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[obijkenobi]

Def hit that point in the semester/program where I am lacking focus to continue :/ Especially when I really should be focusing more on finding a job.

 

[Lonely1]

Well, I just got the "Pending Final Recommendation" status update at my PNAS submissions, which means that editorial rejection is imminent.

Def hit that point in the semester/program where I am lacking focus to continue :/ Especially when I really should be focusing more on finding a job.

Level? Semester? Why do you need to be focusing more on finding a job?

 

[RumblingRosco]

Well, I just got the "Pending Final Recommendation" status update at my PNAS submissions, which means that editorial rejection is imminent.

May Newton be with you.

 

[Prinz Eugn]

Reviewer rejections are better... in a way. At least you have feedback from which your paper gets better. Mine definitely got better after revision, even rejected papers. Never take it personally though. Reviewer rejection is still possible. Always please the reviewer. ALWAYS. Like:

Reviewer 1:

Point one: Insufficient statistical analyses were performed in the first part of the study. Please re do the analyses with correction for multiple comparisons.... Do X test.

You:

Thank you for your input. We agree that the first part of our study lacked sufficient statistical clarity. Therefore, we have re done most of the analyses in the first part by correcting for multiple comparisons... This can be showed in Figure X

And to the editor:

As you can see from our revision, we agreed with both reviewers that our work needed substantial improvements. We can't express enough how grateful we feel with both reviewers... as....

It truly works like that. Good luck and if you need any help improving your future responses let me know and I'll gladly help.

One of our reviewers for the paper that came out of my MS was actually bothered that we didn't fight them more, which was a little bewildering.

 

[Smiley90]

Hi again. I'm 18 pages into my dissertation, yay me!

But the "problem" I'm facing right now is that the dissertation is looking to be about 40 pages in length! Is that too short? I have been reading online and the one sentence that really hurt was "a good length is 150 pages". How long was yours?

My advisors are okay with it btw. The one I'm working with right now pretty much doesn't want me to be wasting my time writing something none will read. The other is mostly okay with what the first one said.

Now, the first half of my work are purely theoretical results. Doing purely theoretical research is very different and writing just 10 pages of sound, innovative maths is an accomplished. This is my first paper and the one I have accepted and the one I'm basis my thesis on. I have 3 other articles (2 as first authors) but I don't want to delay my graduation....

this is a late quote, but 40 pages?!?

My MSc Thesis was 132 pages... And I didn't fluff it at all, I'd have had real trouble getting it below 100. I had like 25 pages just of citations...

 

[opticalmace]

Will desk rejections ever stop to hurt!? Are they better than reviewer rejection? Plz comment, PhD GAF!

What's a desk rejection?

Coincidentally I just got to referee a paper for the first time. It was enjoyable but also sort of frustrating (like, why would you do this.... etc.).

 

[ZZMitch]

What's a desk rejection?

Coincidentally I just got to referee a paper for the first time. It was enjoyable but also sort of frustrating (like, why would you do this.... etc.).

I assume that means rejection by the editor before it even gets to a reviewer?

 

[opticalmace]

I assume that means rejection by the editor before it even gets to a reviewer?

Ah, didn't really know that was a thing. I wonder what happened. Lonely1, were there coauthors on the paper? I assume you're a grad student. Your supervisor should have known better if that's what happened, not your fault.

dammit macbook, stupid spacebar is only working half the time. argh.

 

[Lonely1]

Ah, didn't really know that was a thing. I wonder what happened. Lonely1, were there coauthors on the paper? I assume you're a grad student. Your supervisor should have known better if that's what happened, not your fault.

dammit macbook, stupid spacebar is only working half the time. argh.

My supervisor thinks that the article is very strong, so we sent to a very high impact, general journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, which is notoriously difficult to publish at.

The thing is, we (well, I) did innovative (and highly controversial) numerical experiments that are based on a very controversial approach to a fundamental problem on science, and our conclusions are far reaching. We are very confident on the theory behind it, and all the result have strong theoretical backgrounds. However, the underlying hypothesis and methods are very controversial and rarely used in the field we are applying it to. They can be considered specialized at best and fringe at worst even within theoretical computer science itself.

We knew that the acceptance of this article that was highly dependent on if the editor chosen was one of the few that understand and accept the theory we based our work on, so it was a long shot from the beginning. But it is still very disappointing.

this is a late quote, but 40 pages?!?

