Slow to publish.

[Nuel]

How does one bother a PI to review a paper and submit to a journal? I wrote this paper since mid-last year (May 2004), and it hasn't been reviewed my PI. It's just somewhere in my folder on his computer.

We want to submit the paper to the Journal of the American Chemical Society (his own idea) considering the significance of the work and the results generated. In fact, Roald Hoffmann, a chem Nobel Laureate has contributed to the field. But my PI is just soooo slow. Although when I gave him my own paper, his grad students and post-docs were already submitting like six to eight drafts. Actually, it's about nine because I remember this undergrad who was writing his own paper for JACS the same time I was writing mine. And it seems he wants to space out the publications so he looks productive every year, at least that is what I am thinking. At first he was pressuring me to finish the paper, however I am seeing he wants to publish it next year.

I was just hoping I would have a first-author publication before trying my luck this year in the MSTP application process, but it appears I won't. What weight does a paper have in the application process anyway? I failed the MCAT VR the first time I took it, did good in the sciences and had to retake to fix the useless section. So I was hoping a paper actually published would help to diffuse the VR, but it appears all I can say is:

Steve A., Jones, Y; Smith, D. "Density Functional Theory Study of Crapola Effect of Crapola Interaction with X." Journal of the American Society, (Manuscript in Prep.)

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[xanthines]

As long as you can articulately explain your paper to the interviewers, you'll be fine. They all know it can take a long time to get a paper published. Be positive and upbeat about it, too, no matter how difficult it may be!

-X

How does one bother a PI to review a paper and submit to a journal? I wrote this paper since mid-last year (May 2004), and it hasn't been reviewed my PI. It's just somewhere in my folder on his computer.

We want to submit the paper to the Journal of the American Chemical Society (his own idea) considering the significance of the work and the results generated. In fact, Roald Hoffmann, a chem Nobel Laureate has contributed to the field. But my PI is just soooo slow. Although when I gave him my own paper, his grad students and post-docs were already submitting like six to eight drafts. Actually, it's about nine because I remember this undergrad who was writing his own paper for JACS the same time I was writing mine. And it seems he wants to space out the publications so he looks productive every year, at least that is what I am thinking. At first he was pressuring me to finish the paper, however I am seeing he wants to publish it next year.

I was just hoping I would have a first-author publication before trying my luck this year in the MSTP application process, but it appears I won't. What weight does a paper have in the application process anyway? I failed the MCAT VR the first time I took it, did good in the sciences and had to retake to fix the useless section. So I was hoping a paper actually published would help to diffuse the VR, but it appears all I can say is:

Steve A., Jones, Y; Smith, D. "Density Functional Theory Study of Crapola Effect of Crapola Interaction with X." Journal of the American Society, (Manuscript in Prep.)

 

[alhkim]

How does one bother a PI to review a paper and submit to a journal? I wrote this paper since mid-last year (May 2004), and it hasn't been reviewed my PI. It's just somewhere in my folder on his computer.

We want to submit the paper to the Journal of the American Chemical Society (his own idea) considering the significance of the work and the results generated. In fact, Roald Hoffmann, a chem Nobel Laureate has contributed to the field. But my PI is just soooo slow. Although when I gave him my own paper, his grad students and post-docs were already submitting like six to eight drafts. Actually, it's about nine because I remember this undergrad who was writing his own paper for JACS the same time I was writing mine. And it seems he wants to space out the publications so he looks productive every year, at least that is what I am thinking. At first he was pressuring me to finish the paper, however I am seeing he wants to publish it next year.

I was just hoping I would have a first-author publication before trying my luck this year in the MSTP application process, but it appears I won't. What weight does a paper have in the application process anyway? I failed the MCAT VR the first time I took it, did good in the sciences and had to retake to fix the useless section. So I was hoping a paper actually published would help to diffuse the VR, but it appears all I can say is:

Steve A., Jones, Y; Smith, D. "Density Functional Theory Study of Crapola Effect of Crapola Interaction with X." Journal of the American Society, (Manuscript in Prep.)

