tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055932257464975902.post8644590392090649647..comments2024-03-10T23:01:51.493-05:00Comments on Stupid Motivational Tricks / Bemsha Swing: Putting research 1stJonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09371893596402673898noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055932257464975902.post-22849091775396123722012-09-25T09:07:48.468-05:002012-09-25T09:07:48.468-05:00Or better yet, ask naively what your allocation of...Or better yet, ask naively what your allocation of effort is. <br /><br />"Oh, I don't remember the exact figure. What percentage of my effort is supposed to be for research?" <br /><br />If they obfuscate, then whip it out and say, "Oh, it looks here like I'm supposed to be doing 30%. Has that changed? If so, I need to have it in writing from the Deans." <br /><Jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09371893596402673898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055932257464975902.post-69284708137592436062012-09-25T09:03:21.487-05:002012-09-25T09:03:21.487-05:00Well, if your teaching evaluations are fine. Then...Well, if your teaching evaluations are fine. Then I can imagine this conversation;<br /><br />"You are paid to teach, not do research." <br /><br />"In fact, 25% of my contract is for research. My intention is to fulfill all of my professional responsibilities." <br /><br />Then just keep repeating that. They can't deny what your contract says, or tell you not to fulfill Jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09371893596402673898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055932257464975902.post-14650540644167214692012-09-24T23:57:25.373-05:002012-09-24T23:57:25.373-05:00I have just had another flash about this. At both ...I have just had another flash about this. At both the jobs I have had at non R1/R2 places, there was a fairly large research percentage (cf. my 30% now). Yet at both places I was and have been repeatedly told, disapprovingly, that "you are paid to teach, not to do research," in multiple, often rather threatening variations. I never brought up the question, when do you expect me to Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055932257464975902.post-24843835867961124772012-09-21T02:56:30.602-05:002012-09-21T02:56:30.602-05:00OK I had a chance to say this, "it is part of...OK I had a chance to say this, "it is part of my contract," today -- it was utterly appropriate -- but would not have gone down well. But it is a sentence that should be said aloud more often.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055932257464975902.post-51677005297819742192012-09-20T10:33:55.287-05:002012-09-20T10:33:55.287-05:00Well, if you don't have actual publications, t...Well, if you don't have actual publications, that technique will stop working after a while. The illusion of research can only be held up for a few years before everyone sees through it. Jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09371893596402673898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055932257464975902.post-3375967332294476292012-09-19T21:03:14.561-05:002012-09-19T21:03:14.561-05:00"Well, it is actually easier to document rese..."Well, it is actually easier to document research. Number of articles accepted / published."<br /><br />- That is if you actually have articles. :-) Many people create an illusion of research by mentioning the conferences they attended as listeners, articles they keep writing but never see in print, etc. I've heard some pretty inventive stories about how people pretend to do Clarissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11027134365260069910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055932257464975902.post-52302324532553060272012-09-19T18:12:10.510-05:002012-09-19T18:12:10.510-05:00Well, it is actually easier to document research. ...Well, it is actually easier to document research. Number of articles accepted / published. Service is much more nebulous to demonstrate. After all, not all service assignments are of equal weight. Jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09371893596402673898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055932257464975902.post-34305662565744704102012-09-19T17:28:07.693-05:002012-09-19T17:28:07.693-05:00"if you choose 50 / 40 /10 then you are in a ..."if you choose 50 / 40 /10 then you are in a good position to be competitive with anyone at an R1 university"<br /><br />- That's exactly what I chose. :-) And I never repented. People said it would affect my salary negatively because it's easier to prove service than research. But I don't want easy. I want interesting and important.Clarissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11027134365260069910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055932257464975902.post-33521002317145648432012-09-19T10:07:26.728-05:002012-09-19T10:07:26.728-05:00What was the answer? I assume you can't be ze...What was the answer? I assume you can't be zero percent in any category, but if you choose 50 / 40 /10 then you are in a good position to be competitive with anyone at an R1 university. Jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09371893596402673898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055932257464975902.post-67343845973441481742012-09-19T09:57:44.949-05:002012-09-19T09:57:44.949-05:00Of course, the first thing I did was ask, "So...Of course, the first thing I did was ask, "So what is the minimum amount of time I can assign to service?" <br /><br />"To research, you mean," the Chair corrected.<br /><br />And then she got to know me better and understood.<br /><br />:-) :-)Clarissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11027134365260069910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055932257464975902.post-54088358510061816822012-09-19T08:31:15.132-05:002012-09-19T08:31:15.132-05:00That is great. You know what your effort is suppo...That is great. You know what your effort is supposed to be, and you have some control over that. Jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09371893596402673898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055932257464975902.post-28040146800909455702012-09-19T08:27:13.967-05:002012-09-19T08:27:13.967-05:00At our university, we get to decide which percenta...At our university, we get to decide which percentage of our time we want to dedicate to research and service every year. 50% automatically goes to teaching and the rest of time has to be broken down by each faculty member. And then we get merit raises based on how well we fulfilled our own plan.<br /><br />I think this is a great system because people can decide for themselves whether they want Clarissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11027134365260069910noreply@blogger.com