted as an outcome of doing what I want, then great. But... to 'want' promotion, such that you might actually engage in activities you're not particular interested in? Why? The only reasons for 'wanting' to become full professor that I've seen in 25+ years of working in academia are (i) money, and/or (ii) ego. I already get paid plenty, and who gives a rats orifice about your title? If someone's academic existence is culminated by having a somewhat more 'important' sounding title, then life must be rather sad for that person.
> 4 votes
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Tags: publications, career-path, professorship, tenure-track
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thread-19696
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/19696
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Are there cheaper alternatives to ACM and to IEEE Xplore digital libraries?
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2014-04-23T12:39:24.107
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# Question
Title: Are there cheaper alternatives to ACM and to IEEE Xplore digital libraries?
The faculty in which I am currently working is planning to subscribe to the ACM Digital Library and to the IEEE Xplore Digital Library. I am not pretty sure how much are the real costs of the subscription because for example in:
http://librarians.acm.org/sites/default/files/ACM\_DL\_PricingGuides2014\_NoTabs\_V19\_Academic.pdf
it appears something about tiers; I suppose that for a small access to this material oriented only to students that are doing their bachelor's final year projects, we will be in tier 1. About IEEE I still do not have information about it.
In any case, I would like if there are another alternatives to those two digital libraries, excluding Arxiv because a lot of their articles have not been peer reviewed.
Any suggestion?
PD. Update information: We would like to access to articles about all the fields of Computer Science, the access would be for around 20 students maximum each month (that is the number of students enrolled in their last bachelor project). We need only the articles to be reviewed for their research as supporting literature.
# Answer
> 2 votes
If you are needing frequent access to particular articles published by ACM and IEEE, then ACM DL and IEEE Xplore are really the only ways to go.
However, if you are needing to be able to find and reference general background information across a broad range of computer science subjects, then there are informal access methods which also work quite well.
First, Google Scholar is very good at finding non-paywalled copies of PDFs. This is especially the case for computer science, where many conferences have very liberal policies about self-archiving and where many people strongly believe that material should be made accessible online. Some organizations, such as AAAI and AAMAS just always put everything online for free as a matter of policy. Even IEEE and ACM are fairly liberal about this and rarely interfere with authors who do not follow the letter of their law.
Second, the ResearchGate site has an option for privately requesting copies of publications from authors, and most computer science authors are quite willing to share (again, there is a strong "information wants to be free" culture in much of the community).
The efficacy of these approaches varies from subcommunity to subcommunity, but it sounds like the type of general access you're looking for may well be sufficiently served by them.
# Answer
> 1 votes
The comments contain very good information. I think the only real alternative is to settle for access to the subset of those articles that happens to be freely available, either from authors' websites or the arXiv. Note that authors can indicate on the arXiv version where a paper has been published, so you can avoid using papers that aren't peer reviewed if you wish.
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Tags: digital-libraries
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thread-27208
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/27208
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What are the career prospects of doing a theoretical computer science PhD.?
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2014-08-14T21:57:09.850
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# Question
Title: What are the career prospects of doing a theoretical computer science PhD.?
I am a 27 year old (ex-)physics graduate student and I am quitting this graduate program to enter a new PhD. program in theoretical CS. As for mathematics background - I have always been interested in geometry and have done graduate level courses in Riemannian/algebraic geometry and I have research experience of using harmonic analysis.
In my few months of experience of studying theoretical CS I have become increasingly drawn towards subjects like graph theory, spectral graph theory, unique games, complexity and especially quantum complexity theory.
Is there anything I need to be cautious of while taking this plunge?
How good are the career prospects in this subject?
# Answer
If you truly have no country preference and are willing to go anywhere in the world, then there is a lot of potential opportunity. In particular, I know there is a large amount of expansion in computer science in general (and thus likely theoretical as well) in the emerging universities of East and Southeast Asia, India, and the middle East. Depending on your personal background and preferences, of course, you may find some cultural barriers to overcome.
I would also recommend considering the possibilities outside of traditional academia. Theoretical computer science topics like you mention turn out to have a lot of applicability both in standard industry and in the in-between world of research institutes, national laboratories, startups, and non-traditional corporate environments that are not what people typically think of as "industry."
And then there's always just giving up academia altogether and making money, if your personal ethics would be OK with entering the financial world and playing hedge fund games...
