A warning. There is a new web article going aroud that is a crock of schmidt.

[DonH56]

"I'm a doctor, and I smoke Camel."

 

[Wombat]

I was disappointed when I reached the end of the article because there was nothing to purchase. This was just another info ad, wasn't it?

Academic self-promotion. Keeping one's name 'out-there'.

 

[scott wurcer]

Academic self-promotion. Keeping one's name 'out-there'.

Right, somewhere he states all this nonsense is in the public domain, no seminars to subscribe to, nothing for sale.

 

[DonH56]

And doesn't have to be peer-reviewed...

 

[GrimSurfer]

And doesn't have to be peer-reviewed...

Oh, I'm sure somebody could peer review it, Don...

 

[DonH56]

Dad?

 

[GrimSurfer]

Dad?

Mom

 

[scott wurcer]

This article has garnered more attention than it deserves.

 

[Wombat]

This article has garnered more attention than it deserves.

This indicates the dearth of engaging scientific content on the forum and the amount of populist topic discussion.

Earlier, discussion re posted research papers was common-place. Now it tends to be re ill- considered internet opinions, especially self-interested media presentation jerks.

 

[GrimSurfer]

This indicates the dearth of engaging scientific content on the forum and the amount of populist topic discussion.

Earlier discussion re posted research papers was common-place. Now it tends to be re ill- considered internet opinions, especially self-interested media presentation jerks.

Critiquing a bad research paper is as valid as agreeing with a good one.

There is a particular advantage to panning up a crappy paper... it provides a contrary view that the uninitiated may come across on their way to becoming better informed and more critically thinking audiophiles.

 

[j_j]

I was disappointed when I reached the end of the article because there was nothing to purchase. This was just another info ad, wasn't it?

Y'got me, what it was to me was a heap of utterly false codswallop.

 

[Eirikur]

Ditto with papers, there is a whole cottage industry of publications and conferences which exist to publish stuff in a world where one of the most important key performance indicators for many academics or those working in research is the number of papers they publish.

Exactly that. I happen to have some experience in publishing and proof-reading papers in two very distinct fields--computing science and medicine--and the mechanics are identical; quantity always tops quality when it comes down to it, e.g. being asked to spread the content over two papers.
Also, don't forget the "conference holidays", we worked hard to get into the Hawaii conference!

 

[Wombat]

The more points one makes in a document/discussion the more each point is diminished.

Make each point a separate discussion item, if possible.

E.g. if a point takes up two pages in a 100 page document it can easily be overlooked or dismissed as not so important.

If you look at the nonsense articles you will find that they tend to jump 'all-over-the-place' looking for some support.

 

[j_j]

The more points one makes in a document/discussion the more each point is diminished.

Make each point a separate discussion item, if possible.

E.g. if a point takes up two pages in a 100 page document it can easily be overlooked or dismissed as not so important.

If you look at the nonsense articles you will find that they tend to jump 'all-over-the-place' looking for some support.

That can render a technical paper useless, if one's point is to combine all of the points into something useful. You'll completely lose the reader by paper #7.

 

[Wombat]

That can render a technical paper useless, if one's point is to combine all of the points into something useful. You'll completely lose the reader by paper #7.

I should have made it clear that this was aimed toward pieces for general consumption or presentations to management rather than structured professional dissertations.

 

[j_j]

I should have made it clear that this was aimed toward pieces for general consumption or presentations to management rather than structured professional dissertations.

Roger that. I've gotten a series of papers for publication (while I was an AE for TSALP) that was intended to emphasize two parts of a new process as well as the result.

It was a nightmare. Imaging trying to get reviewers (you can't send them all to all 3 reviewers) to converge on this, and imagine the poor AE trying to figure out what the point was.

 

[SheilaHears]

A PhD in BioPhysics from Caltech. Maybe you guys need a PhD in BioPhysics to understand?

 

[amirm]

A PhD in BioPhysics from Caltech. Maybe you guys need a PhD in BioPhysics to understand?

Or at least a PhD in fecal matter.....

 

[SheilaHears]

Or at least a PhD in fecal matter.....

Cannot criticize a PhD from Caltech in BioPhysics if you do not have his training and education. Maybe you do not understand because you do not have sufficient information?

 

[DonH56]

Cannot criticize a PhD from Caltech in BioPhysics if you do not have his training and education. Maybe you do not understand because you do not have sufficient information?

Is that a joke? If not, you might want to look up the credentials of @j_j and a few others countering the paper...