My MSc Thesis was 132 pages... And I didn't fluff it at all, I'd have had real trouble getting it below 100. I had like 25 pages just of citations...

As i said, is based on a purely theoretical paper using non-standard methods on the field. The original version only cited 24 sources, most of them were theory heavy sources that took me years to grasp. Also, no data, graphs or even tables. Its all: definition => theorem => discussion of consequences. However, the first draft ended being shy of 70 pages long. That version is under review by my tutor.

However, I'm writing an extended version that includes the results of two other articles, that do have some graphs and data tables, and nearly 100 sources. I got 120 pages so far. . I can easily push it to 200+ if I include my code and more data.

 

[opticalmace]

My supervisor thinks that the article is very strong, so we sent to a very high impact, general journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, which is notoriously difficult to publish at.

The thing is, we (well, I) did innovative (and highly controversial) numerical experiments that are based on a very controversial approach to a fundamental problem on science, and our conclusions are far reaching. We are very confident on the theory behind it, and all the result have strong theoretical backgrounds. However, the underlying hypothesis and methods are very controversial and rarely used in the field we are applying it to. They can be considered specialized at best and fringe at worst even within theoretical computer science itself.

We knew that the acceptance of this article that was highly dependent on if the editor chosen was one of the few that understand and accept the theory we based our work on, so it was a long shot from the beginning. But it is still very disappointing.



As i said, is based on a purely theoretical paper using non-standard methods on the field. The original version only cited 24 sources, most of them were theory heavy sources that took me years to grasp. Also, no data, graphs or even tables. Its all: definition => theorem => discussion of consequences. However, the first draft ended being shy of 70 pages long. That version is under review by my tutor.

However, I'm writing an extended version that includes the results of two other articles, that do have some graphs and data tables, and nearly 100 sources. I got 120 pages so far. . I can easily push it to 200+ if I include my code and more data.

Sounds intriguing. Mind sharing the name of the bolded? I kind of want to read about it now.

 

[RumblingRosco]

I assume that means rejection by the editor before it even gets to a reviewer?

Ah, didn't really know that was a thing. I wonder what happened. Lonely1, were there coauthors on the paper? I assume you're a grad student. Your supervisor should have known better if that's what happened, not your fault.

dammit macbook, stupid spacebar is only working half the time. argh.

This is a thing that happens in very high-impact journals. I forget the exact percentage, but something like 50% or more of Science manuscripts never even go to reviewers; the editorial board rejects them first.

 

[RedSparrows]

Had my first big co supervision last week, kinda a big unofficial health check on the thesis. All signs.very positive.

I am in that delightful moment where I have a useful theoretical framework and I can read a variety of sources and slot them in usefully, adding colour, nuance and complexity.

 

[Fou-Lu]

I have to give a presentation on my research in December and I am panicking as I feel so unprepared and like I have so little to talk about. I've never been good at presentations.

 

[ZZMitch]

I have to give a presentation on my research in December and I am panicking as I feel so unprepared and like I have so little to talk about. I've never been good at presentations.

December is 2 months away! You got tons of time to come up with something

 

[opticalmace]

I have to give a presentation on my research in December and I am panicking as I feel so unprepared and like I have so little to talk about. I've never been good at presentations.

December is 2 months away! You got tons of time to come up with something

^
Also, consider it good practice, and a way to get your name out there (or share what you're doing, if your audience already knows you). It's usually as much for you as it is for your audience, depending on if it's a school presentation, conference presentation, etc...

 

[obijkenobi]

Well, I just got the "Pending Final Recommendation" status update at my PNAS submissions, which means that editorial rejection is imminent.



Level? Semester? Why do you need to be focusing more on finding a job?

2/3 of the way into my MPA program. I need to find a job because I haven't had one since I got back from a fellowship in DC this summer. I've only had one job interview too :/

 

[Epsilon-delta]

My supervisor thinks that the article is very strong, so we sent to a very high impact, general journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, which is notoriously difficult to publish at.

The thing is, we (well, I) did innovative (and highly controversial) numerical experiments that are based on a very controversial approach to a fundamental problem on science, and our conclusions are far reaching. We are very confident on the theory behind it, and all the result have strong theoretical backgrounds. However, the underlying hypothesis and methods are very controversial and rarely used in the field we are applying it to. They can be considered specialized at best and fringe at worst even within theoretical computer science itself.