> 2 votes
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Tags: phd, graduate-school, computer-science, career-path
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thread-29819
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29819
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How to respond to a two very different referee reports?
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2014-10-12T02:13:51.143
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# Question
Title: How to respond to a two very different referee reports?
So, I just received my manuscript back from a journal and the editor said that I should "make the moderate revisions necessary as outlined in the referee reports and then send back the final manuscript".
One of the referees gave grammar, structural and content advice, while the other one said he does not believe this manuscript expands the current body of knowledge.
These are vastly different reports and the editors wording makes it seem like the paper is "nearly finished". How should I handle the referee reports? Obviously, I will make the straight forward corrections that ref 1 asks for, but:
How should I respond to a referee who believes the content of a paper contains no expansion of the current scientific knowledge in a field?
# Answer
> 8 votes
Follow carefully the indications of the editors, and to the best of your ability try to follow the ones by the referees. Usually both agree and so there is no conflict. When there is, then the editor's opinion wins, as they are the ones with the power to decide whether your manuscript will be accepted or not. That being said, it is wise to not ignore the comments from the referees even if they seem to have been ignored by the editors. If the referee claims your work does not add anything new to the field, what would you answer? I would try to see it as a valid criticism and answer it the best I could. Think that this kind of question can come also in e.g. a conference! In that context what would you answer?
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Tags: peer-review
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thread-29820
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29820
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Do I need to attach the letter of acceptance of an accepted paper along with the paper itself to my CV for applications to phd programs?
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2014-10-12T02:37:35.650
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# Question
Title: Do I need to attach the letter of acceptance of an accepted paper along with the paper itself to my CV for applications to phd programs?
In an application to a phd program, if I claim that some paper of mine is accepted and the paper has not yet been published, then should I attach the letter of acceptance along with the manuscript itself to my CV?
I assume logically the stuff should be done, but I am not sure if attaching a copyright-transferred manuscript is legal or ethical. So what is the best strategy with respect to a situation like this one?
# Answer
> 6 votes
The typical way to list such a paper is
> 'author, author, and author. "Title", Journal of XYZ, *to appear*'
That should be enough with regards to your C.V. Anyone in academia will be familiar with this notion, and is unlikely to be think that you might be lying. After all, the truth will become obvious one way or another shortly.
If they want to see copies of your papers, it's OK to attach a preprint as well, as long as you clearly label it: "Preprint, do not distribute." Many journals will in preproduction have sent you a proof copy with exactly this as a watermark. Sharing in this way clearly falls under fair use protection, even if you have transferred copyright, just as if you were showing it to them in person.
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Tags: publications, graduate-admissions, application, cv
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thread-29826
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29826
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Can being free of publication charge be an indication of being a non-predatory journal?
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2014-10-12T04:15:05.690
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# Question
Title: Can being free of publication charge be an indication of being a non-predatory journal?
Though some serious journals charge publication fee as well, to a certain extent, can being free of publication charge be an indication, albeit not a sure indication, of being a non-predatory journal?
Since a less known journal suffers from being confused with a predatory one, if I want to make some of my publications free from being belittled, would declaring the journals publishing my papers are free of charge be a wise action?
# Answer
> 8 votes
No. A journal that does not charge publication fees can still be a predatory journal.
Generally, the motivation for publishing a predatory journal is to make money. Since the product they create (the journal) is too low in quality for them to be able to sell subscriptions and earn revenue from readers, they often make money by collecting publication fees from authors.
However, predatory journals may also have reasons *not* to charge publication fees. For example, when starting out, they may offer publication free of charge in order to get authors to submit to them, so they can build up a publishing history to look more legitimate. As another example, an individual might start a fake journal so that he and some of his friends have somewhere to "publish" (for career advancement), and accept submissions from other authors without fee so as to make the journal appear legitimate.
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Tags: journals, disreputable-publishers, fees
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thread-10284
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/10284
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What are the reasons for journals to have a policy against publishing material available as a preprint?
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2013-05-28T20:54:42.697
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# Question
Title: What are the reasons for journals to have a policy against publishing material available as a preprint?
As it can be appreciated from this list of journals with varying preprint policies, certain journals consider a preprint to be "prior publication". In other fields like Chemistry, there is a strong policy against preprints.
I'm curious about those reasons, if there are other reasons, and if they hold weight.
