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1500 questions
75
votes
7 answers

Should I admit that I can't find a solution to a math problem?

The problem is pretty much the title. I have a bachelor and master degree in applied math. I have been assigned a small problem to start with, from a professor (who is considered very good in my field) who is willing to give me a reference, which in…
ina
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75
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10 answers

Is it common to review papers assigned to your supervisor?

Is it common to supervisors to email their students papers to review (which were apparently assigned to the supervisor, and not to the student). The field is Computer Science, but I would also like to hear from the other fields.
seteropere
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75
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4 answers

I'd like to use a figure from a paper; what's the best way to do this?

So, I've seen a really nice figure in a paper; what's the best way to 'get a copy'? Will it be on the publisher's website? Do I need to draw my own version? Email the author? And, finally, how does the answer vary for (a) those wishing to republish…
User 17670
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75
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11 answers

Should I reward points for an incorrect answer if it is the result of misinformation presented in a TA's office hours?

So a TA came to me asking for advice. He gave wrong information in office hours leading a student to a wrong answer. The TA showed the student how to solve the problem via the wrong statistical test - the assumptions for the statistical test he…
WetlabStudent
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75
votes
14 answers

How is it possible that [insert known crackpot] has articles published in Peer-Reviewed Journals?

Note: This question is intended to be a generic version of something that gets asked occasionally on this site. I apologize for making it overly-contrived, but it's intended to be a generic template of this style of question. A previous version of…
eykanal
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75
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7 answers

Is it acceptable to write a reference letter for yourself?

If a student needs a reference letter for graduate admissions or that sort of thing, some profs will ask the student to write a reference letter for themself before sending it off to the prof for minor edits and finalization. This seems to be a…
hesson
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75
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10 answers

Why are there so many papers written in bad English?

I am pretty sure that anyone who has spent some time reading academic papers have come across quite a few "lemons" among them, with bad grammar, strange word choices and incoherent sentences. Such papers are always a chore to read, even if the topic…
user1049697
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75
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9 answers

I wasted six years of my life getting a PhD degree. What should I do, and how will I survive?

I struggled with low self confidence throughout my bachelors, masters and PhD in chemical engineering. After spending two years in Masters and six years in getting a PhD degree, I am lost at what I can do with my life. Initially, my plan was to be…
Abhik Tandon
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75
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5 answers

Handling Disruptive Student on the Autism Spectrum

I have a student who's on the autistic spectrum. He exhibits several disruptive behaviors in class, such as Inability to moderate his volume/interjections: he will shout out questions and comments irrespective of whether others are speaking (be it…
Spark
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75
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3 answers

Rampant sharing of authorship among colleagues in the name of "collaboration". Is not taking part in it a death knell for a future in academia?

I am a final year PhD student in chemical engineering. Since the start of my PhD, I was clear on one personal philosophy. I will put my name only on those papers where I have made substantial contribution. And I will put my colleague's name on a…
gogeta
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75
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10 answers

Was a professor correct to chastise me for writing "Prof. X" rather than "Professor X"?

I emailed Professor X regarding typos in, and questions on, his book. I've never met and contacted him. My email commenced with this salutation: Dear Prof. X He replied It is customary to address professors by their title in full, just as most…
user13306
75
votes
12 answers

Why is plagiarising words such a big deal?

Plagiarising the ideas of others is obviously a big deal. You are stealing the hard work of others and misleading your peers by pretending it is your original work. But why is plagiarising words and paragraphs considered a big deal? I mean, isn't…
Shi Sen
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75
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5 answers

What consequences should I expect after violence in my classroom?

I am a teaching assistant and master's student in the math dept. at a large state university. I was holding a discussion section this morning when some young man walks in with his shirt off acting verbally belligerent. He comes up to the front of…
anon
75
votes
12 answers

Why don't I see publications criticising other publications?

This is about technology research specifically. Often when reading a publication I'll be thinking to myself: "Yeah, you've got that thing, but what about this and that limitation you brush off and this and that assumption which seems pretty poorly…
KubaFYI
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75
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7 answers

PhD student failing

I have a phd student that is very smart. They had a small baby a few months before starting the PhD in a foreign country and then moved to do the PhD with their family in the UK. It has been 7 months now and the PhD student is not performing well.…
electrique
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