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Writing first email to prospective professors about MS application
I am applying to a particular university in US for MS this year. At this particular university there are three professors who are conducting research in the area I am interested in. I have two questions:

I saw two questions here in this site about people writing emails to professors while seeking out a PhD admission. Should I do the same? Or will it look like I am being over-enthusiastic? See I am applying to MS with thesis option so I wish to have one of the three professors as my thesis adviser if offered an admission. Also I wish to follow my MS with a PhD later on. So if I do get a chance to continue in the same university, I would like to work under the professor who advised my MS thesis.
I am not able to pick a single professor who I wish to have as my thesis adviser because I find the works of all the three professors interesting. Their work kind of falls under the same category to someone who has just finished as an undergrad. Also, it could be that the professor I am interested in is very busy this year, so I don't want to choose just a single professor. If these three professors ever get together and talk will it look superficial since I have sent emails to the three of them. Not that I will be sending identical mails to the three, it will be personal and I will talk about their research.

Regarding the second question, they are getting a pool of student applications from which they would choose the best that is willing to work with them. Why shouldn't you do the same?

@Davidmh I was worried that it may seem superficial. But what you say makes sense. If other people tell me to write email. I will mail all three.

Have you asked for any advice from your former professors?

@kitty I did my undergrad in India. Here people have a very different system for masters admission. There is a single exam which is like subject GRE for CS. Which is optionally followed by an interview by multiple professors. At the university you are interested in. People travel to the university they are interested in, on their own expense.

I'd go ahead and ask, even all three. Ask for further details on their current work and potential thesis ideas. As an outsider you can't really select one of them today, without working your way into the subject.
If they are closely related subjects, as you state, chances are that they work together and perhaps even supervise students as a team. Best of all worlds, sort of...


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Is MSc the same as MSc (Eng)?
I have a master's degree in the UK, titled MSc Advanced Materials Engineering.
I would like to know if it would be correct to put MSc (Eng) as a post-nominal?
There is no clear guidance. By using just MSc in a post-nominal it is of course not implicit that the qualification is in an engineering subject. I would like to make that distinction if it is permitted to do so.

In some places, engineers are required to add "Eng" to their names when signing professional documents. Wheres, you can hold your "MSc Advanced Materials Engineering"  while not holding a bachelor of engineering degree. Hence, it could be perceived as deceiving to add "(Eng)" to your title if indeed you are not an engineer.

If it helps, I also have a BEng (Hons).

That's means my comment is not a concern for you, it could be for other people. For example, I know many physicists who later pursued masters or PhDs in engineering.

You hold an MSc, not an MSc (Eng), so use the former.
If you want the reader to know you have an engineering degree, then write MSc Advanced Materials Engineering, perhaps even MSc, Engineering dept., Uni X for something shorter.
Note that MEng also exists, so MSc (Eng) may baffle some.

A UK university will tell you what is the correct abbreviation for your degree. The commenters above who profess ignorance of the abbreviation MSc(Eng) show their youth. The year before I took my MSc at Imperial College London, the same course would have led to a degree officially abbreviated as MSc(Eng).
Nobody is at all interested in how your degree is abbreviated, however. What they want to know is how well qualified you are for what it is you say you want to do. In some contexts your degree (however it is abbreviated) will be relevant to some professional status, such as certified engineer, but that will depend on detailed specific regulations and not on how you choose to describe your qualifications.

MSc(Eng), aka MScEng, is an abbreviation for Master of Science in Engineering.
The answer depends on the full name displayed on your degree certificate. The question itself contains an abbreviation (MSc Advanced Materials Engineering) so it's hard to say conclusively.
If your full degree name is: Master of Science: Advanced Materials Engineering, then the precise abbreviation would simply be MSc.
If on the other hand, the full degree name is Master of Science in Engineering: Advanced Materials Engineering, then it would be accurate to use the MSc(Eng) abbreviation.
Additional Background
The Master of Science in Engineering is always a postgraduate degree. In contrast, a Master of Engineering degree (MEng) can sometimes be considered an undergraduate degree. Some universities offer a one year MEng degree on top of a 3-year Bachelor of Engineering (BEng), or an integrated four-year MEng degree. This makes it equivalent to a four-year Bachelor of Science in Engineering, abbreviated as BSc(Eng) or BSE. See for example the BScEng degree at GCU, or the BScEng degree at Wits, both requiring four years of study.
A Master of Science in Engineering can sometimes be done purely by research, or a combination of research and coursework. See for example, the MScEng in Electrical Engineering at UCT.
Some universities also used to offer five-year engineering Bachelor degrees, which in my understanding is recognized by the Bologna Process as being equivalent to an MEng degree. MIT also had a five-year MEng degree program:

In 1993, it established a five-year Master of Engineering (MEng)
program, under which MIT undergraduates stay for a fifth year and
receive simultaneous bachelor’s (SB) and master’s of engineering
(MEng) degrees.

Conclusion
Different universities offer different degrees, with different names, which can be confusing. The main point to remember is that MScEng is a postgraduate degree and an abbreviation for Master of Science in Engineering. If that's what your degree says, MScEng, MSc(Eng) or MSE are valid abbreviations.

+: As long as you can back it up when someone asks you, it is fine. You are not cheating by adding parentheses.
-: MSc (Eng) looks confusing at least to me.
I would say if possible, write the degree in full rather than using abbreviations. Otherwise, maybe provide some context on why and where you need to use short alternatives.

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Can I write that I had a phobia in my personal statement?
I am writing a personal statement for a Ph.D. position. I had phobias of animals earlier which I overcame during my in-vivo lab experiments (for which I am really proud of). Do you think its a good idea to include that I overcame my phobia by myself?

Could you explain the relevance to the position you're applying for?

@user2768-Because the Ph.D. position will have lots of animals studies

Perhaps edit to add that (crucial) detail.

It is a judgement call. On the one hand, if you are sure it is no longer relevant, then mentioning it could be a problem since some would doubt you are cured, I think.
On the other hand, it shows personal growth. Congratulations.
But having grown as a person may not be as relevant to future research as you think. At least in the minds of others.
On balance, it seems best to not discuss it in written materials. If it comes up in an interview, it is again a judgement call whether it is wise to mention it. But, at that point, you will have more information on which to make the judgement.

A personal statement is a story/pitch that describes/sells your suitability for a position. Your historic phobia of animals might be a starting point for your story. Overcoming that phobia showcases part of your personality.

Do you think its a good idea to include that I overcame my phobia by myself?

I don't think overcoming your phobia is the key message, I think how that fits into the broader story is. Try writing a story that starts from your phobia and concludes with your application. See if that story can be worked into a personal statement you're proud of.

Buffy mentions the possibility that hiring someone with a historic phobia of animals might be a red flag for a position with animal studies. I agree (and up voted), but I think it depends on the broader narrative.

Thanks. I decided not to include it

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Can I collect published images of biological specimens in a database for scientific purposes?
I'd like to create a database with published photographs of some biological species to use them for scientific research, but I have questions according copyright law.
Can I use published images in a such manner? Can I give access to this database to my colleagues?
I'm from Russia and our law says that it is possible to use published images for educational and scientific purposes. Can I adapt this law to any published images or not?

Republishing is not the same as "using". You can "use" lots of things for scientific/educational purposes under copyright law, but not republish them without permission of the copyright holder, if any.

Caveat: I am not a lawyer, especially a Russian lawyer.
You can, almost certainly, create such a database for your own use and for the use of your research group, so long as you don't make it generally public. So, for your use and that of your "colleagues" it should be fine. Just don't define "colleague" as everyone in my field.
So, you might need some specific mechanism to restrict access, rather than putting it on a public website.
Copyright law varies everywhere and mostly applies to "creative works". But images of all sorts (even selfies) are normally considered creative.
The fact that you have permission under the law to do some things ("using for educational/scientific...") doesn't imply that you have other rights as well. Normally the "publishing" right is maintained by the copyright holder for a limited period unless they explicitly give a license to the public (or to an individual).
So, it is likely that what you suggest would be a copyright violation if you were to "publish" your database unless you get permission or are very careful in selecting images. But it is the publishing that is the violation (if done), not the storage in a database, nor the sharing within a working group.
There are a huge number of "published photographs of some biological species" available online with generous licensing from the rights holders. Those you can reuse, according to the individual licensing. You should probably also cite them in any database, as well. Old photographs may be out of copyright also, and those can be used. Various museums do this sort of thing, for example.