# Answer
A a chemist, I'm very well aware of this.
Here's the ACS Journal Editors' Policy on Preprints' point of view about the disadvantages of preprint servers:
> The disadvantages of preprint servers include: the potential for flooding the literature with trivial and repetitious publications, thus making extraction of reliable and valuable information more difficult; absence of peer review; possible premature disclosure with inadequate experimental details or supporting data; premature claims of priority; potential lack of proper references and credit to prior work; abuse of multiple revisions or updates; possible lack of duration and long term archiving.
Personally, I find the two concerns about
* "premature claims of priority" and
* "abuse of multiple revisions or updates"
the most relevant points.
* "flooding literature with trivial publications" is IMHO an issue with and without preprint servers,
* "repetitious publications" for me fall into the same category, as do
* "inadequate experimental details or supporting data".
* "absence of peer review" is clearly visible with papers from preprint servers - which is IMHO an advantage over journals where the peer review is uncritical.
* "long term archiving" depends IMHO more on the responsible organization behind the server (I'm not any more concerned that arXiv could shut down than e.g. Langmuir, Analyst or Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry)
There have been "experiments" with preprint servers for chemistry some 10 years ago \[1\] but AFAIK they did not develop the momentum e.g. arXiv has, and they seem to have died meanwhile.
See also: Cecelia Brown: The Role of Electronic Preprints in Chemical Communication: Analysis of Citation, Usage, and Acceptance in the Journal Literature, Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology 54.5 (2003): 362-371.
(the discussed server seems to be down - or at least I can't get a response).
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## Personal point of view on the problem
The possibility to be able to publish a manuscript on a preprint server *before* submitting it to a journal is not as imortant for me personally as the possibility to make the final contents of the paper publicly accessible.
Thus I can live quite well with not being allowed to submit manuscripts that are already available on preprint servers as long as I'm allowed to also publish the manuscript (preferrably the final version after peer-review) after I submitted it to the journal.
> 15 votes
# Answer
One key issue to keep in mind when comparing different fields is the scale of money involved. For example, according to their financial statement, in 2012 the American Chemical Society received $421 million in revenue for electronic services, including both journals and the Chemical Abstracts Service. That's a staggering amount of money for a scholarly society. (For comparison, the American Mathematical Society's 2011 revenue from Math Reviews and journals was $15.5 million.) The ACS is the gatekeeper for publications and data that are worth a fortune to industry, so they have a powerful incentive to maintain that control. It's no coincidence that they are much less friendly towards open access, the arXiv, etc. than corresponding groups in mathematics or physics are.
> 9 votes
# Answer
There are commercial reasons for journals to be the only place where the article can be obtained. (advertising on the site or in the print journal). So simply violating their policy (if stated clearly) is one valid rejection reason.
(I personally disagree with this reason but such is life)
> 4 votes
# Answer
As said in comment, one reason not to allow preprint publication alongside journal publication is to preserve the incentives to subscribe. To add a note to this point, let me remark that most of the preprint-friendly publishers (this adjective includes Elsevier and Springer: they don't do *everything* wrong) do not allow the final journal-template version of the paper to be deposited in an open repository. In other words, most publishers do forbid open distribution of published papers in some way, they draw the line at different points. Of course, drawing the line after or before the preprint version of the article makes the most important difference.
Another reason in some field, alluded to in the question, is a way to understand the pretty general policy that journals' goal is to publish novel publications. In all fields, this notably means that you are not allowed to submit to a journal a paper that has already been published. In some fields, notably humanities fields (at least in France) this extends to journal refusing to publish articles already available as preprint. As far as understand, preprints are then really seen as publications, in the sense that they are no more novel. Of course, they are not considered as publications in the same way than journal articles in CVs...
Concerning the weight of these reason, it feels to me like tradition has a lot to do with it. Some tradition are easier to sustain in some fields than others; e.g. Chemistry can ask both reader-side for subscription charges and author-side for pages or color figure charges, as the field has some money notably due to its experimental nature; such tradition would be more difficult to sustain in humanities where money is much scarcer. As another example, it might be that the strong weight of book publishing in humanities is related to this "preprint is prior publication" point of view: it is more common for publisher not to allow books to be made available, and a field where books bear at least as much importance as article for idea dissemination seems more likely to adopt the same policy for articles.
