invitation - co-guest editor for special issue journal

[mleok]

Honestly, I'm surprised they asked a graduate student to be a co-editor. To me, that reeks of desperation on the part of the journal and does not bode well.

Why do you assume it's out of desperation? I've been told often by professors that I am not a typical grad student. Maybe they truly want me on board?

Maybe you should ask yourself why they want you to be co-editor. Is it because of your research prowess, have you written a paper that is the talk of your field, or is it because you have a reputation for being an extremely organized graduate student? Put another way, are you an academic superstar, or a very competent administrative assistant?

[adel9216]

In addition to Parasaurolophus' list, you also have to be willing to make some people very unhappy (because their work isn't good enough, or their work is good but you have to push them to meet timelines, or their work is good, but the collection is delayed because of circumstances beyond your control, usually other contributors). That's where it helps to have a full prof/associate prof as co-editor. They can take the brunt of the unhappiness, and it is unlikely to hurt their careers.

Yes, there is a associate prof on board as well :)

If all they have is an associate professor and a graduate student for guest editors, you're in for a world of hurt.

I'll just say that it's a thankless task with very little payoff from the career perspective. At least with co-organizing a conference, you get to schmooze with the bigwigs and maybe be able to offer them an all-expense-paid trip to a desirable vacation destination. But here, you're going to be the one begging them to consider submitting an article, begging them to turn in the article on time, begging referees to review the article, telling your contributors to make major changes, or rejecting their papers outright. At best, you'll impress people with your organizational skills, but nobody is truly going to be impressed with your scholarship as a consequence. Unless you already have a strong, independent reputation, and you're respected in your field, this is a very difficult task to do well. But, if you already have a strong, independent reputation, then you don't need the additional visibility from co-editing this special issue.

At the end of the day, you're free to do whatever you want, but don't come crying to us in six months when you realize how hard and thankless a task this is, and how it affects your ability to finish your dissertation, or interferes with your ability to convert it into a book or journal publications. Keep in mind that even if everything goes well, it'll be at least two years before the special issue shows up in print, too late to have any appreciable impact on your job search.

I'm already working on all these things and have been capable of doing so until this point. I don't see why it'd be such a major issue, nobody arounds me doubts my ability to succeed with my PhD while doing these projects as well.

I'm good.

I should have not asked the question in the first place.

In other words, nevermind.

[adel9216]

Honestly, I'm surprised they asked a graduate student to be a co-editor. To me, that reeks of desperation on the part of the journal and does not bode well.

Why do you assume it's out of desperation? I've been told often by professors that I am not a typical grad student. Maybe they truly want me on board?

Maybe you should ask yourself why they want you to be co-editor. Is it because of your research prowess, have you written a paper that is the talk of your field, or is it because you have a reputation for being an extremely organized graduate student? Put another way, are you an academic superstar, or a very competent administrative assistant?

I do know why. I don't think it's for a negative reason.

[Parasaurolophus]

FWIW, I think it's good that you asked. Hopefully you've at east got a better idea of the tasks involved and whether you have the energy for it.

[mleok]

I'm already working on all these things and have been capable of doing so until this point. I don't see why it'd be such a major issue, nobody arounds me doubts my ability to succeed with my PhD while doing these projects as well.

I'm good.

I should have not asked the question in the first place.

In other words, nevermind.

Because, even if it doesn't affect your ability to complete a PhD in a timely manner, it will still consume a huge amount of time and energy, for very little return on that investment. If you were my PhD student, I would tell you that as flattering as such an offer is, you would be much better off spending that kind of time and energy on your research projects instead. Probably the reason why nobody around you is willing to tell this to your face is that they understand you well. You strike me as the kind of person who prefers to learn from her own mistakes, as opposed to accepting the advice of people who have more experience (and wisdom) than you do.

[mleok]

Opps, we goofed.

We're just supposed to tell him/her it's fine.

They don't really want the truth....we've  been on this carousel  before.

M.

Yes, it seems some similar distraction was discussed over a year ago,

http://thefora.org/index.php?topic=1278.0

If, as the OP claims, she already has multiple papers, then I'm not sure what's preventing her from stapling them together, writing the introductory and conclusions chapters, and then graduating with her PhD.

[mamselle]

Yes.

The most operant question is,

"What is your defense date?"

and the second is, '

"When would the publication date be?"

Compare and contrast and draw the appropriate conclusions.

M.

[adel9216]

Opps, we goofed.

We're just supposed to tell him/her it's fine.

They don't really want the truth....we've  been on this carousel  before.

M.

Yes, it seems some similar distraction was discussed over a year ago,

http://thefora.org/index.php?topic=1278.0

If, as the OP claims, she already has multiple papers, then I'm not sure what's preventing her from stapling them together, writing the introductory and conclusions chapters, and then graduating with her PhD.

you may laugh all the way you want, but that book is going to be published soon. And I'm still making progress on my degree.

I reiterate, I should have not asked that question to strangers who know nothing about me as a graduate student.

[mleok]

you may laugh all the way you want, but that book is going to be published soon. And I'm still making progress on my degree.