There is one other consideration. Some people publish some things with "copyright notices" that don't actually conform to the law. In fact, some will "forbid" storage in a "database". I suspect that those restrictions can't be enforced so long as the database is used for a proper purpose and not published.

By "publishing a database" you mean make it pubically available?

Yes. That would be the issue. Creating and using within a working group should be fine.

Can I make publically available highly reduced images?

Probably not. The rights holder usually retains rights to such things. It isn't the same thing, I realize, but the right to make translations of works (papers, books,...) is retained by the holder. I don't know how a lawyer would look at this, but for some things, (Mickey Mouse and related ecosystem), very closely.

Actually, the right to make translations and "derived works" is normally retained. It is why some "fan fiction" gets in to trouble if a rights holder objects.


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If I only applied on one site when required to apply to two, will they look at my file?
I noticed for a few postdoc positions, they want you to apply both on mathjobs AND on some external site. I applied on mathjobs, but didn't apply on some external site. Will they look at my file? The external site didn't request anything that wasn't uploaded to mathjobs - sometimes just a CV.
I should have paid attention more and I'm sure I don't have great chances at those places (I have applied to several other places) - but will they even look?
Edit: I am greatly ashamed by my egregious error and accept full responsibility for my mistake including having my file rightly thrown in the trash with extreme prejudice.

If the instructions were to apply at both, and you did not follow directions...

@JonCuster That's correct. I did not follow their directions. I am ashamed.

That seems an odd requirement. Usually it would mean apply on either, not both. Are you sure you interpret it correctly?

Seems odd, but I think they are more likely to look at the "other" site, which seems to be CMU specific rather than math jobs. Maybe you should contact CMU directly.

Conceivable that they let mathjobs be the repository of materials, and minimal requirements to apply to the university. Avoids dealing with data retention issues I suppose? But, follow up on the other bits to do. At the least be in contact to say it is really confusing to apply in two places for one job.

Actually, my experience tells the other story. I applied to school X on mathjobs without applying at the school's application site, and I didn't realize that until the department head of school X sent me an email last week and asked me if I'm still interested in their school, and reminded me to apply at their external site. It was already 2 months after the application deadline, though, I applied and they sent me an offer several days later.
So, if a school really wants you, it doesn't matter too much (although I wouldn't do it again, and this is probably the only school that I forgot to apply at an external site). Of course, you should make sure someone in the school knows you have applied for their position.

Generally, this is because the university requires all official applications for its jobs be on the university's own site.  If you do not apply on the university's site, the department cannot consider your application by university rules.  It's possible the department has been able to set things up so that they can consider a late application on the university site.  If it's available, I consider you do that immediately.

It is most probably too late already. Short lists have been made and preliminary offers have been sent.

@markvs How do you know every open math postdoc has already had preliminary offers sent?

I know about my University and several.other Universities where I worked before. The procedure is the same everywhere. The selection starts in December and ends in the middle of January when informal offers are sent. If the offers are declined, there is an opening for an additional candidate. That happened exacly once in my 25 years at this University.

@markvs Wait, are you saying that in 25 years only one offer has been declined? Sorry if I misunderstood.

@user152468: The offer is sent to the top applicants first, if they reject, the offer is sent to the next group in the short list, Only one time in 25 years after two iterations we still had a position vacant. As a result we got an excellent postdoc who is now a well known mathematician.


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How do you write a good reaserch paper title?
I'm doing a paper on the medicinal properties of everyday plants but my prof. says that its too broad and I need to narrow it down. I want to start by figuring out a better title that is more specified to the research. How do I do this?

The two obvious ways are (a) think about the problem to be solved (main question to be answered) and (b) think about the main result. Either of those can lead to a title, with (b) probably better.
A combination of the two, if short enough might be even better.


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Was I too rude in reminding my supervisor to submit my reference letter?
I asked my MA supervisor for a reference in early November to apply to an English PhD program at the same institution with her continuing as my supervisor. She agreed. In the subsequent months, we exchange two or three emails just talking about the (re)admissions process and reviewing research proposals. I sent her my final draft of the research proposal in the first week of December and my supervisor said they would look at my research proposal and write my reference over the holiday vacation.
After New Year's Day, 2/4 letters of my letters needed still weren't submitted yet and they were due within a week. I sent my supervisor and the other referee ONE reminder email and they were nearly the exact same in wording. Basically, I wished them a happy new year and politely reminded that the reference letter was due by the end of the week. I said I know they are probably already aware but I just wanted to make sure and act prudently. I also just told her which writing sample I was going to be submitting and left it at that.
My other referee delivered my reference very quickly and wrote back a very nice email wishing me all the best etc. But my supervisor didn't seem pleased. All she said was 'sigh, is the polite version'. I don't know what to make of this response; is it passive aggressive? They did end up submitting the reference the night before it was due, but I am extremely uneasy knowing that I might have done something to piss off my supervisor, who is writing my reference AND serving on the admissions board, AND becoming my supervisor again should I get admitted.
Was I out of line in what I did?  Was it possible I could have jumped the gun in sending a reminder a little over three weeks after she said she would get to it over the holiday vacation? But if I was going to send a reminder, I couldn't have waited until after the holiday vacation since the deadline would have already passed. I am not the most socially adept nor am I the best at reading people.

Unfortunately (VTC), it depends a lot on your personalities and your communication style. Many people in this situation voicing a displease are not actually mad at you. Maybe it is just musings about how miserable the life is, or maybe if pressed, your supervisor would easily admit that the request was completely reasonable, but they were tired, irritated or something else came up and it is not really your fault. It is practically impossible to tell from the outside. Since you did not follow up immediately, let it go.

It might depend on the precise timing: Most people regard January 1st as a part of the holiday vacation, hence, sending an email, say, in the morning of January 1st would not be quite appropriate (although, if I were to receive such an email I would choose to reply politely the next day). But January 2nd would be totally normal.

@MoisheKohan I sent it on what would have been Jan 2 for them (we are in different time zones). But in any case, I wish more professors were like you.

Was it possible I could have jumped the gun in sending a reminder a little over three weeks after she said she would get to it over the holiday vacation?

Generally speaking, I would say a reminder the week of the due date (in a short week too) three weeks after the last reminder is not rude.
Probably best to smooth things over with some lame apologies and move on. She probably shouldn't have replied that way.

Thanks for the response. She actually said she would do it over the holiday vacation (which ends next week for us) rather than after (if she did it after, it would have been already passed the deadline). I still suspect you are somewhat right in your thinking though. I don't even know if I should reply at all or how to respond to this.

@AplombPlum Oh, I'm sorry I somehow inserted an "after" in there even though I quoted it.


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Supervisor refuses to be included as a co-author in PhD student papers?
As title entails, my PhD supervisor refuses to be included in all of my research papers as she did not take part in the writing process. However, since day one, she has been giving me ideas and directing my research & polishing it. Is this going to harm my chances of publishing in Q1 journals in my field?
In fact, I have previously received an email from a journal editor, asking me about why a PhD student is publishing without their supervisors. How would you answer such a question?

Is your field mathematics?

It would be really helpful to know your field. The question from the editor seems very unusual to me.

I agree with JRN (and Jan).  In some fields (like mathematics) it is rare for the advisor to be co-author on paper(s) coming from the student's thesis.  In other fields, such lack of the advisor as co-author means the advisor has a low opinion of the work.

@GEdgar It may also just mean that the advisor did not take part in the work.

For a better assessment, what does the supervisor think about your work? Are they co-authoring other PhD's work? This may inform your further steps.

