Research Fellow Training: Publishing papers 28/08/2015

Fab training course. It is doing me the power of good to have a refresher, but also from this Professor. He is essentially a self made man who has dug deep to find very human answers in himself to push forward.

I am so glad that this paper writing course was not another re-hash of the hypothesis centred paper approach. This course gave you the behind the scenes approach to getting it done, giving strategic tips to write of any kind! Most of my work hinges on systems modelling. I’ve never seen a hypothesis formally stated in the literature that I read or even really figured out if it is implied. As a result I’ve mostly struggled and failed to operationalise earlier learning.

Part 1: Why publish and where?

  • I like the idea of focussing on a set of and consistent keywords to develop your .
  • I like the idea of a set of journal at impact factor 4+ to aim the best stuff at. A set at around 2 to fall back on and a final set of <1 further fall back on provided that have good readership. This is a better way to build a directed reputation than the more scatter gun approach.
  • I think for me I need to slant my outputs not at but more at Agri-environmental engineering, policy and . [Note to self if possible analyse my and peers for journal coverage]
  • Your quality bar on your papers defines your intellectual reputation (more than any other lever).

How to produce papers?

  • Guides to papers are like diets -develop the one that works for you!
  • I really like this killer idea. Separate the intellectual heavy lifting into a phase that takes time from the physical drafting and of the manuscript. Trying to think as you write means that you have to repeatedly return to the time consuming heavy lifting to move the paper on the next notch before you are yet again diverted to the more pressing aspects of the day job.
    • Intellectual phase
      • Define the message -one sentence
      • Define the structure
      • Determine the key information to include in then paper
      • Define the information needs in the introduction
    • Deliver
      • Write drafts
  • Plan of attack (Key to intellectual contribution -get balance of paper right)
    • Results
    • Discussion
    • Conclusions
    • Methods (& Materials)
    • Introduction
    • Abstract
    • Title
    • Keywords, Acknowledgements, References
  • F.O.C.U.S
  • The purpose of a paper is to be read and used [to communicate] (not to baffle, show off, prove hard work, to prove we are better). It is your sales pitch of your ideas and intellectual contribution.
    • “Do they see what you see, and understand what you understand? Is it easy and useful for them to read? What knowledge/ information do you want to leave them with?”
    • “If you cannot describe the message clearly and concisely you are not ready to write the paper”
  • The best structure is the simplest path for the story you want to tell. Clear redundant material off that path
  • Use a storyboard to organise the figures and tables into the story line you need for your message. What is missing? Are they needed at all? Use the storyboard as a research planning tool to target the graphs and thus work you need to do to support the story, but revise when a new story emerges. [Storyboard planning maybe very good for designing model runs for a paper if not building the model itself]
  • Allow time and have fun collaborating
  • Results: Describe, Compare, & Explain on each. Plant the hooks you will return to in the discussion. Be specific with comparisons and explanations never generic. Keep it to the points that add to your message
  • Key point: Do not start writing the papers until you have prepared the material. If the preps done then in half an hour snatch moments another bit can be written up.
  • Discussion: Bring out the main points first. Write a separate discussion to ensure you develop it well.
  • Materials and Method: the reader should be able to repeat your work. Include Quality assurance steps. Reference standard methods, describe what is different, but avoid referring to you own papers for basic details to help the paper stand on its own feet.
  • Introduction: What are the drivers of the work?, what is already known and done?, where are the gaps?, and what are we going to deliver?
  • Conclusions: Demonstrate delivery of the message, what is the point of the paper?, and each aim and objective should have a corresponding conclusion.
  • Title: This is the key hook. It is what people see first, if anything. Good titles are either short or contain colons and are brief, direct, and meaningful.
  • Abstract: Critical to further reading. Use 4 sentences: 1)The driver for the work, 2)The approach taken,  3)The key results, and 4)The main conclusion.
  • Visual/Audio-slide/video Abstracts: Important and no clear best practices
  • Keywords: Direct, meaningful, and consistent (Inconsistent keywords = lower citations as you become harder to find. Find a couple of key signature keywords and use them everywhere
  • Acknowledgements: funders, helpers and legal issues. Keep it brief
  • References: Follow the formatting instructions and check citation and reference list agree in both directions.
  • Basic rules: Keep to word limits, rules, and format guidelines. Do not flood journals -spread papers around if coming in a batch else be forced two rite one all singing paper. Don’t self plagiarise. If it is needed and it is published refer to it or come at it from another direction. If resubmitting post rejection to a new journal explain why and what you ave done to improve the article.
    • Have high standards of internal proof reading.
    • Handle referee comments constructively, properly, be timely.
    • Be a completer finisher!
  • Recieving criticism and rejection. Calm down and read and re read and re read the feedback until you feel more composed to respond positively. Keep at it as the light at the end of the tunnel never goes out.
http://thesociologicalcinema.tumblr.com/post/116085199545/most-scientists-regarded-the-new-streamlined

ReadCube for Researchers

“Because I have seen both the difficulties of researching topics while struggling to stay organized and the ease of organization after ReadCube – I feel that writing, researching, and just keeping up with current practices has become so much easier when using this awesome program!”

