polksalet Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 (edited) As some of you are aware I am over my head and getting gut stomped. I have a 50 page paper (monograph) due at end of the semester as well as 6 2-3k word papers, a mid term, and the random assignment which come along the way. The small papers are doable as we have a text book that covers the subject matters, these small papers are actually summaries so I can knock out a couple of thousand words per day if I need to. In other words, if he gives us no other assignments this semester i Have around 38,000 more words to write for his class this spring. This is not counting the other 3 classes I am taking. The big paper is on a subject on which there is zero information. I kid you not, there are no textbooks on the subject matter and nothing online. The same thing happened last semester with the final paper but it was only 10-15 pages so I faked my way through. My question is this, since he has given us free reign to use and sources we can find is it ethical to create a wikipedia page, set up a website promoting the page, and send invited tot he few people in the world who might know something about this in an effort to have them do some of our research for us. It sounds shady on the surface but if he said we can use any method we choose, what exactly wrong with this? Edited March 3, 2009 by polksalet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westvirginia Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 As some of you are aware I am over my head and getting gut stomped. I have a 50 page paper (monograph) due at end of the semester as well as 6 2-3k word papers, a mid term, and the random assignment which come along the way. The small papers are doable as we have a text book that covers the subject matters, these small papers are actually summaries so I can knock out a couple of thousand words per day if I need to. In other words, if he gives us no other assignments this semester i Have around 38,000 more words to write for his class this spring. This is not counting the other 3 classes I am taking. The big paper is on a subject on which there is zero information. I kid you not, there are no textbooks on the subject matter and nothing online. The same thing happened last semester with the final paper but it was only 10-15 pages so I faked my way through. My question is this, since he has given us free reign to use and sources we can find is it ethical to create a wikipedia page, set up a website promoting the page, and send invited tot he few people in the world who might know something about this in an effort to have them do some of our research for us. It sounds shady on the surface but if he said we can use any method we choose, what exactly wrong with this? There is nothing wrong with this. He said you could use any method available. ;shrug; Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polksalet Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 There is nothing wrong with this. He said you could use any method available. ;shrug; One of my classmates is considering a paid friend and sodium pentathol to go see him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donutrun Jellies Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 The big paper is on a subject on which there is zero information. Zero information? This a 50 page paper on original research that hasn't been thought of yet? I bet you can find info ... Go to your professor and ask for help getting started with sources -- weasel leads from him by being enthusiastically curious about how to learn more about the topic. Go to the nearest university library and ask the reference librarian for assistance finding sources -- they get PAID to help you. Get on the 'net and find the contact info for two people directly involved in the topic and reach out personally to them for info and sources -- they typically love to talk about what they're into. While you're out there, find a company/organization involved in the topic and request pdfs of their materials -- most will cooperate ... The idea of putting out a general call on the internet for anyone who knows anything to tell you what they know is not horrible, you're just going to have to confirm everything you're told with a REAL source to have credibility. It may well generate some leads for you -- just don't use it as a substitute for solid sources -- and at very least, it might create some momentum. Then, break the 50 pager into sections and write it one section at a time. I have no idea what your information-less topic is, but here's a generic approach to a long paper that might be useable for you. It may be easier to not write the intro first. Learn 5 to 7 things about your topic that you can explain in your paper with ties to sources. Take it one chunk at a time and get each section drafted. Then look at them and ask what understanding them tells you -- and turn that into your conclusion with a brief recap of how each of the 5-7 support the conclusion. Then, go back and write an intro, speculating at the merits of your conclusion and announcing you'll be looking for 5-7 things which will prove your supposition is correct. Stitch them all together in order. Then, go back and polish the writing so it all flows ... Good luck with it -- you can do it if you break it into pieces and get creative in your search for sources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cre8tiff Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Donut hits the nail on the head. His advice above is pure gold. You can gather the info from wikipedia, but confirmation of the sources will be a killer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polksalet Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 Donut hits the nail on the head. His advice above is pure gold. You can gather the info from wikipedia, but confirmation of the sources will be a killer. Since you don't believe me look up how to classify terrain in digital terrain modeling by statistical parameters with an emphasis on fractals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Neutron Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Google turns up quite a bit in at least related research - you can't use any of that? Your professor is surely aware there is little to go on, he is probably looking for your to write about conducting your own research, process and conclusion??