We knew that the acceptance of this article that was highly dependent on if the editor chosen was one of the few that understand and accept the theory we based our work on, so it was a long shot from the beginning. But it is still very disappointing.



As i said, is based on a purely theoretical paper using non-standard methods on the field. The original version only cited 24 sources, most of them were theory heavy sources that took me years to grasp. Also, no data, graphs or even tables. Its all: definition => theorem => discussion of consequences. However, the first draft ended being shy of 70 pages long. That version is under review by my tutor.

However, I'm writing an extended version that includes the results of two other articles, that do have some graphs and data tables, and nearly 100 sources. I got 120 pages so far. . I can easily push it to 200+ if I include my code and more data.

Interesting. Sounds like a pure math paper in as definition => theorem => proof => possible discussion of consequences.

 

[eot]

My supervisor thinks that the article is very strong, so we sent to a very high impact, general journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, which is notoriously difficult to publish at.

The thing is, we (well, I) did innovative (and highly controversial) numerical experiments that are based on a very controversial approach to a fundamental problem on science, and our conclusions are far reaching. We are very confident on the theory behind it, and all the result have strong theoretical backgrounds. However, the underlying hypothesis and methods are very controversial and rarely used in the field we are applying it to. They can be considered specialized at best and fringe at worst even within theoretical computer science itself.

We knew that the acceptance of this article that was highly dependent on if the editor chosen was one of the few that understand and accept the theory we based our work on, so it was a long shot from the beginning. But it is still very disappointing.

No pre-print published?

 

[The One Who Knocks]

He is almost certainly suggesting graduate study.
[...]

Just want to give an update and say you were right. I met up with him awhile ago and the topic was centred on talking about continuing research that his student had been working on (from an REU) and we briefly discussed plans for the future as he's really quite nice. As it happened, I got a job offer from a large firm in a data analyst position with a deadline to accept/decline, so mentioned it to him and enquired directly about a PhD to know what to do with regards to the job offer, and he offered to supervise one if I wished to go down that route! So overall it went really well! Thank you for the perspective, as I think I'm going to do it.

 

[Lexad]

1 month into my evening MBA program and the sheen is starting to wear off. To work from 7-3:30, drive home, barely get dinner ready (or eat out) and then go to campus from 6-9:30 twice a week is starting to wear thin. And my project team is pretty much on campus all day Sunday for TA sessions and working on HW. I am really enjoying it and the people I have met are amazing but it is gonna be a long 3 years

 

[Beach]

1 month into my evening MBA program and the sheen is starting to wear off. To work from 7-3:30, drive home, barely get dinner ready (or eat out) and then go to campus from 6-9:30 twice a week is starting to wear thin. And my project team is pretty much on campus all day Sunday for TA sessions and working on HW. I am really enjoying it and the people I have met are amazing but it is gonna be a long 3 years

My biggest fear and concern. Good luck man.

 

[Lonely1]

What's the difference between MBA and MPA?

 

[Greedings]

Will desk rejections ever stop to hurt!? Are they better than reviewer rejection? Plz comment, PhD GAF!

I don't feel so bad about those, I usually shrug it off as "eh, the editor doesn't understand it."

It's the actual critical (sometimes extremely harsh) feedback from reviewers that hurt the most to me.

 

[Lonely1]

So, looking at posdoc prospects. Is it worth to spend years of high pressure and self-imposed poverty for a little chance of getting a position in academia, GAF?

 

[Dedication Through Light]

So, looking at posdoc prospects. Is it worth to spend years of high pressure and self-imposed poverty for a little chance of getting a position in academia, GAF?

Postdoc is still making nearly double that of a graduate student and more than post docs were making just two years ago. (or was it one year ago).

Only issue with not going post doc is, are job offers flying your way, and can one really get around the 1-2 yrs of post-PhD experience for some of the many jobs out there?

 

[opticalmace]

So, looking at posdoc prospects. Is it worth to spend years of high pressure and self-imposed poverty for a little chance of getting a position in academia, GAF?

I guess it depends on what you want to get out of it. I'm doing a postdoc because I enjoy what I do (astronomy). I have no intention of applying for professorship positions after this is over. Instead I'll be looking for something (semi-)permanent in research or possibly jumping to straight computer programming/data science. But I'm doing what I'm doing now because I like it.