"as she did not take part in the writing process" -- Why didn't she? Was leaving you on your own for writing something she initiated? As others mentioned it depends on the field, but frequently an advisor will participate in revisions and rewriting even if they have the student do the first draft. If that's the norm for your field, why that isn't happening might illuminate the dynamic at play here.

This shouldn't be a problem. If an editor asks, just say that the supervisor agrees that whatever contributions they have made don't rise to the level of authorship.
It shouldn't harm your chances, and in fact is an ethical plus. But Q1 journals are pretty selective in any case.
In your field, supervisor authorship may be common, prompting the question from the editor.
In some fields (mine) it is unusual for supervisors to be added as authors. In some, it is nearly automatic.

One most likely gives credit to the supervisor in the acknowledgement in any case.

FWIW, in some contexts the adviser not being included as coauthor can be unethical. Not sure that it applies in this case, but I've definitely seen instances in which adviser habitually gives author-level contribution but refuses authorship in order to gift advisee a solo publication, which can be a real differentiator in the job market in some fields.

@commscho, as a mathematician, I don't see this as either unethical or "gift authorship". It is pretty much standard practice.

I admire your supervisor and want to point out that they are modelling good professional ethics. At my institution (Australia) we have a research integrity code and mandatory training in this for all academic staff and higher degree research candidates. One dimension of this is co-publishing between supervisors and their candidates. In short we are stamping out predatory co-publishing where supervisors are named on papers simple because they're a supervisor. If a supervisor has not made a direct and clear contribution to a paper they are not entitled to be named. From my view your supervisor is doing the right thing. Learn from their example. As for will your publication chances be hurt if your supervisor is not named on the paper, I don't believe that will be the case. If it was, that reflects poorly on the journal. The key issue is not who is named but the quality of the paper. All the best.

Have you discussed why your supervisor does not want to be included. It can be an honest ethical assessment of her input, which she judges too limited to be coauthor. Perhaps you could also check whether your university has rules from claiming authorship. My university e.g. requires two out of three for: conceptualising the research; data collection and analysis; writing of the actual paper.

The journal has two concerns: Does your advisor not agree with your paper, and are you hiding the submission from them. Both of these can be allayed by responding that your advisor supports the work but feels that you should retain sole credit because you did all of the work, and that the editor is welcome to contact them.

she has been giving me ideas and directing my research & polishing it.

This is sort of the point of mentorship, right? To me, authorship is warranted with contribution to the manuscript itself. And while ideas are obviously the life blood of a manuscript, the reading, the writing, the endless editing, the (in my case) running and maintenance of code, all these things are important too, for authorship.
For me, I wouldn't really be okay with having my name on a paper that I didn't personally write stuff for (in the sense that I'm providing my actual intellectual contribution to it, aside from just giving feedback). If I didn't edit out whole paragraphs, add citations, and all the rest, then I really didn't write the paper, and wouldn't want to be included on it.


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What should I consider when hiring a graphic designer to digitize my scientific plots?
I am working on a scientific publication in physics and want to present the architecture of our model in the paper.
I drew the architecture on paper with pencil and colours, just how I imagine it.
Of course, that's not professional enough to publish, which is why I want to hire a graphic designer to port my sketch into a digital picture.
The picture will be a digital render of my sketch.
I know this depends a lot on local laws, but as far as I understand it, the graphic designer will hold the IP/copyright for the produced digital picture (in Germany).
But there is the possibility to buy the IP/copyright/license for that picture.
I have never done this before, so I have a few questions about it:

If I buy the IP/copyright for the picture, can I act as if the plot is 'mine' and I 'produced' it? (I don't want to downplay the importance of the graphic designer, but I also don't want to cite/ask him every time I use the image.)
Are there any ethical considerations I am missing?
Are there any known pitfalls I should avoid, especially with publishing the picture in journals?

In order to produce good looking plots / diagram, you do not need an graphical artist. Sit yourself down with a tool like draw.io or if you use LaTex, take the time to learn TikZ. It pays off in the long-run to be able to make your own figures for academic publishing. You can't always hire an artist to do that for you.

@Polygnome Meh. Sometimes people write a once-in-a-decade paper that needs really nice figures (like a Nature or Science paper).

I can only answer part of this, as I don't know the laws in Germany. In general, just a guess, is that work "done for hire" may leave copyright with the one who hires, not the artist. This is especially (guessing again) true if you are the one specifying the diagram(s) and hence the "creative force" behind them. Copyright most places is for creative works. Your freehand drawing is probably (guessing) the creative part. The digital form is a derived work, not the original.
However, it would be dishonest to claim that you "produced" the drawing when you did not. Some might consider that plagiarism. You could claim that you specified the work, I'd think. And, you should acknowledge the work of the artist, even if paid.
I don't see any issues about publishing the work if you are clear about origins. But a lawyer will give the best answer.
And, to answer the headline question, consider their skills and the fees they charge.

Thanks for your answer! I agree that it would be dishonest for me to claim that I produced the drawing.
How would you handle the situation concretly when publishing the image in a journal?
Would you cite the graphic designer? If yes, how?

Back in the day, government and industrial labs, as well as universities, had photographers and graphic artists on staff to make publication quality figures. Usually this did not merit even an acknowledgement.

@JonCuster, yes, indeed, and that probably was an injustice... :)

It is possible for you to own the IP in the created work through an appropriate contractual agreement, but the creator will typically retain some "moral rights" at law (depending on the jurisdiction).  This might include a right of attribution and a right to preserve the integrity of the work against alteration.  To understand these issues you should get some advice on IP laws in your jurisdiction and you should ensure that your contractual agreement with the artist gives you the ownership/licensing of the work you require in order to use the created work now and into the future.
Additionally, setting aside the IP laws at issue, there is an expectation under academic practice that you will cite sources for work presented and correctly attribute sources.  Failure to do so can constitute plagiarism and academic misconduct, irrespective of IP ownership issues.  For that reason, it would be a good idea to ensure that your publications properly attribute the source of the picture to the artist.  This is probably something you will need to do each time you use the work, in order to avoid a breach of expected academic practice.

Ben and Buffy gave excellent answers. Let me add something: A completely different thing to consider is the time schedule. If you ask a company / a publisher (e.g. Elsevier / Taylor and Francis, etc.) to create the graphic for you, it will take time. Usually 7 - 10 days. However, as you will most likely pay the bill with Drittmittel / Bonusmittel, keep in mind that this will be a crucial factor. The aforementioned publishers usually outsource the work to third-party companies. These, in turn, require the payment before they will send you the first draft. As administration in most German universities is slow, this can take weeks. So don't expect the results within the time frame specified on the homepages of the respective companies. I am sharing first-hand experience here (my context: Germany-based researcher). When I prepared a conference, I used such services to prepare infographics for certain keynote sessions. They never arrived in time (in fact, it took eight weeks until I received the results). So, if possible, clarify the payment route first. Also, keep in mind that most companies specify that you cannot modify or re-use elements (e.g. icons used in a larger graphic) from the output you receive. It is a really complicated matter. Read the fine print first. Germany-specific, I recommend local providers as a faster alternative (e.g. Grafikdesigner auf Auftragsbasis or similar).
Hope it helps!

I have never done this kind of thing, but it seems to me a likely other probable delay to factor in would be the need to iterate on the design with the artist?

@Polytropos: yes, this is also time consuming because many of the designers will have inherent difficulties to understand your topic. Thus, the more precise and detailed your request, the better.

As you already noted, the designer (or their company) holds the copyright for their work by default (not only in Germany but in any jurisdiction adhering to international copyright conventions). If you want to do anything with the graphic, you need to acquire the corresponding rights in some way, usually via the contract by which you hire the designer.
You can theoretically have a contract that doesn’t specify how you can use the work, in which case it defaults to some baseline rights¹, which depend on the jurisdiction. However, I wouldn’t even bother with this case, as it gets easily legally muddy and the baseline rights very likely won’t suffice for you. Neither you nor the designer would want this.
Instead the contract should specify what you can do with the work and what that is up to you to negotiate with the designer – so there is no general answer. The more you want to do be able to do, the more it will cost. You already considered publishing a paper, but what may not be so obvious is:

You may want to publish open access. Most journals use a Creative Commons license. This may be negotiable in some cases, but it’s probably easier to acquire the rights for this upfront.