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polksalet Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 Google turns up quite a bit in at least related research - you can't use any of that? Your professor is surely aware there is little to go on, he is probably looking for your to write about conducting your own research, process and conclusion??? There are 11 others in this class and all have at least as much research experience as I've got. We've looked everywhere including library databases. There is nothing on this. We are to come up with the research ourselves. He has given us the title and outline and we are to fill in the blanks. It is a nightmare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polksalet Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 Once again im really looking for an answer on the ethics part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keggerz Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Does our society still have ethics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Neutron Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 I'd ask the professor on the ethics bit. I wouldn't do it without his knowledge and consent. I don't think the ethics bar gets lowered because an assignment is difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Find some experts in the field and do some one-on-one interviews with them. Most people will feel flattered that they are being asked to give an expert opinion. Record the interviews and use their quotes throughout your paper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cre8tiff Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Find some experts in the field and do some one-on-one interviews with them. Most people will feel flattered that they are being asked to give an expert opinion. Record the interviews and use their quotes throughout your paper. ...and experts in the field should also be able to point you in the direction of journal articles or other published pieces you may be missing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BiggieFries Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 (edited) Does this help at all? ETA: Or this? Edited March 3, 2009 by BiggieFries Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polksalet Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 The first link you posted is from the textbook. I basically have to turn the chart in sec. 2.3.3 into 50 pages. As for interviewing experts, the only expert in the US that I can find is my prof. Ive talked to two guys with phds in geography and both have no clue how to write a paper like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveman_Nick Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Polk, I have no issue with the ethics of what you propose. After all, research is research. You don't have to be holding a Geiger counter to be doing research Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cunning Runt Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 All I can add is Ugghh. Sucks to be you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 The first link you posted is from the textbook. I basically have to turn the chart in sec. 2.3.3 into 50 pages. As for interviewing experts, the only expert in the US that I can find is my prof. Ive talked to two guys with phds in geography and both have no clue how to write a paper like that. If there are so few experts in the field, then how do you figure your Wikipedia page idea to be successful? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driveby Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 If there are no eggspurts just make chit up. Who will know the difference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polksalet Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 If there are so few experts in the field, then how do you figure your Wikipedia page idea to be successful? I said there are no experts in the US. The three that wrote the textbook are definitely experts along with my prof and some dude in Scotland. I am hoping that with the wiki scam I could get some of their students to join in as well as the random dtm fan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 I said there are no experts in the US. The three that wrote the textbook are definitely experts along with my prof and some dude in Scotland. I am hoping that with the wiki scam I could get some of their students to join in as well as the random dtm fan. Well, why try to trick them into helping you on Wikipedia? I guess I don't understand why you don't just try to find those few international experts (or even their students) and see if you can get some interviews with them. See if any of these dudes have an email address or phone number and go from there. Do you conisder yourself to be an expert? Just curious, this isn't a trick question or anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cre8tiff Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Well, why try to trick them into helping you on Wikipedia? I guess I don't understand why you don't just try to find those few international experts (or even their students) and see if you can get some interviews with them. See if any of these dudes have an email address or phone number and go from there. Do you conisder yourself to be an expert? Just curious, this isn't a trick question or anything. And dude, why don't you trust your professor? If he is one of a very few experts on this, why would he have a problem with you asking him questions about it? Makes no sense... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polksalet Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 And dude, why don't you trust your professor? If he is one of a very few experts on this, why would he have a problem with you asking him questions about it? Makes no sense... He doesnt give us feedback, he doesnt even grade our papers. We asked for help and he said "see the text". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polksalet Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 (edited) Well, why try to trick them into helping you on Wikipedia? I guess I don't understand why you don't just try to find those few international experts (or even their students) and see if you can get some interviews with them. See if any of these dudes have an email address or phone number and go from there. Do you conisder yourself to be an expert? Just curious, this isn't a trick question or anything. The Wikipedia idea is a sort of a nerd magnet. Nerds dig Wikipedia. I'm hoping that in a more open environment like that people would be forthcoming. I would like to get with the guys from China but I have bad history with native Chinese speaking engineering professors, normally I cant understand them. I might be an expert int he field. I know more than most of the people who should be experts yet I feel like I know nothing about the subject. What does that mean? Edited March 3, 2009 by polksalet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 http://books.google.com/books?id=8lbgqakz8...1&ct=result Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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