It's certainly true that trying to get a tenured position is cut-throat. It sounds like a path you don't want to go down. I'd be more inclined to making sure you enjoy the here and now rather than banking on a future payoff that may or may not come to fruition. I will say I don't find my job any higher pressure than when I was a grad student, just different.

 

[Lonely1]

Postdoc is still making nearly double that of a graduate student and more than post docs were making just two years ago. (or was it one year ago).

Only issue with not going post doc is, are job offers flying your way, and can one really get around the 1-2 yrs of post-PhD experience for some of the many jobs out there?

My PhD is in CS, so might be different for me. But, yeah...

I guess it depends on what you want to get out of it. I'm doing a postdoc because I enjoy what I do (astronomy). I have no intention of applying for professorship positions after this is over. Instead I'll be looking for something (semi-)permanent in research or possibly jumping to straight computer programming/data science. But I'm doing what I'm doing now because I like it.

It's certainly true that trying to get a tenured position is cut-throat. It sounds like a path you don't want to go down. I'd be more inclined to making sure you enjoy the here and now rather than banking on a future payoff that may or may not come to fruition. I will say I don't find my job any higher pressure than when I was a grad student, just different.

I guess my view is very skewed, since at my birthplace we suffer a severe case of ageism, where if you don't have a solid career by 35 you are screwed. My alma matter doesn't hire for tenure over the age of 37. Being in stuck in postdocs sounds like a daunting proposition.

 

[Greedings]

I'd say postdoc depends on your area. As a life scientist, I fell into one after making contacts at a conference. There are a ton of postdoc jobs out there in my field, and even if I don't want to stay in academia forever, it's a good experience.

It's not that high pressure!

 

[opticalmace]

My PhD is in CS, so might be different for me. But, yeah...



I guess my view is very skewed, since at my birthplace we suffer a severe case of ageism, where if you don't have a solid career by 35 you are screwed. My alma matter doesn't hire for tenure over the age of 37. Being in stuck in postdocs sounds like a daunting proposition.

If you're in CS there are lots of jobs out there. Unless you really want to become a professor I wouldn't worry about it too much.

 

[RumblingRosco]

Postdoc is still making nearly double that of a graduate student and more than post docs were making just two years ago. (or was it one year ago).

Only issue with not going post doc is, are job offers flying your way, and can one really get around the 1-2 yrs of post-PhD experience for some of the many jobs out there?

Salaries got bumped across the board at a few universities I know of in fall 2016.

 

[Alpha Phoenix]

I've an MS in CS and am currently interning at Microsoft. It's been fun and I look forward to how things unfold from here.

 

[Chaplain]

I am at the halfway point of my MDiv (i.e., Master of Divinity) program. It has been extremely challenging and difficult maintaining a 3.74 GPA. However, I am grateful for the person I am becoming due to what I am learning in Seminary. ^_^

 

[Lonely1]

If you're in CS there are lots of jobs out there. Unless you really want to become a professor I wouldn't worry about it too much.

BTW, any constructive (or destructive) criticism for my pre-print? .

 

[BruceCLea]

I have Master's of Science in broadcast and digital journalism from Syracuse. The field sucks. I am looking into an MBA. Should I do it?

 

[opticalmace]

BTW, any constructive (or destructive) criticism for my pre-print? .

Lol. I forgot that was you! I'll send you a PM today. Meant to do that, sorry!

 

[Lonely1]

I have Master's of Science in broadcast and digital journalism from Syracuse. The field sucks. I am looking into an MBA. Should I do it?

I'm not an expert at all at the field, but the most common answer that I hear about your question is:

If you can't get into a top 10 program, don't unless:

• You already have a career and the MBA is a concise path to boost it.
• Or you can get it very cheaply/payed by your employer.
• Or you are rich and money/time invested isn't an issue.

 

[MMarston]

Okay GraduateGAF, need some advice.


So I've been contemplating applying for some grad schools here in Canada. Now, grade-wise, I think I have solid chance, especially for programs that are already continuing the stuff I learned undergrad major.


Here's my problem: references. And I at least need three on average.


I was just "notable" with at least two profs until the end of my degree, but I can't say I was exactly starlight, starbright academically in their respective classes. And all the other ones that I performed well with and popular with were one-offs from ages ago (three/four years since), so it's up in the air if they will remember me at this point.