I am assuming that you will be asking for a recommendation from this PI also, and when (if) he gets around to it, be sure that he mentions that there is this paper ready to be submitted for publication. That will also demonstrate that this manuscript is for real.

 

[huknows00]

haha, dude we're in the same boat. My paper is also taking forever and definitely will not be out by application time (lucky to be even submitted). I guess we're not alone.

 

[N-Surge]

I am assuming you wrote this on your own...

If you haven't already, ask other members of your committee and/or department (who you know pretty well) to give you feedback on your writing. One of the *jobs* of a PI is to train young scientists in the art of scientific writing (among other things, as you are well aware of). In the process, these other profs may ask your PI about your paper. This will hopefully nudge him/her to be a bit more proactive when it comes to your personal interests including getting your findings published.

I currently know of another student going through this same ordeal and it burns me to no end. Keep us posted on how you approach this and the outcome (which I hope is our future finding of your paper in the Entrez database, sooner than later). Perhaps it will help others who are stuck with deadbeat PIs.

Good luck!

 

[Nuel]

I am assuming you wrote this on your own...

If you haven't already, ask other members of your committee and/or department (who you know pretty well) to give you feedback on your writing. One of the *jobs* of a PI is to train young scientists in the art of scientific writing (among other things, as you are well aware of). In the process, these other profs may ask your PI about your paper. This will hopefully nudge him/her to be a bit more proactive when it comes to your personal interests including getting your findings published.

I currently know of another student going through this same ordeal and it burns me to no end. Keep us posted on how you approach this and the outcome (which I hope is our future finding of your paper in the Entrez database, sooner than later). Perhaps it will help others who are stuck with deadbeat PIs.

Good luck!

I don't think my PI is deadbeat. He is just a VERY busy but pedantic guy, which is one reason why the experiments and calculations came out pretty good.

I think I write very well, and many people have commented positively on my writing skills, and this has been evidenced in the past--my winning of college writing competitions.

As per the paper, between running experiements and doing calculations, or staying up late, I independently wrote it. All the necessary citations and data were provided. Although my PI said I was giving too much credit to others for observations I made and future writing suggestions were offered. So I expect my PI/collabortor to make slight restructurings and modifications so that the paper meets their requirement. But they are quite enthusiastic about the results.

In the few letters they've written for me, they've commented that "the critical data he produced will be published next year." So I am quite sure they are timing it for next year. Not that bad, I think!

 

[N-Surge]

Let's go over this again. Since last May? Sorry, that is uncalled for and I myself would have been concerned over being scooped. Your PI might be the greatest person, in your opinion. But this kind of behavior is unwarranted. It simply is. If and when we become PIs and have our own Post Docs and Grad Students, we need to remember this.

Something has brought you from being concerned about your situation to seeing the positive side of all of this. Your initial post and your last one are polar opposites. However, it is encouraging to see the change.

PS-If your PI and collaborators are serious about your work then there will be many revisions no matter how well you write. Do what you can to get them going on this. Everyone has his/her own take on things.

 

[Nuel]

Not necessarily polar opposites. On the one hand, I am concerned that the process of getting the paper out is slightly tardy, on the other hand, I am quite understanding of the length of time it takes to get a paper published and the multiple commitments of my advisors. Let us just conclude that I am ambivalent about the whole thing, but comforted by the fact that next year the matter of publication is definite.

 

[N-Surge]

Do you know where you want to publish your findings? If so, you can quicken the process by making sure you follow the *journal of interest*'s guidelines. At least get this much from your PI, where to publish.

 

[Nuel]

JACS is our intended journal. My PI knows all the rules since a good portion of his papers are published in JACS. And my PI just emailed me that they started working on the paper last week. So, about three to eight months might intervene between submission and actual publication, thus making the actual publication sometime next year. I imagine that the paper will be submitted within this year.

I am really not fretting. If I apply MSTP and I am not taken, my life isn't going to be over. I have plenty of ways to still get both degrees, my determination still intact.

 

[N-Surge]

True enough. You can always do the studies seprately. That is what I am doing. One down, one to go.