You may want to use the graphic in outreach or on your webpage.

Journals might use the graphic in contexts where acknowledging the designer may be difficult, e.g., in a graphical abstract.

can I act as if the plot is 'mine' and I 'produced' it? (I don't want to downplay the importance of the graphic designer, but I also don't want to cite/ask him every time I use the image.)

You do not have to academically cite the designer, but acknowledging them is good academic practice. Putting a small line under the graphics in presentations should not cause a distraction, and in papers you can put a few words in the acknowledgments. Moreover, the right not to name the designer may cost extra.
It should go without saying that in no case it would be a good idea to explicitly claim that the work is yours.

A final consideration: I would consider certain digital visualisation skills part of the standard toolbox of scientific communication. I don’t know how challenging your particular problem is, but consider investing the time in learning how to solve it yourself to benefit from the skill all your life.

¹ These are based on the assumption that you wouldn’t want to hire a designer without using the work at all, so there are some implied usage rights.

This is really lawyer territory.
Copyright (Urheberrecht) protects the author and is inalienable. So, the first question is who is the author of the images that you ask to be generated. On the one hand, a proof-reader does not acquire a copyright on the published work, but your graphic designer might claim copyright on the presentation that the graphic designer gave your work.
Because you pay the graphic designer, you acquire almost automatically, i.e. silently and without explicit statement, certain usage rights (Nutzungsrechte). You can make an agreement where you have the right to pass these on and where you do not have to cite the designer for use. How agreeable the designer is will depend on how much of the designer's personality enters the resulting work. If the designer acts essentially like a typist, translating your sketches directly in the resulting final work, then there should be no problem in finding a designer who agrees to these conditions. If you desire a creative work, then this will be more difficult. The amount of creativity needed to create the desired outcome will be the most important element in an assessment by a court in a dispute.
Ethically, there are no big problems as both you and the graphic designer act from a position of similar strength. As you describe it, you are not trying to exploit someone's creativity for your own glory.
In any case, your university will probably have someone who can help you since this is not the first time they dealt with this. Also, graphical designers work this every working day, so they can explain their expectations to you easily.

First, make sure you have full rights to use and edit the image in any way you see fit as part of the contract. When my research group hires graphic designers to do work on our technical reports, we get all the design files and have right to use as we see fit.
Second, I think that a simple acknowledgment for help with digitization of figures is likely all that is required. I am sure that professors frequently give such a job to undergrads and would barely even think that is worthy of an acknowledgment. My dissertation chair often said there is a difference between intellectual contribution and labor for hire. The first requires citation. The second requires only payment, but acknowledgement is polite.


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Could I contact with professor and apply for phd position in Germany in the last semester of master study?
I am in the last semester of my master study in Germany and going to publish my master thesis. However, I still need about two months to graduate. Could I contact with the professor in advance and apply for a phd position? I have some project experiences and I can provide the extended abstract of my thesis. Is there a chance that the professor could give an interview? I have sent my CV, Grades, Motivation Letter, Project Report and Extended Abstract of Thesis several weeks ago, but there is no response. Is it the reason that I have not got my master degree?

When you say "apply for a PhD position", are you referring to an actual, paid job e.g. as a Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter that the professor is offering (which will include time for you to do your PhD) or are you just searching for a professor who may supervise your PhD?

Related: https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/193773/how-long-does-it-usually-take-to-hear-back-for-academic-positions-why-havent-i and https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/45616/how-to-get-people-to-reply-to-emails-and-what-to-make-of-a-no-response

Yes, now is the time to begin the process of application, not after you finish, unless you want to see a gap in your education.
Why you haven't got a reply is hard to say. Most likely is that the professor just isn't ready to think about accepting a student at the moment or is too busy to be interrupted.
But, if you want to find a position, don't depend on any one contact. Cast a broad net. And, preferably, apply to those who have indicated they are currently looking for students. It improves your chances.
If your first contact was "blind" and extensive, it is possible it was just trashed for lack of a current position. You can ask, since it has been several weeks, if there is a chance for a position. You might get a reply to such a mail.

Just to add to this: If you aim to be employed by the university you apply at, going through all the necessary steps (candidate selection, having the work contract made and signed...) can easily take a few months. Even if you cannot sign the contract until you have your degree evereything else can be prepared beforehand, provided that the professor is convinced.

For the sake of this answer, I assume you are looking for a position as a Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter.
Definitely start applying before you finish your Master's thesis. Professors may or may not have open positions (= funding) for PhD students, and if you apply early and they want you to work with them, they may even try to secure funding to enable that. So I don't think that your currently unfinished Master's degree is the issue here.
In my experience, professors are often busy and have long queues of unread e-mails. If you are cold-emailing someone and do not have prior contact, they might not reply at all. I've seen some professors requiring you to put a specific keyword in your subject line when e-mailing them about the possibility of working with them, to show you have informed yourself about the position and their work (e.g. on their home page). Make sure you do that.
It can also be helpful if you know someone else who is already working in the group you are interested in. They already know the ropes and may be able to set up contact.
If this is someone at your current university, you could make an appointment during their office hours.
In general, try to apply to positions that are already being advertised, but also ask around for new openings. Academic positions may also be published on social media, e.g. Twitter, Slack channels for conferences, etc. Make sure your application shows that you are interested in the specific position and group you are applying to and that you have read some of their current work.
And, like when applying to a job in industry, don't assume that you will get the first and only job you apply to. Send out multiple applications.


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Is it possible to get into a good PhD program with little research experience?
A little bit background. I am a junior physics student in US and want to get into an US PhD program. I am interest in theoretical high energy physics. My background is not bad. I have self-learnt some QFT and relativity and GPA around 3.6.
I have contact all the PI in the area I interest in my school but none of them are taking me. (I suspect the reason is that I may disturb them by sending a few more email to a PI when I do not receive a reply. I am transferred from another institution, where all professors reply to email unless they do not see it.)
I am considering doing some research on the experiment side and try to contact the theoretical PI again this summer. In the worst case, I won't have any experience in theoretical area. Is it possible to follow an theoretical advisor in PhD program? Is it possible to get into top 30? My current school is arround top 20 in physics in US.

"My background is not bad." Do you mean your background is not excellent?
Anyhow, do not this cynical question stop you. But you are already seeing that the opportunities are limited, especially with a "not bad" profile instead of the "top 1% of top 1%" profile. A research internship would surely help you. Try to do that, before applying for PhD positions.
And please ignore the ranking of the universities. They do more harm than help, especially in your field.

Yes, in the US this can happen, depending on the recommendation letters you get. But don't apply to too narrow a set of doctoral programs. Top 30 is a bit narrow, top 50 gives you some leeway and it contains some additional fine universities.
Make sure your current professors know and support you. Ask one or two for a research project, even if it is quite small. If they are willing to work with you then they are likely to support you.
Expect the early years to be heavy with advanced courses with some opportunities to start on research. But the really serious stuff starts after passing qualifiers.
Note that most US doctoral admissions is by committee, not by the PI, who may not be directly involved at all. It is common to, therefore, ignore such requests, or reply with "Make application, get accepted, then we can discuss it."


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(Math) PhD LORs from Research Scientists?
When applying to grad school (e.g. in mathematics), how is a LOR from a Principal Research Scientist compared to that of a Tenured Professor? The only information I have about Principal Research Scientists is from This Question, and I just found out one of my letter writers is a research scientist. I also know from asking arround that a LOR from say an assistant prof is not held in the same regard as that of a tenured prof. Besides tenure, Principal Research Scientists seem to hold the same gravitas as a Professor at my university; is this correct?
Clarification: in US

I would guess that the pure vs. applied math issue is more important here. And it would depend on whether you seek a degree in pure math or applied math.
Principal Research Scientist type folk are probably more likely to be in an applied field. Not always, but usually. Great if that is your goal.
A Tenured Professor type could be in either but more likely a pure field. So they would be better if you seek a pure math degree.
But, even more important is how well they know you and how confidently they can express their support and predict your success. A letter from someone who doesn't really know your work is fairly easy to spot and will be discounted no matter their position.
If it is a tossup on all counts and you can only use one then the professor is probably better since readers will understand their point of view better (guessing here, a bit).