> 2 votes
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Tags: journals, paper-submission, preprint, policy
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thread-29839
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29839
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Should I avoid using footnotes in a statement of purpose?
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2014-10-12T12:01:58.703
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# Question
Title: Should I avoid using footnotes in a statement of purpose?
I intend to use some footnotes (in a restricted manner) in my statement of purpose for PhD applications, but I am not sure if doing so is suitable.
Though I cannot see any reason against doing so, for safety I still want to ask here for the advices from more experienced you.
# Answer
> 4 votes
Personally, I am a big believer of footnotes. They enable additional information to be added, without distracting the reader from the main argument. However, others will not share my position. One test I like to apply before adding a footnote is: can I include the footnote text in the main body? If I can do so without hindering the reader, then I tend to do so.
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Tags: phd, graduate-admissions, application, statement-of-purpose, writing-style
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thread-29834
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29834
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Is it wise to use the paper reference numbers defined in CV in statement of purpose?
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2014-10-12T08:48:22.937
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# Question
Title: Is it wise to use the paper reference numbers defined in CV in statement of purpose?
If in my CV I assign to each paper of mine exactly one number, say \[1\] On ...; \[2\] On ..., and if I want to introduce my works in my statement of purpose, then is it wise to use these paper reference numbers in my statement of purpose?
# Answer
> 2 votes
Don't make anyone do extra work. They may not want to (or easily be able to) open a different file to find the reference. Give up part (1/4th?) of a page for references. Don't cram text in the main body, but references could be written with a (slightly) smaller/tighter font size/spacing if necessary.
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Tags: phd, graduate-admissions, citations, cv, statement-of-purpose
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thread-29840
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29840
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How much of humor in a formal academic writing is considered as disrespect?
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2014-10-12T12:12:11.890
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# Question
Title: How much of humor in a formal academic writing is considered as disrespect?
In a formal academic writing (in the everyday sense), is it appropriate to use phrases such as "step out on" to titillate the reader?
Since I am not a native English speaker, and since I have not yet accurately catched the general range of humor in the US, I wonder if using such phrases would be instead considered as a disrespect?
# Answer
> 8 votes
Your first priority should be to convey your ideas to the reader. Given that I, and many others, have absolutely no idea what "step out on" means, I would suggest that you avoid the phrase. On the other hand, I think humour is occasionally acceptable, but it needs to be timeless humour.
# Answer
> 4 votes
There are many examples of humour in academic writing, both in journal articles and in textbooks. One of my favourite is a note on p. 33 of Gregory's *Classical Mechanics* (Cambridge University Press):
> Be a hero. Obtain this formula yourself without looking at the text.
**But:**
1. Especially in a journal article, where the number of pages is limited, the piece of humour should anyway convey information which is relevant to the topic of interest.
2. The piece of humour should not be rude or offensive and should be clearly understandable by the readers without looking up at dictionaries like Urban Dictionary. Many of the word usages reported in Urban Dictionary are local and not very widespread, but journal papers and textbooks are firstly reviewed and then read by people all over the world: How many people would properly understand your piece of humour?
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Tags: writing, etiquette, writing-style
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thread-29846
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29846
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What is the etiquette for using empty desks in a communal grad student office?
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2014-10-12T14:56:23.883
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# Question
Title: What is the etiquette for using empty desks in a communal grad student office?
I will soon be visiting a friend who is a graduate student. She works in a communal office with around 50 other desks (which are mostly occupied by other grad students). Is it appropriate for me to study at an empty desk?
# Answer
> 20 votes
Think of it like visiting somebody else's house. Your friend is your host, but also shares her "house" with a bunch of roommates. She is the one who will know best what sort of etiquette is followed in her community.
Why not ask her, "Where would be a good place for me to study around here?" You might get sent to one of the desks, or to an empty meeting room, or the student lounge, or the coffee shop down the street. There's no way to know without knowing the lab culture, and your friend is the one in the best position to judge.
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Tags: graduate-school, etiquette, facilities-services
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thread-29842
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29842
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What tone to use when talking about oneself in statement of purpose?
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2014-10-12T12:56:17.523
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# Question
Title: What tone to use when talking about oneself in statement of purpose?
In what manner should one speak in her statement of purpose for phd applications?
Should she speak factually or slightly overly self-praising?