 

“I have been using ReadCube for over past two years successfully. I am really impressed with software – user friendly, very fast and compatibility with pubmed, acrobat and endnote. I’ve even presented this software in our journal club to all the researchers in the lab and even convinced my prof to start using this software :).”

 

“I think that ReadCube is the best academic application I have ever used. It encompasses everything I need in a but in a very simple and stylish way, which is why I avidly recommend ReadCube to all my work colleagues.”

 

“I think that ReadCube is the best product on the market for managing a collection of papers. I have tried managing my collection of articles manually, and I have also tried using other management programs, and I believe that ReadCube is the best tool out there. I love that it will let me use my campus proxy wherever I have access to the internet. I find that it’s UI is intuitive and powerful.”

 

“I love that everything is inline! The enhanced PDF allows me to use the more easily-readable and more organized PDF format while retaining (and even improving) the functionality of an online-accessed, full-text article with hyperlinked references and supplements”

 

 

Application of operations research in agriculture decision making – Springer

Z. Zhang and C. Wang, Cluster analysis and optimization model of the structural distribution of aquatic industry in Huantai county, J. Qufu Teacher’s University 1(1986).

 

Z. Zhang, Present situations and prospects on the structure of agriculture and animal husbandry optimized by system engineering, J. Qufu Teacher’s University 4(1986).

 

A survey is given of applications of operations research in the area of agriculture in China, which includes farming, forestry, stock-raising, fishery, etc.

 

 

Farm Planning and Control | Industrial Economics | Cambridge University Press

A comprehensive treatment of farm business and control, with many examples drawn from farming practice.

Although there are many motives for farming, the achievement of a worthwhile financial return, coupled with a good standard of living, ranks high among them. This implies the need for sound business organisation – the more so as holdings become larger, more specialised and more capital intensive. The present book offers a comprehensive treatment of farm business organisation and control. Although designed primarily as an intermediate text for students in universities and agricultural colleges, it is of interest and value to all those concerned with farm business, including business advisers, land agents, accountants and bank managers. The book’s wide coverage is made possible by a mainly non-mathematical presentation coupled with a liberal use of examples drawn from farming practice. The book is divided into four parts: the organisation of resources, the organisation of enterprises, the combination of enterprises and the control of resources and enterprises. The overtaking theme is that, in order to make the most economic use of the resources at his disposal, the farmer has to decide what resources to use, how to organise their use within individual enterprises and how to combine the enterprises into an integrated farming system. Lastly, if these efforts are not to be largely wasted, he must initiate the keeping of suitable records to provide both planning data and a system of checks and controls when his plans are put into practice.

Notice to readers Preface to the first edition Preface to the second edition Selected metric conversion factors Part I. The Organisation of Resources:1. The planning environment and the managerial function 2. Basic principles and concepts of planning 3. The organisation of capital – general 4. The organisation of capital – machinery, buildings and land 5. The organisation of labour Part II. The Organisation of Enterprises:6. An introduction to enterprise organisation 7. Livestock yield and fixed costs 8. Yield, variable costs and optimal feed conversion 9. The selection of feedstuffs 10. The influence of season on livestock production 11. The provision of replacements 12. Crops and cropping Part III. The Combination of Enterprises:13. Principles and procedures in planning enterprise combination 14. Budgeting and programme planning 15. Linear programming 16. Uncertainty and farm organisation and planning 17. Further programming techniques 18. Matrix construction Part IV. The Control of Resources and Enterprises:19. Data recording 20. Data analysis 21. Methods of control Index.

 

Although there are many motives for farming, the achievement of a worthwhile financial return, coupled with a good standard of living, ranks high among them. This implies the need for sound business organisation – the more so as holdings become larger, more specialised and more capital intensive. The present book offers a comprehensive treatment of farm business organisation and control. Although designed primarily as an intermediate text for students in universities and agricultural colleges, it is of interest and value to all those concerned with farm business, including business advisers, land agents, accountants and bank managers. The book’s wide coverage is made possible by a mainly non-mathematical presentation coupled with a liberal use of examples drawn from farming practice. The book is divided into four parts: the organisation of resources, the organisation of enterprises, the combination of enterprises and the control of resources and enterprises. The overtaking theme is that, in order to make the most economic use of the resources at his disposal, the farmer has to decide what resources to use, how to organise their use within individual enterprises and how to combine the enterprises into an integrated farming system. Lastly, if these efforts are not to be largely wasted, he must initiate the keeping of suitable records to provide both planning data and a system of checks and controls when his plans are put into practice.

