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Finding a mentor/supervisor

  • 06-06-2019 7:30am
    #1
    roosh
    Registered Users Posts: 2,552 ✭✭✭


    I have a general question about finding a mentor/supervisor to offer guidance in the process of writing an academic paper. I have the paper written - free of any mention of paradoxes in relativity - but I think I've gone as far as I can on my own, which is where some guidance would be invaluable.

    I know the structure and formatting probably need a lot of work. The paper is relatively well referenced, I would say, although there is probably a need for additional citations in places - some well known ideas I didn't reference - and the formatting of the citations themselves probably need some work. Some feedback/critique on the ideas would also be invaluable.

    Unfortunately, enrolling in an educational program isn't a viable option a the moment. So, would anyone have any advice on how to proceed in this context?


Comments

  • #2
    mikhail
    Registered Users Posts: 3,863 ✭✭✭mikhail


    Identify academics in a relevant field for the paper, and write to them. Include your abstract. Someone local, who could meet you, would be better. Many are busy, and/or won't want to deal with what may be a crank. That's not a judgement on you, but sadly most messages of this type from outside academia are from the mentally ill who think they've disproven Newton or built a perpetual motion machine or something, so write the message with care and reserve. Expect to need to contact several of them before you get a reply.


  • #3
    roosh
    Registered Users Posts: 2,552 ✭✭✭roosh


    mikhail wrote: »
    Identify academics in a relevant field for the paper, and write to them. Include your abstract. Someone local, who could meet you, would be better. Many are busy, and/or won't want to deal with what may be a crank. That's not a judgement on you, but sadly most messages of this type from outside academia are from the mentally ill who think they've disproven Newton or built a perpetual motion machine or something, so write the message with care and reserve. Expect to need to contact several of them before you get a reply.
    Thanks Mikhail!

    I sent one email to one of the authors I cited and got a fairly quick reply. He was initially replying thinking I was a graduate student looking to work with him. I was quick to dispel any notion that I could be of any help to him, but then he replied with some feedback on the paper and advice for further study.

    Honestly, I was fairly blown away because I didn't even expect a reply, not to mind specific feedback. Another member of a diferent forum offered to take a look at the paper as well and gave me some feedback on structure and formatting - which I know needs a lllooooooottttt of work.

    At the moment I'm mainly trying to get feedback on the ideas and see where they fall down (or hopefully stand up).


  • #4
    AlphabetCards
    Registered Users Posts: 410 ✭✭AlphabetCards


    Has this progressed at all?


  • #5
    roosh
    Registered Users Posts: 2,552 ✭✭✭roosh


    AlphabetCards wrote: »
    Has this progressed at all?
    Hey AlphabetCards. No, there's been no progress with it. I turned my attention to a different project which I'm still working on. I'm in the process of finding an editor, so by the time it's all completed it will probably be closer to the end of the year.

    I will probably return to it later, but I think its probably too far off any reasonable standard of a scientific paper that it will have to continue as a philosophical piece.


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