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Not citing the nice paper that does not match your hypothesis?.....good luck with that...(applies to most mortals)

10/9/2014

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If there is a good study out there that does not match your favorite hypothesis, not citing it may not be the best course of action. Besides recruiting ill-will, the bigger risk is that as time goes by, your own study might be ignored by them and other players in the field as well. And if there was a kernel of truth in their study, then your findings might be permanently sidelined by history, with you being earmarked as someone who just did not see the big picture. Applies to most mortals with one exception.

If you are a Nobel-prize winner...then just go right ahead and do whatever the heck you want. You've already won.
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"High Impact" worthy...

10/7/2014

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So here's a simple rule for judging whether or not to send your paper to the hallowed "high impact journal". Ask if you have really shown not only WHAT happens, but HOW it happens. The latter is often hard and takes many years. Be honest now!

Yes there are a few articles that escape this rule - often pointed out by colleagues - but they are likely exceptions. The reasons for this are numerous (sexy or newsworthy story, "clout" of the PI and even frank favoritism by editors), but dwelling on this is unproductive. Spend time trying to answer the "HOW" instead... 

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Money : Science

10/2/2014

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It seems to me that though people who publish good papers often have a lot of funding, the converse is not always true....
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No author queries?!

9/11/2014

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Now this is a first...not sure if this a result of infinite revisions, or if we are actually getting better at this gig...

------------------------------------------------
Dear Author,
Please check your proof carefully and mark all corrections at the appropriate place in the proof.
Query / Remark: Click on the Q link to find the query’s location in text
Please insert your reply or correction at the corresponding line in the proof

There are no queries in this article

Thank you for your assistance.
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"Fundable" - a new word

7/16/2014

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In ancient times scientists used to talk about good ideas. Now we talk about "Fundable" ideas....
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What if....

7/6/2014

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life was an unending Gordon Conference...discussing Science all day and an open bar every night....

Something to think about..
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Start by Dusting the TV

5/9/2014

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Whether its designing an experiment, cleaning the house, or playing academic politics (yes, its sometimes necessary because others do it), my basic approach is always the same:

Step 1: Divide the big problem into many small problems.
Step 2: Choose the first small problem and solve that first.
Step 3: Repeat Step 2 for all the small problems.
And perhaps the hardest step,
Step 4: Don't stop until all the small problems are solved.

Strangely, I learned this lesson from doing chores. If you are like me and indulge in occasional marathon house-cleaning sessions, glancing at the entire living room at once will drive you nuts (books, papers, clothes, toys scattered everywhere.....). Start by dusting the TV. Think Small.

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Rising from a Deep Freeze, I ask thee - Whoooo are youuu?

3/9/2014

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Emerging from a few months of grant writing, I realize that fall and winter has passed, and today is supposed to be the first day of spring (I think). Not that there are many clues of changing seasons in La Jolla. While the rest of the country turned into an ice block this winter, here it’s been +/- 70 degrees throughout, with people complaining bitterly when it gets 65 (of cold, by the way). Anyway, talking to some colleagues the other day, I realized that my approach to grant writing is somewhat different; and this made me wonder if I am doing things right.


Read More
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Now here's a Specific Aim that didn't quite go as planned...

12/11/2013

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The object of the "Beagle" Voyage in Charles Darwin's journal:
" to complete the survey of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego...to survey the shores of Chile, Peru and some islands in the Pacific; and to carry a chain of chronometrical measurements round the world".
  
1 Comment

Nice article by Ben Barres...things we all know but are reluctant/afraid to put on paper

11/10/2013

1 Comment

 
How to Pick a Graduate Advisor

http://www.cell.com/neuron/abstract/S0896-6273(13)00907-0

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<<Previous
Forward>>

    Some old ones Reposted...

    8/18/13 - A Classification of PI's - find yours' in the list!

    7/6/12 - Way to a "Science paper"

    5/30/11 - 20/20 Hindsights

    9/30/11 - Evolution of a bizzare, new Idea

    11/17/2011 - Rationale for curiosty-driven research...
    lessons from a 4 year old

     
    1/28/12 - "GTFM" - hilarious article on grant writing!

    The PI Blog

    This blog exists because my wife seemed a bit tired of being the only recipient of my random pontifications on life and Science for many years; and gently encouraged me to vent in a blog instead. From time to time, I put down thoughts that occur to me as I naiively stumble through a life in Science - bestowed upon me by accident (literally!). Please keep in mind that these musings are rather obvious things of little or no use to anyone, and are certainly not personally  targeted in any way, even though they are obviously derived from my experiences. OK, enough said.   

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  • Home
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