# Answer
There is a difficult tension to balance here: one the one hand, you don't want to hide your light under a bushel. On the other hand, the people reading the application will have seen a lot, and will probably be pretty good at detecting somebody puffing themselves up and will not be impressed.
Two useful strategies for approaching this:
1. Follow the writing strategy of "show, don't tell". If you've done something awesome, don't *tell* that you were awesome: "I made important contributions to the study of newts." Instead, *show* the thing that you've done: "I studied newts under Prof. Coolness as a junior, and our paper on how newts prefer turn clockwise under the full moon was recently accepted to the Journal of Arbitrary Herpetology." Give the reader enough evidence that they can conclude awesomeness for themselves.
2. Once you've got a draft written, ask a trusted professor to look at it and check whether you've left anything important out or are overinflating yourself.
> 5 votes
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Tags: phd, graduate-admissions, statement-of-purpose, writing-style
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thread-29831
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29831
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What does it mean to be offered waived-fee OA publishing?
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2014-10-12T07:54:27.070
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# Question
Title: What does it mean to be offered waived-fee OA publishing?
I submitted a manuscript to a journal for non-open-access publication and the editor came back and said that they want to publish the article as open-access (same journal) and waive the fee for this.
As not to be too broad, what implications does this have for my paper? Is it generally viewed positively to have OA publications? Really, in the end, I am trying to look at the pros/cons of saying yes/no to this.
# Answer
It is still an open question whether open access actually leads to more citations or not. This is at least partly because the models and players in OA are still rapidly shifting, especially with the rapidly increasing influx of low quality or scam publishers who have embraced open access because it is an easier way to bilk money out of insecure early-career academics.
I will assume, however, that you have already vetted the journal and know that it is a significant and reputable one in your field. Let us also assume that it really is just as you present: the article will still be published in exactly the same way, just not behind a paywall and this will cost you nothing. In that case, the general wisdom is that, all else being equal, an article that's easier to find and read is likely to have higher impact than one hidden behind a paywall.
Free open access in a normally closed journal is actually less unusual than you might think. For example:
* Nature makes certain types of large community studies open by default.
* Special issues and special collections in a journal are sometimes negotiated to be open access by their organizers. If your article fits with such an upcoming collection, it would be natural for it to become included in the policy.
* Certain types of information, particularly in biomedical research, are required to be published open access (either immediately or within certain timeframes) by some government funding agencies
The real question is: what is the reason in your particular case? Ask the editor. If it's something that makes sense, like one of the cases above, then great! Embrace it and get some extra citations. If not, then ask yourself again whether you really trust this journal...
> 6 votes
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Tags: publications, paper-submission, open-access, fees
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thread-13908
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/13908
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Do sample solutions increase student 'productivity'?
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2013-11-06T09:04:10.807
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# Question
Title: Do sample solutions increase student 'productivity'?
I'm not 100% sure whether this belongs here, but since I am a PhD student (teaching) in the TCS/Algorithms department, I'd like to know what fellow, maybe more experienced, teachers think.
The question at hand is whether we should offer sample solutions to all our exercises for, e.g., a Data Structures & Algorithms lecture. I am convinced that this would be a highly beneficial service for our students whereas my advisor is against it. Here are the pros and cons that we came up with:
Pros:
* Students have access to high-quality answers when they don't understand something.
* Our expectations on verboseness, conciseness, depth of proofs, etc. can be communicated more clearly.
* A student can individually study using the solutions and is not forced to attend the tutorials if this is not his preferred style of learning
* We (the professor/tutor) have a clearer idea of what solutions to expect since we have to work the problems ourselves.
* The tutor (me) is more free in the design of the tutorial. Without sample solutions, the tutorial basically boils down to writing the sample solutions on the blackboard. Otherwise I can't be sure that everyone has at least seen the correct way how to solve it. Little interaction is involved.
Cons:
* It costs time and/or money.
* Students may stop being engaged in the exercises since they know they can always look at the sample solutions.
* Students may stop coming to the tutorials.
* We can't reuse exercises from past years since students might have access to (and use) past sample solutions.
* If we do it once, the students might expect we do it for every lecture.
To be clear, in both cases the students are expected to solve the exercise sheets on their own, and they will be graded. I'm merely interested in what to offer *after* this has happened.
I think that's all. Optimally, I would like to find some kind of empirical study that proves that sample solutions increase the "productivity" of students. Data always wins. However, so far I couldn't find anything like this.
