The cliche answer would be "Of course la, it has been published what". "But I'm afraid..I dont think I'm at the position to citicize them. These are..u know..the credited authors." "No, just have to do that. U can see just now how we expostulate the analysis.It is clearly unacceptable. Some times, u just have to trust your judgment". Thats it. TRUST YOUR JUDGEMENT. That is what I lack of. I have been told that this journal is good, that author in the journal is perfect, the reputation of that journal is reliable. And it seems none of these criteria is valid when it comes to build your confidence. I also admit a mistake that I've made. My intention to do Ph.D is to obtain knowledge. Remember what the genie in 'The Secret" said..your wish is my command. I obtained knowledge, but what I forgot is to tell the author off that his knowledge cant match mine so that next time he should learn from me !
And if you answer that, it shows that your head has not damaged yet.
I learnt a great deal in my first 3 years of research. Seniors said, "find the journal that is related to your topic" Supervisor said, "Justify, justify, justify why you do this and that". The word has become my melody since I do Ph.D. Colleagues said, "Ema, I recommend you this journal, they are good". Some supervisors even offered what he wrote and published.
It was when my draft has been rejected, I know what does it mean with REAL KNOWLEDGE.
With the new supervisor, J, i see my head is damaging. One day, I give my papers for him to check. J took it and read, and at some stage he squinted his eyes. Then he asked "Where do u refer this to ?".
"Oh, from Chap (2000), here, I bring the paper" He read and shook his head.
"What is this ? This is illogic, how did he quantify the technology transfer by the growth of the bank's profit"
"But, J, here..it said..bla..bla..bla".
"No, how did he take x & z, bla..bla..bla. That is wrong. It is not constructive. How come you refer to this paper? Did u 'google'ed it?"
"No, I looked in ProQuest. It is published in Journal MKG..surely what he wrote has been refered by."
"Okay Ema, let us take his argument and apply it in...Malaysia for example...bla..bla..bla. Do u think its logic ?. And here, this part, how come he use the nonstationary variable to..bla..bla..bla. If he use that, the result is spurious"
Ok..this part, is where I scratched my head-scarf. I agreed with the argument. But not wanting to give-up, I stressed,
"But, it is published!, if it is published, by right, it should be RIGHT"
J replied. "But it is wrong.Look Ema, some journals are just bad. This one is bad. U can see how unconstructive the argument is, right?" I nodded.
"But it is published. How come?" I tried to plea so that that verse of mine wont be chunked out.
"Some journals, they just dont care whether the contents are right, proper or logic. They just want the researcher to send them their papers and they compile it, just to ensure they have issue for that quarter", J comforted me.
oooo... (stupid authors). I thought to myself. Menyusahkan aku je.. I thought they were all being sincere.
"Then how should I know that journal is reliable, i mean how to distinguish between the genuine and 'playful' one?"
J said, "U must critics and follow your head and heart"
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Can u trust the JOURNAL ?
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2 comments:
Ema,
one thing that I believe I didn't get from my undergrad (Malaysian) education is critical thinking and critical reading. Eh, that is two, not one, so two things I did not get in my four years there (won't say which uni tho)!
To read is good enough what... to be able to read in English *and* understand is better still.... why bother to be critical? Hang on, what is exactly 'being critical'? Oohh... suka komplen kut....
So, for the initial months of being a postgrad, I had that problem for sometime of telling myself - don't believe everything that even a much respected journal publication writes. I know how you feel - been there, done that.
Good for people to know.
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