stupid question(s) I need to ask

S

hi everyone,
If one does peer-reviews for say Journal X, do we put this in our CV?
As a peer-reviewer for Journal X? Does that go under Hobby?

Another one is the word "academic". If we conduct research, does that make us academics? OK assuming it is academic research.

Next one is this. If we write something on our blog, say its our completed PhD research, does that mean this piece of work has been published?

Another one I can't get my head around is a "white paper" because I have seen samples of white paper that look like they are selling something, so how can that be white paper. Can someone explain to me in research terms, can I put something up online without going through a publisher, would that be a white paper?

thanks
love satchi

Avatar for wanderingbit

Ok, I'll have a go :-)

1) Yes, we do put it on the CV, and no, not under 'hobby' but rather under something like 'commissions and professional memberships'. There you have things like being a journal editor/reviewer, member of scientific committee in a conference, honor member of an important association in your research field, etc.

2) :-) Well, the Oxford Dictionary Online defines 'academic' as "A teacher or scholar in a university or other institute of higher education". Instinctively I'd say if you do research within the context of a university or HE institute then yes, you're an academic. If you do research in industry...mmmh....I'd rather say no. If you do research on your spare time and are not part of any HE institution...oh dear, I'd also say no? But I'll be happy to see what other say!

3) Again, my instinct talking: NO!!! I'm conservative on this, publication means ISBN or doi or something...a working paper (or thesis!) which is made public online I wouldn't say it's published. Although it's made public and you won't be able to 'publish' it anywhere else.. :-) does this make sense??

4) No idea.

Ok, that wasn't that helpful probably..curious about next entries.

xxxW

I

Just adding to what waderingbit said with regard to what counts as published material. In my CV I have a section for "Refereed Publications" which includes conference papers, journal articles, book chapters, workshop papers etc. and then another section for "Non-Refereed Publications" which is where I put things like my blog, technical report, science-outreach press articles, undergrad thesis etc..

It's basically making the distinction between what has been peer reviewed by academics and what has just been put online for the whole world to see but hasn't been subject to any formal review process.

I'm not sure about the white paper thing - this sounds similar to what I would term a "technical report" - a document that I have written (with my colleagues) but has not been subject to peer review and has just been published internally and sometimes made available externally. Often these are more detailed and broader in scope than a paper because we're not trying to publish it anywhere so are not subjected to page limits.

I hope that helps a little! I'm also intrigued about others responses to the white paper issue.

Avatar for Eds

Interesting discusssion on a 'white paper' here


pointing out its roots in Whitehall etc. Still worth putting in a CV as it demonstrates collaborative ability.

Avatar for wanderingbit

One more comment following IntoTheSpiral's remarks:

when we submit grant proposals to the national research council here, we have to prepare the publication list distinguishing between: peer-reviewed journal articles, books (also edited), book contributions, peer-reviewed conference proceedings, and then 'other, non-peer reviewed stuff'.

In the last category you can put conference papers where only the abstract was peer-reviewed, working papers, self-made ebooks, etc. I've been told that what research councils look for, are 'outreach' outcomes, like articles in non academic magazines that show active engagement in disseminating research content between non-academic audience (following the increasingly important idea that researchers should give something back to - and communicate with - society in general, and not only the academic community).

S

hi wanderingbit, IntotheSpirals and Eds,
Thank you so much for your replies. Eds I have had a brief look at the link, it is good. I will read it later as it does explain different types of white paper from different angles.

This part about non-peer reviewed stuff under publications; if it is an internal oral paper, is that non-peer reviewed stuff?

Oh yes and I have figured this out, thanks to your help, ok I am an academic. I know it's silly not knowing, but I have posted silly questions to the Forum before, and have always received good help.

Thanks again.
love satchi

Avatar for wanderingbit

I'm not sure what you mean by 'internal oral paper', but a publication implies a written product, and specifically, something produced *as* written product (not the written version of an oral presentation)

So no, oral papers, even conference papers, do no go under publications. (unless you have a proceeding coming out of the conference paper, but then indeed, what you write in the proceeding is very different in style and content from what your presented).

Writings like ebooks, magazine and newspaper articles, project outcomes with practical relevance (e.g., guideline booklets), this kind of stuff can go in that section :-)

does it help? and: no question is silly, as long as it is meant to bring clarity onto something :-)

Happy to know you're an academic, I'm one too! :-) :-) :-)
xxxW

S

hi wanderingbit thanks for your reply!

I have another stupid question now, you know the honorary fellows for say University XYZ, these people have been awarded honorary fellows, and their picture shows them wearing a hat (like our phd hat). Does this mean they have a phd behind their name (I mean for those people who currently don't hold phds).

Next one is what do they actually do, these honorary fellows, and if we were to ask them to collaborate in a study (as an example) will they have to be paid? how does that work

thanks
love satchi

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