To discuss the points mentioned above, my general opinion on these matters is that if we can offer more services using little work, we should always do it. If someone really misuses it (as stated in the cons), he or she will notice that this is the wrong approach the latest in the exams. My advisor, however, wants to minimize the time spent on lectures and have me rather do the research relevant to my PhD. Since I have to do the solutions anyway, the overhead for providing a sample solution is maybe 2-3 hours/week.
What do you think?
# Answer
I have three types of exercises in my algorithms classes: homework problems, exam problems, and discussion problems. I'm not entirely sure which you're asking about.
I release detailed solutions and grading rubrics for all homework and exam problems, in part for the advantages you list, in part to speed up grading, and in part to better calibrate my own expectations for the students. (If it takes too long for me to write up the solution, the problem is probably too hard for them.) I take them all down again at the end of each semester. I don't actually mind if students have access to my old solutions—as long as they write in their own words and cite their sources—because homeworks are only a small part of the course grade. (Students who are stupid enough to submit my old solutions verbatim, typos and all, are not quite publicly fed to the wolves.)
On the other hand, I deliberately do *not* release solutions for discussion problems (which we discuss in, you guessed it, discussion sections) because **the solutions are not the point**. The point is to practice **finding** the solution. I know students are adults, but it takes a *lot* more discipline to practice hunting when someone just regularly hands you the meat. Also, some discussion problems reappear later on my exams.
**But this is really an individual choice.** I know plenty of algorithms instructors who don't give students solutions, and others who hand out solutions on paper but don't distribute them on the web, and others who distribute them on the web but behind a firewall, and others who beg people like me to please for the love of god stop giving away homework solutions because coming up with good algorithms homework problems is really really *HARD*.
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**Update:** Starting in 2017, I now regularly release solutions for my discussion problems, typically a few days after each discussion meeting. (Just like homework solutions, I take these down at the end of every semester.) Perhaps as a result, these discussion problems are now effectively fixed from one semester to the next -- in a typical semester I replace 5%-10% of them -- and discussion problems almost never appear on exams. (I should also clarify that discussion problems do not contribute to the final grade.)
I also include an extra *solved* problem in each homework, *with a complete grading rubric*. Again, these solved problems rarely change (as opposed to the problems the students need to solve, which change every semester).
In both cases, the idea is to provide concrete examples of the structure, precision/formality, and level of detail expected from their own work. Realistically, once the discussion sections are over, *unsolved* discussion problems are not as valuable as the solutions; students are busy! And I have *lots* of other unsolved exercises in my lecture notes for students who want unsullied practice.
Writing all those lab solutions (just over 100 pages of text) was a *lot* of work, but now it's done. The net effect of releasing all these solutions *seems* to be positive—more clearly for teaching evaluations, but also for student performance.
> 20 votes
# Answer
In addition to other good points made, let me say that (in mathematics, at all levels) I myself make many "model solutions" and put them on-line.
Obviously the availability of model solutions has positive potential... The issues are the genuine downsides.
One reason for my decision to take this approach was that, especially in upper-division and graduate-level mathematics, enthusiastic students acting in good faith often put either flawed or misguided solutions on-line, and other students look at *those*, ... thus "learning" low-quality versions.
Another reason is according to an over-simplified reasoning: important examples should not be left to students to mess up, and unimportant examples should not be used to waste students' time. I realize this is over-simplified and has implicit hypotheses, but after 40 years of watching people diligently spend time on exercises \_without\_thinking\_critically\_ about any sort of larger picture, I am ever more fond of this pseudo-principle.
Yes, a fundamental objection is that on-line solutions allows laziness/cheating/whatever. And, yes, as JeffE noted, in some venues it's hard come up with good "training exercises". Thus, I can certainly envision scenarios in which a cyclic putting-them-up, taking-them-down could be justified. However, dedicated lazy/cheating people can maintain copies ... And so on. Thus, in effect, it is impossible to prevent laziness/cheating in the face of even modestly motivated lazies/cheats. Thus, I reason that elaborate strategies aimed at foiling laziness/cheating, at the expense of making people acting in good faith have to jump through hoops, etc., are bad.