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Does Honours results have an expiry date like a Bachelor degree does?
I completed a First class Honours degree in 2000 and I am now considering doing a PhD. In Australia, degrees older than 10 years are no longer considered valid academically and I was wondering if it was the same for Honours? Thanks

What do you mean by "no longer valid"?

To the best of my knowledge, the college credits of STEM courses may be no longer considered valid after 10 years when you transfer between colleges, but the degree is always valid once you obtain it. Would you please tell us where did you get the idea that the degree is no longer considered valid after 10 years?

I haven't ever encountered an Australian university that absolutely refuses to give credit on the basis of degrees previously granted. Instead, after the elapse of a certain amount of time, there is a tendency for universities to ask about your knowledge and to examine more closely what you actually did in your degree. That way, the university can make a more reasonable assessment of whether your prior degree will adequately prepare you for a particular course, or whether you should complete some additional preparatory "catch-up" work .

Is the essence of your question "can I be admitted to a PhD program in Australia 20+ years after my Honours degree"?

I suggest you improve your general understanding of the academic world. If degrees that take 4, 6 or 8 years to do expired in 10 years, no one would do them!

In Australia, degrees older than 10 years are no longer considered valid academically...

This is not true --- unless they are revoked, awarded degrees remain "academically valid" and recognised forever.  I think what you may be referring to here is the fact that universities in Australia (and presumably also elsewhere) typically have a time limit on how long completed courses can remain valid for the purposes of gaining learning credit/exemptions in a current degree.  In order to ensure currency of knowledge in a current degree program, universities often impose a time limit for claiming credit/exemption for a course you have previously undertaken.
For example, in the ANU Policy for recognition of prior learning, Clause 7 imposes a ten-year (undergraduate) or seven-year (postgraduate) time limit for recognition:

Time limits on the eligibility of prior learning for credit and exemptions:

(a) Unless the Associate Dean (Education) has approved different program-specific periods, prior learning must have occurred within ten years (for credit towards undergraduate degrees) or seven years (for credit towards postgraduate degrees) before the first day of the first session that follows acceptance of the offer to the program.
(b) All courses in a completed degree are eligible for consideration if the date of completion falls within the time period specified in (a).
(c) Other formal or non-formal courses are eligible if the date of completion falls within the time period specified in (a).

Policies of this kind do not mean that an awarded degree is not "academically valid" if it is too old.  They merely mean that if you enrol in a new degree, you might not be able to claim credit/exemptions towards that new degree from courses you did in your old degree.  If you enrol in a PhD program now, and that program requires coursework, you will probably find that you will not be exempted from the coursework based on courses in your (old) honours degree.  Your previous honours degree remains perfectly valid; it just doesn't give you exemptions from courses in your new program.

In Australia an Honours is a postgraduate degree (it is different elsewhere).  An Honours does not expire.

I'll suggest that whether the answer is yes or no, your actions should be the same. If you want to join a program, apply for it and make your best case for acceptance.
If it has been a while since your previous degree then you may have some hurdles since your current state of knowledge may be harder to judge. That would be especially true in a fast changing field.
If your activities since graduate support your continuing knowledge in your chosen field, find a way to emphasize that in application materials, such as a Statement of Purpose.
But, degrees per se don't expire. Lots of people have gaps of various kinds prior to graduate study.


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Can I arxive a paper that I had already published in a journal(EPL, in my case), so that eveyone can access it?
It's been a couple of years that the paper was published in EPL. But uploading it to arXiv will make it accessible even for normal people without any institution access.
I don't know about any rules or regulations or the terms and conditions that I had agreed upon. So I am asking it here.
Please let me know whatever you know.
I tried googling but didn't find any relevant results.

Did you publish this as open access?

@Buffy I would assume not, given "uploading it in arxive will make it accesible even for normal people without any institution access".

@Anyon, many, maybe all IOP journals seem to be open-access. Hence my answer deletion.

@Buffy I don't know what percentage of IOP journals are only open-access, but many are hybrid open-access, where authors can choose to publish as a subscription article or pay for open access. EPL is one example.

What has your prior research shown? Does the journal have a preprint policy?

@Buffy no the journal may or may not open access but my article is surely not.
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1209/0295-5075/130/38004/pdf
That's the article. And without any institute network, I cant read it.

How do I know if the journal has a preprint policy or not.
I did signed their terms and condition but since it was long time ago, I dont remember those. I have to try and see if I can find them. @user2705196

For the general question of "can I submit a paper to arXiv that has already been published in a journal":
arXiv does not appear to have any policy against uploading a previously published article per se.
However, in their submission terms, arXiv requires that the "distribution of the [submitted work] by arXiv will not violate any rights of any person or entity, including, without limitation, any rights of copyright," and also requires that the submitted work "is not subject to any agreement, license, or other claim" that could interfere with arXiv's ability to host/distribute the work you're uploading. (If there are any other authors on this paper, they would also need to agree to post it to arXiv, as well, but that's secondary to the copyright/licensing issues.)
So whether you can submit a previously published article to arXiv depends primarily upon the terms you agreed upon/license granted to the publishing journal. The journal may have the exclusive copyright on your work - while many journals carve out explicit exceptions that allow authors to distribute copies of their work in certain circumstances, it is very possible that putting the whole text of an article published in a journal on arXiv is a violation of that copyright, and thus also against arXiv's terms of use.
It is possible that prior versions of a work which are NOT under copyright from the journal can be submitted to arXiv, but this is a somewhat murky area and you/arXiv might still have issues.
TL;DR: you need to know the exact terms of your agreement with the journal to know if you can submit the article to arXiv or not.

I guess I have to find out the terms and conditions I signed.
But what if I can't find that paper?

@sourajghosh You can try contacting the journal to either get a copy of the agreement or ask them their policies about posting to arXiv. If you aren't able to find that agreement, I would strongly consider not posting. If the journal isn't okay with it, they could make a mild headache for arXiv, and arXiv may not be inclined to allow you to submit preprints in the future if you are caught violating their submission policies.

Thank you @WhatTheDuck.
I will try to find the copy and in case I don't then I will mail them and upload it only if arXive doesn't face any problem.

Cannot prove a negative and all, but I have never heard of authors or ArXiv getting into trouble for putting the prior-to-publishing copy online. While in contrast people have been getting into trouble for making scientific, payed-for-with-public-funding-copyrighted-afterwards research available, see Sci-Hub and also Aaron Swartz.

@Ivana Me neither, as far as I know arXiv doesn't care if you submit prior-to-published articles with them. I wanted to point out that the JOURNAL might, and their recourse would be to go to arXiv to request the article be taken down, and arXiv might take issue with an author that violated their policies about posting articles that have licensing/copyright issues. I don't think many of these things are likely, but since the original question is explicitly looking to find a way to make some version of the article available around a paywall, it bears mentioning.

You could ask the journal to send you a copy of the agreement you signed. But, assuming by EPL you mean the physics journal published by IOP, most likely you are able to post (at least) the version prior to peer review following this policy. As far as I'm aware, It has not changed substantially in the last "couple of years".

I read that link https://publishingsupport.iopscience.iop.org/preprint-pre-publication-policy/.
If I signed/agreed on something similar then all I have to do is 'find the version before peer reviewd'.
I am not sure how to ask the journal to send me a copy of our agreement, in case I don't find it. Do I need to just mail them?

@sourajghosh Yes, I would just email the editorial office and ask if they can help - either by sending a copy (ideal outcome) or just by letting you know what preprint policy might apply. Anyway, a lesson for the future would be that it's a good idea to save (and backup!) both agreements you enter and (at least) milestone versions of manuscripts. Doesn't cost much to store such files, and you never know when they'll come in handy.

Thank you @Anyon.
I wlii just mail them. And in future I wlii be cautious.