 

 

Handbook of Operations Research in Natural Resources | Andres Weintraub | Springer

Natural resources has been an application in numerous Operations Research papers; however, there have been few, if any, books that organizes and discusses the OR models in this area

 

Andrés Weintraub is the very top person in Natural Resource research. Moreover, he has an international reputation in OR and a former president of the International Federation of Operational Research Societies (IFORS).

 

Handbook of Operations Research in Natural Resources will be the first systematic handbook treatment of quantitative modeling natural resource problems, their allocated efficient use, and societal and economic impact. Andrés Weintraub is the very top person in Natural Resource research. Moreover, he has an international reputation in OR and a former president of the International Federation of Operational Research Societies (IFORS). He has selected co-editors who are at the top of the sub-fields in natural resources: agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and mining. The book will cover these areas in terms with contributions from researchers on modeling natural research problems, quantifying data, developing algorithms, and discussing the benefits of research implementations. The handbook will include tutorial contributions when necessary. Throughout the book, technological advances and algorithmic developments that have been driven by natural resource problems will be called out and discussed.

 

 

Bellwether Model? “Environmental Research Letters – IOPscience”

I’ve been developing my academic reputation development plan. Colleagues have roles with learned journals and one shared a tip. His tip was that the journal of Environmental Research Letters is a strong role model for the future of science and .

Drivers and Trends with this

  • rise of Open Access science where the producer pays to publish rather than the consumer pays to read,
  • rise of digital and social media on the internet and higher capacity broadband,
  • rise of graphical and video abstracts to create enticing “hooks” to the science, and
  • changing role in the objective learned printed trade press that curate and narrate science for the industry

Note to self there really must be a good chance here to combine my academic career with my rising skills within the communication and leaderships skill organization Toastmasters International

Cover of the journal of Environmental Research Letters
Cover of the journal of Environmental Research Letters

Climate change won’t reduce winter deaths In a new study published in ERL that contradicts the received wisdom on health impacts of climate change, scientists say that we shouldn’t expect substantial reduction in winter deaths as a result of global warming. Click here for the full article.

 

Commitment accounting of CO2 emissions Research published in ERL has shown that the existing worldwide infrastructure of fossil fuel power plants will result in more than 300 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions being emitted over their expected lifetimes. These ‘committed’ emissions are growing by around 4% per year as more power plants are built. Click here for the full article.

 

Focus issues Each invited collection serves to highlight the exciting work conducted in specific areas of interest, as identified by the Editorial Board. The majority of the issues also consider unsolicited contributions, please browse our upcoming and ongoing list of issues and contact the journal to enquire about contributing to an issue (erl@iop.org).

 

Why publish with ERL? 1. High impact (Impact Factor: 4.09), 2. Fast review (80–90 days from submission to acceptance), 3. High article downloads (180,000 per month) and 4. Guaranteed coverage on environmentalresearchweb. More information on these author benefits, and many others, are available here.

 

Environmental Research Letters covers all of environmental science, providing a coherent and integrated approach including research articles, perspectives and editorials.

 

 

Operations Research Models and the Management of Agricultural and Forestry Resources: A Review and Comparison

Operations research (OR) has helped people to understand and manage agricultural and forestry resources during the last 40 years. We analyzed its use to assess the past performance of OR models in this field and to highlight current problems and future directions of research and applications. Thus, in the agriculture part, we concentrate on planning problems at the farm and regional-sector level, environmental implications, risk and uncertainty issues, multiple criteria, and the formulation of livestock rations and feeding stuffs. In the forestry part, we concentrate on planning problems at the strategic, tactical, and operational levels, implementation issues, environmental implications, as well as the treatment of uncertainty and multiple objectives. Finally we made a comparison between the two areas in terms of problem types, problem-solving approaches, and reported applications.

 

A perspective on operational research prospects for agriculture : Journal of the Operational Research Society : Palgrave Macmillan

A perspective on operational research prospects for agriculture

This paper discusses the future of operational research (OR) for the agricultural industries in a broad sense, including horticulture and viticulture during a period of increased pressure on natural resources. The authors use their experience in the field along with published literature, to draw insights into new opportunities for OR, and how the OR community might adapt to realise these opportunities best. Trends in demand for food security and biofuels, the quest for sustainability, information technology (IT), and commercial power create new opportunities to support strategic investment and operations management within both primary production and the related supply chains. To realise such potential, the agricultural OR community needs to improve management of stakeholder relations, interdisciplinary synthesis, and the successful application of OR.

 

 

My professional interests are represented here #Agriculture #OperationalResearch ( #OR ) #Environment