Pertinent advice for early-career researchers, delivered on the basis of the circus that was my application-submitting over the last couple of days:
If you have something accepted for publication by a journal – such as a an article or review – make sure to:
1. Remember that you wrote it, and it was accepted
2. Obtain a copy
3. Write it down somewhere, such as in your CV
4. Remember its existence more than 48 hours before the application deadlines for scholarships, postgraduate programs, etc.
Why, yes, I did manage to have a review published in a peer-review journal and completely forget about it, and spend some time wondering if my not having published ANYTHING AT ALL would impede my scholarship chances, and so on. I let my membership lapse with the Australian Early Medieval Association, so I didn’t get a copy of volume 5, and was thus not reminded. When I happened to glance at the book (Kleist’s The Old English Homily) and think “hmm, I reviewed that, didn’t I OH WAIT”, I actually did not know whether it had been published (because I didn’t keep in contact with the reviews editor, due to forgetting it), and nor did I have all the citation details and so on that you need.
The library own a copy of volume 5. The library have lost their copy of volume 5.
Fortunately, I have a very indulgent best friend, and the Centre for Celtic Studies was having a special lecture today so there were Celticists about. Be it known that Pamela O’Neil, editor of JAEMA, is a wonderful human being, the kind who opens up the envelope with the copy of JAEMA she was about to mail off to someone, and runs off photocopies for said very indulgent best friend. The Centre for Medieval Studies all already know I’m a scatterbrain, and now, let my reputation procede me into the Centre for Celtic Studies. :s
One day, I may establish myself as an organised and calm person. That day is not today.
On the bright side, mwahahahaa, I have a Publication Record. Of exactly one thing, and I don’t know how much reviews count for in the scholarship stakes, but something is better than nothing at all!
October 31, 2009 at 5:18 am
The Centre for Medieval Studies all already know I’m a scatterbrain, and now, let my reputation procede me into the Centre for Celtic Studies. :s
You’re an academic. They’re academics. It’s practically a qualification.
October 31, 2009 at 7:54 am
The female academics I know are, for the most part, frighteningly organised. I’m getting better, but I still can’t compete with the female half of the CMS for sheer organisational terrifyingness.
October 31, 2009 at 8:32 pm
I still can’t compete with the female half of the CMS for terrifyingness.
Fixed that for you!
October 31, 2009 at 8:54 pm
Point taken.
November 2, 2009 at 12:28 am
I’m not! Especially with a new baby in the house. I think there’s something hormonal in the air that makes you focus intensely on the baby and forget everyday irrelevantthings like, oh, say, printing off the piece you need to hand in for class, or paying your part of the bill before you leave the pub early (to go home and cuddle the baby).
November 2, 2009 at 6:58 am
Heeee, mummy-brain. I noticed when I saw Awesome last that her very organised life has taken a hit with the baby-hammer…
November 2, 2009 at 7:03 am
Sad thing is that she’s not even my baby and I STILL get caught in the baby-vortex. Get too close to her and you get sucked in and can’t escape for half an hour. And don’t even notice the time passing.
November 2, 2009 at 7:05 am
Maybe the baby has some kind of force-field operating. It’d be an evolutionary advantage…