I reiterate, I should have not asked that question to strangers who know nothing about me as a graduate student.

And a book aimed at a general audience or undergraduates published as a graduate student does little to advance your career goals to be a professor. With all the free time you seem to have, you should be done with your PhD. But, you're right, we don't know you as a student, so we can only base our advice on the students we've interacted with.

Most of us have had students who will claim to be "making progress on [their] degree," but are taking longer than they should because they lack focus, and those distractions ultimately hurt their career prospects. Maybe you're different, but it's likely that you're not, and we have nothing but your protestations to believe otherwise. Protestations we have all heard before from students who have gone on to fall flat on their face. You have been amply cautioned numerous times on this forum, but, ultimately, that your and your advisor's problem, not ours. We are simply communicating that this is not the normal path to follow, and you do so at your own peril.

Take a step back, and think about what your goals are, and focus on the things that will actually help you achieve them. You trying to convince us that you can defy the academic laws of physics does not advance any obvious goals.

[Ruralguy]

If you really were always just going to do this anyway, which is fine, why bother asking us? Surely you didn't think we'd all think it was a great idea.

[adel9216]

you may laugh all the way you want, but that book is going to be published soon. And I'm still making progress on my degree.

I reiterate, I should have not asked that question to strangers who know nothing about me as a graduate student.

And a book aimed at a general audience or undergraduates published as a graduate student does little to advance your career goals to be a professor. With all the free time you seem to have, you should be done with your PhD. But, you're right, we don't know you as a student, so we can only base our advice on the students we've interacted with.

Most of us have had students who will claim to be "making progress on [their] degree," but are taking longer than they should because they lack focus, and those distractions ultimately hurt their career prospects. Maybe you're different, but it's likely that you're not, and we have nothing but your protestations to believe otherwise. Protestations we have all heard before from students who have gone on to fall flat on their face. You have been amply cautioned numerous times on this forum, but, ultimately, that your and your advisor's problem, not ours. We are simply communicating that this is not the normal path to follow, and you do so at your own peril.

Take a step back, and think about what your goals are, and focus on the things that will actually help you achieve them. You trying to convince us that you can defy the academic laws of physics does not advance any obvious goals.

That's not the advice I have received from my mentors and professors in my field. Back off.

[adel9216]

If you really were always just going to do this anyway, which is fine, why bother asking us? Surely you didn't think we'd all think it was a great idea.

It has nothing to do with thinking it's a great idea (or not). The tone of some people on this forum is horrible.

[Morden]

Hi Adel9216, you said

you may laugh all the way you want

I don't think anyone is laughing at you. You asked a question, and people responded. They may not have responded the way you wanted, but they are taking you at face value, as someone who asked for information/advice. You certainly don't have to take advice you get on a semi-anonymous forum (and sometimes it would be silly to because we don't know you or your particular circumstances). But if you don't want information/advice, then you might find it better to post in something like the "Things you want to tell people" thread.

[adel9216]

you may laugh all the way you want, but that book is going to be published soon. And I'm still making progress on my degree.

I reiterate, I should have not asked that question to strangers who know nothing about me as a graduate student.

And a book aimed at a general audience or undergraduates published as a graduate student does little to advance your career goals to be a professor. With all the free time you seem to have, you should be done with your PhD.

Haha.

[mleok]

you may laugh all the way you want, but that book is going to be published soon. And I'm still making progress on my degree.

I reiterate, I should have not asked that question to strangers who know nothing about me as a graduate student.

And a book aimed at a general audience or undergraduates published as a graduate student does little to advance your career goals to be a professor. With all the free time you seem to have, you should be done with your PhD. But, you're right, we don't know you as a student, so we can only base our advice on the students we've interacted with.

Most of us have had students who will claim to be "making progress on [their] degree," but are taking longer than they should because they lack focus, and those distractions ultimately hurt their career prospects. Maybe you're different, but it's likely that you're not, and we have nothing but your protestations to believe otherwise. Protestations we have all heard before from students who have gone on to fall flat on their face. You have been amply cautioned numerous times on this forum, but, ultimately, that your and your advisor's problem, not ours. We are simply communicating that this is not the normal path to follow, and you do so at your own peril.

Take a step back, and think about what your goals are, and focus on the things that will actually help you achieve them. You trying to convince us that you can defy the academic laws of physics does not advance any obvious goals.

That's not the advice I have received from my mentors and professors in my field. Back off.

Then stop asking for advice on the forum if all you want to hear is already provided by the mentors and professors in your field. If a tenure-track assistant professor in my department wasted their time on kind of things you've chosen to occupy your time with, I would question their judgement too, and wonder if they were poorly advised and mentored about what a research university values. The fact that you've chosen to do this as a graduate student makes me wonder about the quality of advice that you're receiving, and whether that is consistent with your career goals.

The advice you received last year with regards to your book idea was nearly universal, that it should be sidelined until you completed your dissertation. At that time, you assured us that the message was received, clearly it was not. Look for affirmation somewhere else.