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What can I do about failing an additional course in grad school if I am aiming for competitive PhD programs in the US?
I am enrolled in an Oxbridge computer science graduate program. We are required to pass our top 6 modules, which I did. I actually did really well in some modules. However, I decided to register for a 7th exam that I did not attend the lectures for, under the impression that I can always delete the grade from my record (someone told me that). The exam turned out to be very difficult and I failed. It turns out I cannot delete the grade from my record. What is the best way to mitigate this situation given that I was aiming for competitive phd programs in the US?
My dissertation went extremely well and I will have 3 glowing LORs and I got distinctions in all other theoretical courses, some of which are considered really difficult. If I explain in my phd application that I took the exam for fun, would this make the phd committee disregard the failing grade?

You can't make anyone do anything, but, in the US, the PhD admissions committee usually has wide latitude for their judgement and they are certainly able to disregard the failing grade if they are convinced that doing so is appropriate.

Just as a heads up, exams in the US are nothing like this at all, so be sure to explain carefully if you choose to.

One option that might be open is to retake the course and do well. If you have earned a masters, then one failed grade might not be devastating, but it is individuals who make that determination. How important that course is to your future plans is also relevant.
You can also just hope for the best, but a history of seeming to game the system might be noticed in this. That wouldn't speak well for you. Your letters of recommendation might need to be especially supportive.
Oxbridge is a pretty demanding place, however, so you might be fine. (Or, should that be "places"?)
You might also cast a wider net that you originally contemplated, applying to a few universities that aren't "top". But that is wise in any case.
And I wouldn't raise this issue in any application, especially saying that you took the exam for fun. It is more honest to say that you failed to apply yourself and learned your lesson. But I'd let that wait to see if any questions are raised rather than raising it yourself.


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Should I drop a semester due to medical reasons
I am currently in my undergraduate course and I have fractured my right collarbone and have been informed that I won't be able to write for at least a month and half.
Even in the best case I will be directly sitting for my mid semester without ever taking notes or practicing for my exams by hand. As my courses are math and physics intensive I am not sure how I will perform, I am worried this might dent my gradings.
Should I consider dropping a semester and maybe spend the remaining time of this semester after my recovery doing unofficial projects?

Ask your doctor and professor(s) about this. Talk to any disability office at the university for advice on how it can be compensated for. Talk to a physical therapist, perhaps. Ask a trusted advisor or faculty member for advice on a plan. It might be better to continue. It might be better to drop. But seek advice from experts with experience both with you and with such conditions. My choice might be different from yours. Heal. Don't be bored.

Aggree, especially re "Disability office". Also my uni I would suggest "academic advising", "Dean of students" and "incomplete"

Yes, I always refer students in situations like this to the disability office. They should be able to set you up with some extra time for tests (since writing with your non-dominant arm will be slower) and maybe notetaking. You'll still need to do the homework, of course, but a lot of people can learn to use their non-dominant arm well enough for that.

I am currently in my undergraduate course and I have fractured my right collarbone and have been informed that I won't be able to write for at least a month and half.

It will take you much less than that to become fairly proficient at writing with your left hand. I had an immobilized right arm at roughly your age and had to go through the same motions, literally. It wasn't a collarbone injury, though, so perhaps there are some special considerations for the use of the left arm for writing with a right-side collarbone injury? That would be my concern, so make sure you check that with your medical provider.
Of course there may be benefits to taking a semester-long break just using the collarbone injury as a convenient trigger. So this may have been a happy coincidence that gave you a reason to consider a break that perhaps would do you good for other reasons.

I am worried this might dent my gradings.

Start practicing to write with your left hand right away and don't worry about grades I'd say.
Humans are practically ambidextrous as long as they exercise both hands equally. Usually one hand "wins" because there is slight preference for it and it's a self-reinforcing cycle with high positive feedback. This means that the gains from learning to use a given hand are fairly quick - to the point that it easily outpaces the other, less-used hand, in terms of instantaneous dexterity. But it's not as if your other hand is somehow deficient. It's just out of practice. The motor centers that control it are just as capable as those in the other arm. Dexterity is about relatively small imbalances that, due to feedback, escalate into radical choices :)

Citation needed that humans are "practically ambidextrous". I think if this were the case then there would be no left handed people since there are many pressures (from shaking hands to using scissors) that would encourage and reinforce right handedness from an extremely young age. OP may be able to, relatively quickly, learn to write legibly with their left hand, but also they very much might not.


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What Can I Expect in the First Few Months of a PhD?
I am starting a PhD in Quantum Computing in England in about 2 weeks. I have already communicated with my advisor over email, and he is quite flexible with my research aims.
I am a bit nervous about the whole process. I was wondering if people who have recently gone through a PhD can describe what the process is like in the first few months.
For example:

What is the first meeting like?
Should I have a list of research aims ready for the first meeting?
Is the first month primarily dedicated to a literature review so I can familiarize myself with my research field? For instance, I am not too confident about the current research field. Would I be able to get a few weeks to research and decide on the research aim?

If anyone could provide a rough timeline of their initial few months in their PhD, it would be really helpful.
Alternatively, if any PIs (Principal Investigators) could give me more information on what is expected of me in the first few months, that would be greatly appreciated.

Ultimately, it depends on your supervisor and what are their expectations, so the best advice I have for you is to communicate with them and ask exactly that. Setting an honest and open communication channel with your supervisor is key for succeeding on your doctoral degree. Remember that through a PhD you slowly transition from student into an independent researcher, you should learn how to build and maintain a health professional relation with other researchers - your supervisor is your first collaborator.
Said that, I can share with you my personal experience as someone that finished a PhD in Physics 3 years ago and changed fields completely in the first postdoc in Europe (changing fields in a postdoc is similar to doing a second PhD without a thesis). However, beware that my experience is from Southern Europe and Scandinavia, not UK.
The first meeting
The first meeting between two researchers is usually very exciting. It is likely that your supervisor will tell everything about their projects and all the interesting research that motivates them. They will try to understand what motivates you as well and how you can fit in the research group, sometimes you have the opportunity to collaborate in secondary projects if you are interested. It is possible that they take this opportunity to introduce you to the research group and other colleagues. In my department it is common that the supervisor takes the advisee into a tour in the building, knocking on other colleagues doors and introducing the new student to everyone. When I started both my PhD and postdoc I already had a project with a Gantt chart with milestones, you can discuss with your supervisor and define a timeline for your first year.
Expectations
To start with, familiarise yourself with the PhD program's structure and typical timelines, UK universities often send you a welcome package full of information that you can consult. In my circle, professors do not expected a lot from new international PhD students and postdocs during the first months. You are moving to a new country and you need to figure out many things: immigration bureaucracy, opening a bank account, finding a new home, getting your university credentials, start learning a new language, make friends, etc. Your first year will be dedicated to learn a lot, you will take classes, workshops and you will read many papers to understand the field. In my experience, the literature review takes more than 1 month. At the beginning you read intensively as your main task to catch up with all the important developments in your field and then you start reading parallel with other tasks to keep up with the state of the art.  In general you are not required to attend lectures (check at your university), but it is often recommended if they are useful for your research - you can ask your supervisor if they recommend you to attend any course. In parallel to all the scientific learning, you will also start to get familiar with the culture of your new home.
The end of the first year
In general, at the end of the first year you are usually required to submit a report/project proposal, which contains a literature review, objectives, methodology and preliminary results. This document will be useful when writing your actual thesis, but it is natural that many things that you planned in the first year will change. After this you transit from PhD student to PhD candidate, you start feeling more like a researcher and less as student. Of course, this may vary depending on the university, even inside the UK there are some heterogeneity.
This is only my personal experience, but I hope it can be somewhat helpful for others in your situation.

+1, although I would add a note about "familiarise yourself with the PhD program's structure and timelines" under "expectations". Your supervisor is aware, but this is something that you should be proactive about.

@coffee_into_plots thanks for this nice suggestion. I included in the answer now.