In mathematics at least, I'd claim that many traditional contexts for "exercises" are somewhat missing the point, *anyway*, so that moving away from the weekly problem sets wouldn't be so bad! That is, to make a large number of "exercises" feasibly do-able by nearly everyone in every class, and in a short period of time, the issues must be *contrived*, not natural. Students understand this, even if only subliminally, and many of the "successful" ones have managed to squelch their critical faculties ("why are we doing this?") to be more economical in their approach to these fairly-random exercises.
Or, at the opposite end, there are the occasional much-admired slim texts where 2/3 or more of the things one needs to know relegated to exercises! Crazy! In this case, the student's disadvantage is even worse in some ways, because the issues are more real, and there're even fewer "model solutions available", *and* they may come away with deeply flawed or misguided pseudo-understandings.
At least in modern mathematics, I think that the inarguable "engage with the material" is too often denatured, to something like "try to prove all the theorems yourself". Supposedly, the side information of knowing assertions of true theorems is enough of an advantage. But this is a strange presumption... proof mechanisms, concepts created to *enable* proof mechanisms that are humanly comprehensible, are as significant as the bald assertions themselves, I think.
So, to advance collective human understanding, putting "models" on-line is good. Yes, there are downsides, and hazards, but this is just the new reality.
> 10 votes
# Answer
As a CS major who had to take 2 theory classes, I really appreciated the prof who handed took class time to explain and solve each question after the assignment (he didn't hand out the answers so he could reuse them). The prof would usually hand out 3 or 4 questions Monday and solve them Friday (after you turned in your answer).
He would basically act like he was doing the assignment, and was very good about not skipping steps. He'd also explain why he wanted to see the answer in the format, which help several non-theory students (like me) learn how to appropriately write proofs.
At least in America, CS Theory is generally a difficult subject because the rest of CS education is very applied and students are generally unprepared for it. Especially in this course, going the extra mile for students is noticed and appropriated, and will provide a counter-point to the theory prof. who calls students idiots and gets in yelling matches whenever a student ask a question (which also happened to me).
> 4 votes
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Tags: teaching, reference-request
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thread-29813
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/29813
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What to do when an advisor takes credit for a grant proposal?
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2014-10-12T00:24:08.303
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# Question
Title: What to do when an advisor takes credit for a grant proposal?
I've been writing a big grant proposal for the last few months and I am almost done. I asked my advisor to read it and give me advice on content, and he has yet to read it. He's always saying he'll "read it later" or "he's busy".
I finally got a meeting with him this past week and he says he will read it this weekend. As we're wrapping up, he says it will look good on my CV to have "contributed" to a grant that got funded.
Here's the problem though: I've written the entire grant proposal and done all the literature research for it. The only tangible contribution my advisor has made is to tell me which protein he wants to study. He's also an "absentee advisor" and I do all my own experimental design and troubleshooting. Actually,the post doc in our lab has been giving me all the help/advice.
How should I handle this situation? I realize I could just give him the credit, but how would this reflect on my future career opportunities?
# Answer
As far as I know, a grant is given almost always to a PI (principal investigator, i.e. head of the lab). Sometimes postdocs can also be listed as PIs, but I don't remember seeing a grad student as a PI on a grant. So even if technically you wrote the grant proposal, the PI will receive the grant.
This means that he is the one that can write in his CV that he got the grant, and you can write that you wrote the proposal. You cannot write that you are the one that got the grant if you are not listed on it, regardless of whether you wrote the grant proposal.
In this sense, a grant is different than a research paper, where you get credit according to your contribution. **A grant is given not as a prize for writing a good proposal, but as funding of specific future work executed by a specific person/lab**. I am not sure what the guidelines are for grant proposal writing, but I would not be surprised if this is considered ok in terms of the guidelines. Of course I am assuming your advisor read it thoroughly and thought it is a good research plan.
Also, it is very possible that your PI actually did have a major contribution to getting the grant. The funding agency takes into considerations several factors such as the grant proposal but also the PI's record.
Having said all this, you should definitely write in your CV that you wrote a successful grant proposal by yourself (you can consult with your advisor on how to write this in the most impactful way).
Disclaimer: I don't have any details on the specific grant, so I may be completely mistaken...
