Comments | yellowfrown: Why Academics Suck [and not in the good way]

yellowfrown

Why Academics Suck [and not in the good way]

Oct 20, 2004 21:19

So I've refused to read/write an LJ entry since they are either superficial or are totally depressing. But I'm tired of [some] my friends complaining, so here is the story of the past 4 months. Due to the length and complexity of the story, it may be missing some details.

BackgroundI work in research group that is a joint project between UC ( Read more... )

Comments 9

ithillean October 21 2004, 14:58:59 UTC

Oh Ryan, thats an awful situation=( From your account it would appear politics is being played in the background while real acdemic work should be taking place. If Joe is blaming you for the communication breakdown its only because Mothy got to explain his side first.

I hope your advisor really does get some of these wrongs righted, but it may all be lip service=/

Good luck!

yellowfrown October 22 2004, 02:12:43 UTC

Thanks for your wishes.

cyberconte October 22 2004, 15:18:36 UTC

Damn. Talk about getting the shaft.

I'm glad you at least made a good stand for yourself, though. You probably have further, more severe courses of action, for example (isn't using someone elses reasearch as your own paper, without being listed as an author 'stealing'? I don't think the institute/department would like that...)

yellowfrown October 22 2004, 20:08:42 UTC

Yeah, I suppose I could try and make a stink, but it can't help. That would only serve to burn bridges and would, in the end, cause me even more trouble. I'm beginning to realize I'm in a no-win situation.

cyberconte October 22 2004, 20:30:20 UTC

Burn whos bridges? Sounds like anyone who you might have a bridge with is firmly on the other side of it anyway. (through malice i doubt, ignorance i presume)

I hope Joe wakes up, but if he doesn't, you certainly have every right to make a stink and turn some heads.

yellowfrown October 23 2004, 23:36:23 UTC

Although I may have the "right" to burn bridges, I simply can't cause too much trouble with my advisor (especially if all the trouble is with a third person), otherwise I will never get my PhD.

Thread 5

shawath October 22 2004, 22:56:30 UTC

Ryan! My sympathies are with you. Working in academic research though, you should push to be included as an author on the paper. In fact, you should insist on it. You were on the team that did this work, you deserve the credit. You may find that simply asking to be listed will result in your inclusion. You have to weigh whether the bridge is worth burning or not if they say no. If it is worth burning, you can always write the journal that it is going to be published in and explicitly deny them copyright over your work. That should get the attention of the rest of the team.

yellowfrown October 23 2004, 23:39:10 UTC

I can't get into a petty fight with my advisor, I may win that battle, but I'll lose the war and my PhD. At this point in time I don't know if the author list can be changed. I have made it clear that my name should be on the list, but I think that is all I can do. Joe claims he will "fix" the issue, I'm not sure what that entails and just have to wait.