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What should I do to keep in touch with a potential employer after an interview?
After sending a follow-up e-mail, two weeks after the first interview i've gotten the following answer:

Thanks for staying interested in the position. Yes, I have discussed
your application with the other two committee members. Although your
combined backgrounds in both computational chemistry and chemical
synthesis render you uniquely fit for the position, the timing did not
work in your favor as we were not able to schedule an interview with
you for now. I really wish I had better news for you--I was truly
impressed by your confidence and competence in that conversation we
had. Obviously, I also highly rate your ability to learn and adapt,
given that you had to pivot during the pandemic. While you should feel
free to explore other opportunities, I will check back with you if we
decide to schedule more interviews.
Best wishes for a healthy, safe, and successful 2024!

What should I do if I want to keep connected with them and be considered for future opportunities?

Why was it not possible to schedule an interview?

Simple, they have a better candidate.

It sounds like the person who interviewed you was very enthusiastic about you, but the company as a whole wasn't? In fact their message kinda sounds like "I personally really wanted you to be hired, but actually we didn't have a job opening"

I think this is just a very polite "thank you, but no thank you". You can reply politely thanking them for the opportunity to interview and mention that you remain interested if something changes, or another opportunity comes up.
That's it. If they really want you but you came up just short, and some new position opens up, then you may be in luck and they will reach out.
You should live your life as if this door is now closed. Move on, look for other positions. If somehow it opens up again, great! Reevaluate then.

That is what I am going to do, thanks!

A simple thank you is appropriate along with a statement that you remain very interested in the position. Add a request to keep you updated with any changes.
It is an odd response from them, though.
Don't give up any other opportunities and if it is a question of a decision made annually then follow up in several months with a request for any updates. Or, in general, about midway to the next decision point if you are still open to the position.

It sounds like OP made it onto the long waiting list.

As per my experience, I think the email you received is a gentle way to say we have moved forward with the other candidate for the position you applied. If you are especially fascinated by this organization as a workspace (also called a dream workplace), you may collaborate with them in research, grants, or even do 1-2 seminar presentations per year. That way they will remember you professionally and have a better chance to get hired in the future if you apply. Another way is to keep your eyes open for new positions and apply.

"I think the email you received is a gentle way to say we have moved forward with the other candidate for the position you applied. This in turn is a really gentle roundabout way to say "You didn't get the job."

Sometimes, we don't like ways too roundabout.

@WentongZhou Yup! Unfortunately, this is the language of Academia in the US--they convey the toughest message most beautifully. I hate this but this is called diplomacy and a very common approach in America almost in every field from academia to local and global politics. We just get used to with it. Good luck for your future job search.

@Dr.Baje is it really common to use obvious lies such as "uniquely fit" or that absurd "timing" excuse to make it more beautiful? I would find honesty more beautiful...

@wim It's not necessarily a lie. Yes, you may be "uniquely fit" for the position but your "timing" is absurd in the sense that a "better candidate applied for the position you applied at your timing". None of them are lies. I don't agree rejection should be framed in such a way that people remain hopeful to hear again from the rejected position. But people tend to play diplomatically. This is hard, I know. I am learning it the hard way and sharing it with those who wish they knew these things a lot sooner than they learned the hard way.

@Dr.Baje "unique" means, by definition, that you are the only one. So it is a blatant lie. You can say that their skills were impressive and so on, but "uniquely fit" is a lie. The email reads "you were the best candidate but we didn't have time for interviews, so we did not hire you" and that makes no sense and feels kind of insulting. But I understand this is probably due to the culture difference, so let's leave it at that :)

At minimum thank them for their time and think of a concise compliment about something you enjoyed about the interview.
Keep looking elsewhere and if this opportunity opens up again then I am sure they wouldn't mind if you re-applied.


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Filling out graduate school recommendation letter rubrics for students
A question for other professors or recommenders out there.

How do you deal with filling out these complicated rubrics that some schools have on their recommendation letters for graduate applications, especially if you have to recommend a large number of students? I'm talking about the "the student is in the (x) percent" or the "the student's research potential is in the (y) percent". I confess that my default is to not treat these questions very seriously, and select top or second from the top for students I want to get into a given program. If I think a student has overstepped, I sometimes rank them lower.

On the other side of things, are these actually used at a departmental level? My field is math and I would suspect that there is a threshold that would disqualify a person from being accepted, but the numbers are otherwise useless as a fine measure of applicant's quality.

Thankfully, many schools have gotten rid of these obnoxious questions and just ask for a letter, but a few do remain.

I once knew a professor whose practice was that when forced to fill out such a rubric, he would always select the highest ranking in every category, no matter what.  Then, in the letter, he would explain that this was his practice and that the ratings should be ignored, and then go on to give his actual opinion of the student.  I've sometimes been tempted to do the same myself, but never had the nerve.

Pure mathematician here. I'm in the same boat. I carefully write the letter, and then get annoyed when I also click a bunch of bubbles to repeat information already in the letter. In my letter, I usually compare the student to ALL undergraduates I have taught, so they are always in the top 1-2%. If they were below the top 5 or 10%, I wouldn't agree to write the letter (at least, for a PhD program - I might for a master's program).
I have noticed that sometimes the bubbles at different universities specify different comparison groups, e.g., compare to math majors, or to grad-school bound students. In those cases, I try to get the correct percentiles, but err on the side of a favorable comparison for the student.
I feel like I almost always choose one of the top two bubbles. I imagine it's the same for almost all applicants and that's why what really matters is the text of the letter of recommendation.
I can't comment as to question (2), since we're undergrad only.


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Is the journal's country important when choosing a journal for your article?
I noticed that many journals' rankings include the country. And also, I found that some journals are called "International ...".
I start wondering if the country is important when choosing a journal to submit my paper?
If my university and I are in country A, can I still submit an article to journal from country B? Or only "International " journals available for me?

It's a trick of "salami slicers" to spread their papers around the globe.  First paper goes to a Canadian journal.  2nd paper (which is the first paper missing the first page and with one page added) goes to an Indian journal.  Cut off another page and append another, this 3rd paper goes to a Mexican journal.  It helps hide the fact that 1.5 papers-worth of material was published 10 times.  It's harder to spot unless you read ALL the journals.

I start wondering if the country is important when choosing a journal to submit my paper? If my university and I are in country A, can I still submit an article to journal from country B? Or only "International " journals available for me?

For most journals, this will not be important.
For example, the British Ecological Society and Ecological Society of America both publish journals that are open to ecologists globally.
Sometimes, there are regional journals that only focus on specific regions.
Conversely, some journals like the Canadian Field Naturalist historically have had geographic specific missions. For example, CFN describes (described? I'm having trouble finding this quote on their current homepage) itself as

A peer-reviewed scientific journal publishing ecology, behaviour, taxonomy, conservation, and other topics relevant to Canadian natural history.

Hence, a paper on Australian species would not be relevant unless the paper tied back to Canada or Canadian species somehow.
More broadly, you can find this out by reading the "about", "author's instruction", or similar section  of the journal as well as reading recent articles (or at least skimming titles and abstracts).
Edit: Based upon a comment from Buffy, there are also journals that limit authors based upon their affiliation.
For example, The Texas Journal of Science is limited to work done in Texas or nearby areas OR done by Texas scientists anywhere (bold added by me):

The geographic scope of manuscripts published in the Journal are generally limited to work conducted by authors while at Texas institutions or to work conducted in Texas or adjacent areas (surrounding states and Mexico) that has some direct relevance to Texas natural history (regardless of author’s institutional location).

Those are topic limitations, of course, not limitations on the nationality of authors.

@Buffy Thank you for your clarification. I appreciate thoughtful inputs on this site. I added an example that is only open to geographic scientists. (I went to grad school in Texas, hence I've heard of that journal).

Then you have things like the IBM Journal of Research and Development and the Bell System Technical Journal. While neither is published anymore (sadly), they only accepted manuscripts from within their respective companies.

Yes, you can submit a paper to a journal published in a different country. Some journals require articles be in a specific language, but other than that there are no restrictions.
"International" could mean a lot of things, including that the journal has a business presence in several countries, or publishes in multiple languages. But it isn't a restriction on submissions.
Note that if a journal's readership is concentrated in some country, and you want to write, primarily, for people in that country, then such a journal may have some "importance" for you. But the world of scholarship is very international now.