> 29 votes
# Answer
The US National Science Foundation requires acknowledgement in the proposal of anyone other than the PI or co-PI that contributed to the writing of the proposal text. I don't know when this criteria was introduced, but it's been around since at least the 2004 version of the GPG. Almost no one knows it's there, though, considering the surprise expressed by folks I've shown it to. I also don't know if other US agencies or agencies in other countries have this requirement, but you should look at the proposal preparation instructions of the agency you are applying to.
I don't recommend starting the conversation with your supervisor by mentioning this requirement, but you should have it in your back pocket.
The US NSF leaves the determination of who is eligible be a Principal Investigator up to each submitting organization. At my university, all faculty are automatically eligible, as are those with the titles Research Associate, Research Scientist, Senior Research Scientist, and Research Professor. Others may be given eligibility on a proposal-by-proposal basis. This sometimes includes graduate students, but it is very rare.
Technically, grants from the US NSF (and presumably other agencies) are not given to the PI, but to the organization for which they work. Traditionally, these grants are administered by the PI and, as a courtesy, awards may be allowed to go with a PI if they leave a university to work for another, but this is not guaranteed.
You should definitely put your writing contribution on your CV, but be clear that you were not the PI or co-PI unless you were.
> 20 votes
# Answer
Following Bill Barth's comment, I actually ran into the NSF requirement to list all contributors the hard way back when I was a graduate student.
Several of us (faculty and non-faculty alike) had worked together on an NSF proposal. We weren't aware of the requirement and couldn't figure out how to officially list me in an appropriate blank on the NSF forms, so we basically shrugged and let it be, figuring that having my work prominently featured and my closely associated faculty members as PIs would be clear enough.
To our horror, rather than grant reviews, we received an official investigative inquiry into academic dishonesty and plagiarism! The grant reviewers, not seeing my name, were concerned that my faculty collaborators had stolen my work. Since everybody involved was actually well intentioned and close collaborators, we got it sorted out quickly enough, and learned to our great embarrassment how we should have done it (I'm ashamed to say I can't remember the exact details on the forms).
Needless to say, we still didn't get the grant, though the next time around we did it right and did get funded. In my C.V., I most certainly list myself as an author of that grant, while also marking the appropriate other authors as the PIs.
> 10 votes
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Tags: advisor, funding, authorship, intellectual-property
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thread-548
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https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/548
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How often do graduate students help connect professors with each other?
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2012-03-04T07:28:57.060
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# Question
Title: How often do graduate students help connect professors with each other?
I know that a couple of UChicago professors told me that, especially if a graduate student ends up co-advised with two professors. Maybe there's an additional factor too: maybe students actually have the time and flexibility to communicate with other professors, which could possibly help initiate collaborations between them?
# Answer
> 9 votes
It happens, but rarely through co-advising. In my experience, co-advisors usually know each other before the student enters the picture, and the student has little effect on how much the faculty collaborate.
More often, students create new connections by becoming active independent researchers and working with a diverse set of collaborators. The various actors' roles as "student" and "professor" are simply irrelevant.
(I'm speaking for theoretical computer science, where PhD students are *expected* to become full-fledged independent researchers before they graduate. Your mileage may vary.)
# Answer
> 2 votes
In my experience, this is not the case. I was co-advised by a professor from another university, but no collaborations resulted from this. You could probably facilitate such collaborations if you really wanted to and put in lots of work though.
# Answer
> 1 votes
In my experience, getting a grad student or postdoc involved is often the best way to kick off a collaboration between two busy PIs (primary investigators). For any researcher with a large lab, their attention is often divided between many ongoing projects. A new collaboration often requires a significant investment of time and energy that may simply not be practical.
In this case, getting a grad student or postdoc involved can be good for everybody. The junior researcher can invest a lot of time and energy, receiving advice from both PIs, and see if the proposed collaboration is productive. If it doesn't work out, it's no worse than trying out a non-collaborative idea that doesn't work. If it does work, then the collaboration expands, benefiting both PIs. The junior researcher benefits even more, as they are now at the center of a growing new cross-disciplinary venture that clearly differentiates their work from both of the PIs involved.
Whether this involves formal co-advising or not is less important and a situational choice. Certainly, no such decision should be made until it is already clear that the collaboration is being productive and successful.
Things are different when you've got professors who have few graduate students and have more time to invest directly in collaborations, e.g., a professor at a primarily undergraduate institution who is still expected to continue doing research. In that case, the professor is likely to have more time available and should probably invest themselves.
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Tags: graduate-school
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