Am I overthinking this? Should I just contact them and cross fingers anyway?

 

[Painguy]

Okay GraduateGAF, need some advice.


So I've been contemplating applying for some grad schools here in Canada. Now, grade-wise, I think I have solid chance, especially for programs that are already continuing the stuff I learned undergrad major.


Here's my problem: references. And I at least need three on average.


I was just "notable" with at least two profs until the end of my degree, but I can't say I was exactly starlight, starbright academically in their respective classes. And all the other ones that I performed well with and popular with were one-offs from ages ago (three/four years since), so it's up in the air if they will remember me at this point.

Am I overthinking this? Should I just contact them and cross fingers anyway?

Contact your most recent A professors. Professors are always down to give recs if it means adding more A students to the pile.

 

[opticalmace]

Okay GraduateGAF, need some advice.


So I've been contemplating applying for some grad schools here in Canada. Now, grade-wise, I think I have solid chance, especially for programs that are already continuing the stuff I learned undergrad major.


Here's my problem: references. And I at least need three on average.


I was just "notable" with at least two profs until the end of my degree, but I can't say I was exactly starlight, starbright academically in their respective classes. And all the other ones that I performed well with and popular with were one-offs from ages ago (three/four years since), so it's up in the air if they will remember me at this point.

Am I overthinking this? Should I just contact them and cross fingers anyway?

Contact them and ask something akin to "are you in a position to write me a good reference letter?" What you don't want is a reference letter from someone who doesn't really remember you or something like that.

Profs write letters all the time, I would just ask them. You'll generally be able to gauge whether they can be a good reference for you based on their response (just be straight up about it, maybe say you are a little unsure who to ask). I've never met a prof who will mislead you on this if you are up-front about it. They know it's hard to pick references, particularly as you're leaving undergrad (in grad school it's more obvious, generally).

If you did any summer projects with anyone, that would be an obvious choice.

What schools are you applying to and what subject?

 

[MMarston]

Contact them and ask something akin to "are you in a position to write me a good reference letter?" What you don't want is a reference letter from someone who doesn't really remember you or something like that.

Profs write letters all the time, I would just ask them. You'll generally be able to gauge whether they can be a good reference for you based on their response (just be straight up about it, maybe say you are a little unsure who to ask). I've never met a prof who will mislead you on this if you are up-front about it. They know it's hard to pick references, particularly as you're leaving undergrad (in grad school it's more obvious, generally).

If you did any summer projects with anyone, that would be an obvious choice.

What schools are you applying to and what subject?

Yeah, I guess that sounds about right.

Right now it's a toss up between Film Studies and Digital Media in the one of top 3 Canadian unis (UofT,UBC, McGill).

 

[opticalmace]

Yeah, I guess that sounds about right.

Right now it's a toss up between Film Studies and Digital Media in the one of top 3 Canadian unis (UofT,UBC, McGill).

I'd say UBC, though I'm a little biased. My friend went to McGill and AFAIK had a really good time in Montreal.

 

[Hypron]

Up at 2am marking some undergraduate lab reports that are due to tomorrow... D:

I wish students were smarter, it'd be a lot faster to mark haha

 

[Greedings]

Up at 2am marking some undergraduate lab reports that are due to tomorrow... D:

I wish students were smarter, it'd be a lot faster to mark haha

I have to take a two week 8-6 practical course next week. It's going to be hell, I am such an awful teacher.

 

[Hypron]

I have to take a two week 8-6 practical course next week. It's going to be hell, I am such an awful teacher.

Hot damn, good luck to you!

I'm doing a short 20 min lecture next week and I'm already stressing about that lol

 

[Nemesis311]

Hi guys,

Since this thread has been going around for quite a while, I hope you don't mind asking a few questions to get to know a little bit more about the industry guys:

1.- Are there any MBA Internships in the UK?, most of what I've found are US based.

2.- Is there a possibility to get into an internship for a person who doesn't have work experience in the gaming industry before? I have studied the gaming industry for a while and have an understanding on it.

Any input for these questions will be greatly appreciated guys! thanks for your help!

 

[Hypron]

Finished marking those damn lab reports. It's 7am and I only got 1 hour of sleep. Feel like I'm back in undergrad again 😫