It might be worthwhile to add that, at least in some disciplines, it seems to be somekind of scheme for founders of predatory journals to take the name of an established journal, put the word "international" in front of it, and then name their new predatory journal this way. (On the other hand, there are of course also serious journals with "international" in their name.)

@JochenGlueck Thanks for the comment about predatory journals. But wouldn't people massively know that some journals are predatory? I look at https://www.scimagojr.com/ ranking, and I utterly hope that a predatory journal would not be shown there...


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How can a student suggest changes in grading policies
I am taking a graduate course online in education. Though I have taken many online courses, my professor is clearly inexperienced. Like all education professors, mine writes about rubrics and standards. However, his grading contradicts the things he teaches us to do.
I am not concerned about my previous grades, but I would like him to make improvements for future grades this course. I don't want to wait for the end-of-term evaluations.
Should I politely and constructively suggest that he make some changes in his grading policies? What would be the most effective arguments to give?

Once published, I don't see any easy way to change the grading scheme for a course "in progress."
However, if you mean to suggest how he can more appropriately grade assignments and examinations, that's a different matter. The best way to do this would be to start the conversation with a polite inquiry into why certain decisions were made.

I'm a little bit confused about how this assignment was graded. You told us we should do X, but you did Y instead. Is Y something we should be doing instead of or in addition to X?

This initiates a conversation, rather than looking like an attack or direct criticism. It's usually a more effective strategy for achieving results, particularly when face-to-face conversation isn't possible.

How do you open dialogue in an online course?

@LN6595: You send an email, or use whatever mechanism for contacting the staff you've been given. However, instead of saying "Here's a bunch of suggestions," ask questions that will elicit responses.

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What are the best criteria to take into account when creating groups of students, to maximize their efficiency?
This is my first post to the community. I am currently researching on the criteria that make grouping of students as efficient as possible. There are many methods that a professor in an international university program could use to sort the groups of students in class. Nationality, age, educational background, GPA so far, age, level of interest on the course, genre, combinations of them etc. I am creating this post, to try and gather all the opinions on what criteria you use in your classrooms to make your groups as efficient as possible and if you have tried any different scenarios of grouping, what are the results you came across?

Questions: i) Which kind of activities are you interested in? ii) Which kind of efficiency do you want to maximize? Notes: I teach in an international university program. I don't have access to any of the pieces of information you have listed, apart from genre and nationality, which I can guess from the students' names and photographs. In my courses, groups are needed for lab sessions about electronic circuits and measurements. The criterion I use is to hand them a piece of paper, or the electronic equivalent of it, with grouped empty cells, and say: fill your names in ;-)

Thank you very much for your comment! Basically i am looking into MSc courses that groups of 3-6 students are formulated and together make group reports throughout the semester. Group reports are mostly generated through heavy brainstorming and thats what i am looking to maximize. Professors have access to all the criteria that i already mentioned in my university. But it is not a problem to collect any kind of information, as students are asked to fill forms before signing up for a course. I am talking about maximizing group work efficiency mostly in an international setting/university.

Having seen this be done in various ways, I'll suggest 2 successful approaches I have seen used.
The first is to split students into groups based on a combination of class performance to date (from mini tests or assignments), and attendance at class. Obviously this requires we have attendance records, but these are available on account of the main class activity being a programming lab, where attendance on lab computers is recorded during a scheduled class.
We found the by considering class performance alone, students could end up in groups where they were of similar ability, yet one (or more) had significantly better work ethic and attendance than the others. I won't go into correlation between attendance and work ethic here as I feel it's off topic for this question. I will add that we see a clear and undeniable correlation between attendance and class performance, but work ethic is obviously difficult to quantify or measure.
I suggest you also group students by course for logistical reasons, as it makes it easier for students with similar timetables to meet outwith the class. This may be less appropriate or indeed unnecessary if your students have free choice in classes, or if you use the American style "major" system, rather than the UK-style where a "course" is the major, following a somewhat prescribed curriculum.
An alternative approach (to which I do not claim any credit over whatsoever, but alas am unsure of the originator of), which I shall not express an opinion on, is to offer the class a choice - either I (instructor) assign your groups, or you can. If you pick your own groups, that's it - final. No mark reallocation and negotiation and peer assessment. Alternatively, I (instructor) pick groups, but we have a peer assessment phase and divide marks according to contribution.
The rationale of the latter approach (which I again highlight I unfortunately don't know the originator of) is that it forces students to think more carefully as to who they work with, rather than just a friend. Obviously your own policies may prelude this, or require peer assessment of contribution etc.
My experience is that in the latter case, students prefer to have the instructor assign groups, when faced with the prospect of having to select groups based on ability, rather than blind loyalty and friendship. By giving the students the choice over how the groups are decided, they have had input into the process, and we receive significantly less complaints regarding group allocations when doing this, compared to setting groups without offering the "choice". In the event the students chose to pick their own groups (which is incredibly rare), you simply need to ensure everyone has a group, and that you stick to your policy on the group mark being final (note there are many considerations as to if this is valid or if it perhaps allows weak students to be carried, but I shall avoid discussing them for now as I feel they are relatively obvious to any instructor)
In terms of student efficiency, I find the ability/attendance composite works nicely. I don't have experience of the other criteria for grouping on, other than anecdotally where (by coincidence) a group of international exchange students asked if they could be split up, as they wanted the chance to try working with other people than their own cohort (from the same university and course). In that case it was simply a coincidence due to a group of exchange students performing best in the class.

Let them self-organize.  Then whatever happens will not be your fault.  Plus students might want to work with people they are friends with.
I suggest using Piazza in your classes, and creating a "search for teammates" post, so people who don't know anyone in the class can still find groups.

By letting students self organize you normally get people from the same country form groups, friends or even worse many times they do not know anyone so they make groups with people that do not share the same ambition for the course. I am looking to maximize the efficiency of group work (and with that i mean brainstorming) into an international setting/university.

@donparalias: "they make groups with people that do not share the same ambition for the course": Doesn't that provide them with the best opportunity imaginable to learn how to work in realistic groups, like what they will have to cope with throughout their professional life?

Yes you are absolutely right. And maybe this would be an excellent scenario too, put together people with diverse expectations. However, we are talking about classes that are heavily based on group work. Having people with you to enjoy a "free ride" while others work much more efficiently is a situation that most students do not want to end up with. Also be careful, we are not talking about different GPA but for different course expectations. You can not put together in an entrepreneurship course for example someone who wants to start a startup with someone that course is simply mantandory.

Also i think you are missing the point here. I am looking on how to divide people in groups that could make them as efficient and effective as possible when it comes to group work and brainstorming. It is not a matter of teaching them a lesson for real life. In real life anyway a project manager would most definetely group people in the most efficient way to get the job done. I am just looking on what criteria someone would use in an academic level to get the outmost of a class.

First, I think many of your proposed criteria would fail independently, because they emphasize fairly abstract metrics that don't capture the qualities of an efficient group, which are things like communication, synchrony, logistical compatibility.
Second, setting aside the issue of metrics, how do you define the maximum? Must we attain the maximum possible efficiency for all groups (unlikely), the maximum for the most (or least, or median) efficient group? To reduce the problem, given a particular set of groups, if a swap could be made that reduces the efficiency of one group and increases the efficiency of the other, how do you decide whether to make the swap? Basically, this is a challenging search space over which you don't have the ability to do any real searching unless you reassign people at will.
That might sound like an excuse, but it's really an important pedagogical consideration: should you prioritize the bottom, middle, or top of the class, given that the others may suffer from your decision?
All that being said, I think the most effective way to produce long-term groups is to first work in small random groups in class a few times, and then self-select while reserving the ability to make swaps which are mutually beneficial (i.e. no dumps). Unlike gdp, I don't see any reason not to factor group contributions in when grading, as this seems like a sort of arbitrary punishment for wanting to choose your group members.

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