Re: [xmca] Mentoring in research/writing Surprising Result So far

[David Kellogg <vaughndogblack@yahoo.com>]

Mike:
 
Yes, I guess I need help learning how to write again, so I will certainly send my name into Tamara Powell as a mentee. However, I really feel that ONE reason this is happening (putting unnecessary pressure on senior scholars and some minor humiliation on us juniors) is a dereliction of duty on the part of reviewers. 
 
I'm no longer sure that the new system of submitting abstracts for approval for MCA special issues makes things better, and it may make the situation worse. It used to be that I could get VERY useful feedback from reviewers. True, MCA reviewers tended to be curt and unhelpful, but there were lots of other journals who were more forthcoming. The assumption was that if the editor-in-chief handed the article on to reviewers, it was because there was something there that was worth publishing, and a good reviewer spent time and effort trying to get it out.
 
With the new system, I can get rejections just on the basis of my abstracts. This does save a lot of time (YEARS, actually, because I used to spend three or four years pushing articles back and forth only to have them end up in the bin after all). .But it doesn't actually help me get the research done, much less get it written up. So I guess the new mentoring system really is an necessary adjunct to the higher wall being built around MCA. 
 
David Kellogg
Seoul National University of Education
 
 

--- On Thu, 5/5/11, mike cole <lchcmike@gmail.com> wrote:


From: mike cole <lchcmike@gmail.com>
Subject: [xmca] Mentoring in research/writing Surprising Result So far
To: "eXtended Mind, Culture,Activity" <xmca@weber.ucsd.edu>
Date: Thursday, May 5, 2011, 4:42 PM


Hi All--

This is an interim report on the suggestion to set up a XMCA mentoring
network to connect junior and senior scholars.  I thought when I made the
suggestion that there was a general need, but that may be incorrect. Only a
half dozen juniors (about a dozen seniors) signed on.

The idea was to provide some help in response to the current economic and
career path that are quite properly bothering people.  We will of course
follow through on this small scale, but if more juniors would like to have
some mentoring on their work now is the time to say so!!


If you are interested and have not yet contacted us, please reply to Tamara
Powell at tjpowell@ucsd.edu with the following information:

1) full name
2) if you would like to participate as a mentor or mentee
3) scholarly interests/areas of expertise
4) your mentoring strengths or mentorship needs

Last call.
mike
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