83
votes
Accepted
Found critical errors in my master‘s thesis after officially submitting
This is a completely minor error (a "mathematical typo", in effect), the likes of which occur every day in actual preprints that people publish online, and sometimes even in published math ...
- 9,058
37
votes
Accepted
Mathematical papers and the IMRaD-structure: how comparable are they with each other?
There is no fixed format for papers in mathematics, except perhaps that they tend to have an Introduction or an equivalent section. The key thing is mathematical writing is clarity, not conforming to ...
- 9,058
33
votes
Accepted
Repeating definitions in the Abstract in the Introduction?
I think the body of the paper needs the full definition. The abstract might not. If you can write it without formulas it will be easier to read and easier for tools to parse and tag. So
This paper ...
- 32.8k
28
votes
Why do so many institutions choose their own systems for application process rather than universal systems like mathjobs.org or interfolio?
Centralized systems like Mathjobs are really the exception rather than the rule. In most other fields of academia, and in practically all industries outside academia, the norm is that applicants for ...
- 132k
22
votes
Accepted
How to explain typical number of publications during a PhD in a grant application?
The AMS has issued a number of "culture statements" (scroll to the bottom of the page) meant to explain the peculiarities of the field to outsiders. One of them deals with rates of ...
- 9,058
20
votes
Mathematical papers and the IMRaD-structure: how comparable are they with each other?
Since the IMRaD-structure seems universal
This is simply incorrect, and I'll echo this comment that math isn't the outlier.
Speaking as a mathematician, I find it quite frustrating that I was simply ...
- 301
17
votes
Mathematical papers and the IMRaD-structure: how comparable are they with each other?
Most mathematics papers simply do not use the rigid IMRaD structure. In fact, most papers do not adhere to any fixed style at all, but are more like books: They choose whatever subdivision of the ...
- 90.6k
17
votes
What is "educ times"? A journal?
The Educational Times was a British journal published in the nineteenth century that addressed a wide variety of topics including a section in which readers can propose mathematical questions and ...
- 32.6k
15
votes
Why do so many institutions choose their own systems for application process rather than universal systems like mathjobs.org or interfolio?
My institution uses the same system for tenure track professors as for HR staff as for plumbers as for student jobs.
If they used mathjobs for math jobs what would they do with all these other ...
- 104k
14
votes
Are PhD programmes reluctant to admit multiple students from the same university in the same application cycle?
I have never heard of a graduate program not wanting to hire multiple students from the same university. Graduate programs want to hire the best students. Where they come from does not matter very ...
- 90.6k
13
votes
Found critical errors in my master‘s thesis after officially submitting
I am not an expert in graph theory but it sounds just like an error in statement, while the proofs are actually true for $G$, instead of $\textrm{Aut}(G)$. This seems to me just like typo and not a ...
- 350
13
votes
Why do so many institutions choose their own systems for application process rather than universal systems like mathjobs.org or interfolio?
A non-American perspective...
In the country where I work, we have a single job application portal for all academic jobs and other university positions across all our univeristies, research institutes ...
- 321
13
votes
Advisor-student collaboration (or lack thereof) and paper authorship in mathematics: how does it work?
As a preface, which might help explain the phenomena you observe, "grunt work" tends to have low status in mathematics. A solution to a problem that uses a large amount of "grunt work&...
- 23.4k
12
votes
What is "educ times"? A journal?
(Some general information about the periodical to supplement Stephan Kolassa's answer)
Some useful information about the Educational Times can be found in Grattan-Guinness's 1992 paper A note on The ...
- 3,927
11
votes
Found critical errors in my master‘s thesis after officially submitting
I'm a practicing mathematician. If I was reviewing your thesis I would probably notice that the statement of the theorem looks surprising, I'd skim the proof and pick up that you're actually working ...
- 6,627
11
votes
Mathematical papers and the IMRaD-structure: how comparable are they with each other?
Yes, pure math papers are a bit different. There is usually an introduction, which may give some background and also name the problem to be solved. There is the usual conclusion, recapitulating the ...
- 344k
9
votes
Why do so many institutions choose their own systems for application process rather than universal systems like mathjobs.org or interfolio?
As Pieter Naaijkens comments, it is administrators who are pushing this, often against the advice (or protests) of mathematicians.
From their point of view, they might be overseeing hires in multiple ...
- 12.5k
9
votes
Accepted
Would it be ok to mention in the post-doctoral application that my co-author is also applying for one of the two positions?
It would be OK, but there is no reason to do it. It will be obvious to anyone evaluating your application(s) with a glance at your CV.
Since such things are evaluated by individuals it is impossible ...
- 344k
9
votes
Advisor-student collaboration (or lack thereof) and paper authorship in mathematics: how does it work?
Just as another anecdotal data-point: (in the U.S., in math, at an R1) I view my job as PhD thesis advisor to be that of coach/mentor/educator/protector.
The "protector" part of my ...
- 86.5k
8
votes
Mathematical papers and the IMRaD-structure: how comparable are they with each other?
TL;DR
This answer is a frame challenge. Non-mathematicians should not be teaching mathematical writing.
WAD and WID
By way of background: my professional career took a path through secondary ...
- 3,305
8
votes
Accepted
Cover letter and research interest
To build upon Buff's good answer, show, do not tell.
For example, you might write:
My doctoral project on [4-dimensional underwater basketweaving], aligns with Professor X's interests in [multi-...
- 13.9k
8
votes
How should the multiplication symbol be written in the mathematical formula of a research paper? *? or x?
What you write is $\times$, which LaTeX then renders as the proper multiplication symbol. This looks similar to the letter x, but is readily distinguishable from it.
- 41.2k
8
votes
Advisor-student collaboration (or lack thereof) and paper authorship in mathematics: how does it work?
In pure math and some parts of CS there is a parallel, but the "do some calculations" part is, perhaps, more challenging than you describe. If an advisor suggests a problem (not a ...
- 344k
7
votes
Accepted
Considerations for applying to postdoc positions and contacting faculty
I doubt that every university asking this question has the same intent. Some will want to judge your interest in a specific faculty member or sub-field and others just want to know how flexible you ...
- 344k
7
votes
Repeating definitions in the Abstract in the Introduction?
The abstract should entice you to read the paper. I’m not sure how including definitions fits this goals, unless you have a very long abstract.
- 26.9k
6
votes
Accepted
Dilemma when my supervisor isn't necessarily a mathematician
For pure math this would be an insupportable situation IMO. For applied math, the structure can be made to work if done with care.
However, and this is key (writing as a pure mathematician), hand ...
- 344k
6
votes
Why do so many institutions choose their own systems for application process rather than universal systems like mathjobs.org or interfolio?
From a university IT perspective, a lot of it is ensuring compliance with all the boring bureaucratic parts. My institution does use the same system (PeopleAdmin) for every single job, from trades to ...
- 161
5
votes
Are PhD programmes reluctant to admit multiple students from the same university in the same application cycle?
No. Never been an issue in all my years of supervising admissions.
- 2,066
4
votes
Cover letter and research interest
Your statement seems a bit too strong, since you don't have confirmation that the professor agrees. I would recommend softening it. "perfectly aligned" is a value judgement.
If you write it ...
- 344k
3
votes
Found critical errors in my master‘s thesis after officially submitting
I'm glad to see this has come to a positive resolution. Everyone else has given good advice -- this isn't a huge deal, mistakes happen all the time, etc.
When we read something we've written ...
- 131
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible