PA4980 Physics Special TopicsIntroduction Journal of Physics Special Topics Mervyn Roy room www2.le.ac.uk/departments/physics/people/mervynroy

PA4980 Physics Special TopicsIntroduction Journal of Physics Special Topics Author, referee and edit papers for the department’s physics journal Authors – write original, quantitative, physics articles Referees – critically review other authors’ articles Editors – review referee reports and make final decision on whether articles are published or not Run in exactly the same way as a professional journal

PA4980 Physics Special TopicsIntroduction Why? Practise the skills of a professional research physicist Transferable skills (employability) Formulate problems Communicate scientific results Give and take professional criticism Group work Take part in the formal process of running the journal Media exposure (work with University press office) Publications indexed on Google Scholar!

PA4980 Physics Special TopicsIntroduction Friday board meeting Thursday Paper submitted The process Authors formulate problem and write article Editors distribute paper to referees Referees review the article Friday board meeting Thursday report submitted Resubmit for review Authors correct paper Paper appears in Journal Publish Editors consider referee reports Decline submission Revisions required Authors correct paper

PA4980 Physics Special TopicsIntroduction The marks Assessed by number and quality of publications Groups ranked by journal points: Submission = 1, Publication = 2, Referee report = 1, Press Release = Average quality of work = X% Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 points % mark Papers and press release re-reviewed by staff at end – generate average mark and simple ABCD grading: +3 marks for A-graded papers, - 3 marks for D-graded papers (and -1 for reviews of these papers) Points scaled to % mark at end of module. group X %

PA4980 Physics Special TopicsIntroduction Useful information The journal physics.le.ac.uk/journals/index.php/pst Past papers Technical information for using the website Links to comprehensive guides on mr6 website mr6 website www2.le.ac.uk/departments/physics/people/mervynroy Guide for authors Style guide / template Guide for referees Guide for Editors, and example minutes of the editorial board

PA4980 Physics Special TopicsIntroduction Authors Writing a paper www2.le.ac.uk/departments/physics/people/mervynroy/lect ures/pst-authors-guide.pdf All papers must follow the PST style guide www2.le.ac.uk/departments/physics/people/mervynroy/lect ures/pst-style-guide.docx Submitting a paper to the journal physics.le.ac.uk/journals/index.php/pst physics.le.ac.uk/journals/index.php/pst -> ABOUT -> GUIDE FOR AUTHORS

PA4980 Physics Special TopicsIntroduction Writing a paper 1 Find an ‘original’ idea Physics Challenge style problems Everyday experience Fiction/Media Undergraduate physics I wonder why… how does that work… what would happen if… Published PST papers extensions, errors, suggestions for further work Papers should be accessible to all MPhys students avoid overly specialised material (i.e. projects) think about all areas of physics – not just dynamics! (waves, astrophysics, semiconductors, quantum etc. etc.)

PA4980 Physics Special TopicsIntroduction Writing a paper 2 Develop a (simple) model and calculate something quantitative Trends, explanations, analysis better than a single number Can you quantify what your model doesn’t include? Write the paper Communicate your results clearly – use a formal writing style: correct grammar, spelling etc. Avoid jargon/acronyms. Keep things simple. Conform to the style guide Proof read! Work as a group – all group members will be authors of each paper, and receive the same module mark

PA4980 Physics Special TopicsIntroduction Writing a paper 3 What is an acceptable standard? see previous issues of the journal make sure the content is appropriate! peer review – so, ultimately, it depends on your peers also see PST authors guidePST authors guide Feedback (how to improve your work) peer review – via referee reports - also verbally from MR, GW - and as end of module percentage mark

PA4980 Physics Special TopicsIntroduction Time management

PA4980 Physics Special TopicsIntroduction Before Friday 1pm 1.Sign up for a group – and nominate ONE group contact 2.Download an example paper from mr6 website physics -> people/mervynroy/lectures/ Groups P1, P2, A1: example paper 1 Groups P3, A2, A3: example paper 2 Groups P4, P5, A4, A5: example paper 3 3.Imagine you’ve written the paper. Change the author names, and change the title to reflect your group name 4.Submit ‘your’ paper to the Journal – check the website instructions 5.Read the guidelines for referees and for editors - on mr6 website 6.Read all the example papers - how good do you think they are? On Friday (15:00 room H) we’ll look at reviews and editorial board meetings.

PA4980 Physics Special TopicsIntroduction Referees Critically appraise the work of your peers make a judgement on whether or not it should be published This is one of the most important roles in science! Refereeing guidelines www2.le.ac.uk/departments/physics/people/mervynroy/lect ures/pst-referees-guide.pdf Submitting a review physics.le.ac.uk/journals/index.php/pst physics.le.ac.uk/journals/index.php/pst -> ABOUT -> GUIDE FOR REFEREES

PA4980 Physics Special TopicsIntroduction Refereeing process Is the physics at an appropriate level? Is the physics correct and the paper understandable? Is the paper free of minor errors? yes no yes no Resubmit for review, or reject Revisions required Publish

PA4980 Physics Special TopicsIntroduction Referees Reviews should be rigorous, fair, professional – written politely Criticisms should be constructive – can you suggest ways to improve the work? Include a brief summary of the work at the start of your report – demonstrates that you have read the paper! And is useful for the authors to see if they have explained things as well as they should. www2.le.ac.uk/departments/physics/people/academic-staff/mr6/lectures/pst-referees-guide.pdf PST website -> ABOUT -> GUIDE FOR REFEREES

PA4980 Physics Special TopicsIntroduction Editors Consider referee reports and author correspondence Have final say on whether or not a paper is published Confirm authors have made any minor corrections requested Distribute papers to referees – spread workload Process Are reports very different? – and equally persuasive? Do authors make a compelling written case? Do referees agree? Is a compromise solution possible? Almost always go with recommendation Go with most negative referee? Third referee /tie-breaker needed? Discussion / vote at meeting

PA4980 Physics Special TopicsIntroduction Editorial board Everyone takes a turn on the editorial board – employability! Board membership – 1 from each group (changes each week). An ‘independent’ chairperson who returns from the previous week’s board. A staff observer (MR, or GW) Group A Group B Group C Group D Group E Volunteers as secretary Chair group A WK 2 Volunteers to return as Chair Chair group E Group A Group B Group C Group D Group E Volunteers as secretary WK 3 Volunteers to return as Chair

PA4980 Physics Special TopicsIntroduction Board meetings Guides for editors Physics -> /people/mervynroy/lectures/pst-editors-guide.pdf physics.le.ac.uk/journals/index.php/pstphysics.le.ac.uk/journals/index.php/pst -> ABOUT -> GUIDE FOR EDITORS You must prepare for the board meetings beforehand! Don’t forget to update the website with a record of your decisions You must minute the meetings – send a pdf copy to mr6 and each group

PA4980 Physics Special TopicsIntroduction Board meetings Before the meetings Chair must devise a plan to distribute papers to referees Board members must read relevant reports / correspondence A board member must confirm minor revisions have been completed correctly During meetings 1.consider new referee reports – update website, authors with decisions / instructions. 2.confirm minor revisions are OK – update website, notify authors 3.assign referees for new papers & resubmissions – update website After meetings pdf copy of minutes to mr6 and groups - Example minutes on mr6 websiteExample minutes on mr6 website

PA4980 Physics Special TopicsIntroduction Editorial board How you run the meetings is up to you but different staff supervisors may offer different advice / input Consistency is important role of chairperson, communication between group members Board has members from all groups concerned - including authors and referees this has some big advantages easy resolution of misunderstandings seeing the process from all sides helps you to write better papers but there are also some challenges board members must be ‘fair’

PA4980 Physics Special TopicsIntroduction Weekly deadlines Submission of articles Thursdays before 1 pm Submission of referee reports Thursdays before 1pm s to the editor accompanying resubmission Thursdays before 1 pm Editorial board meetings Fridays from 2pm to 3pm

PA4980 Physics Special TopicsIntroduction Key dates Question and Answer sessions (before the board meeting) Friday 24th Oct and Friday 7th Nov 2 pm Last chance to submit new papers Thursday 27th Nov - for penultimate editorial board Friday 28 th Nov Science Communication Session with Dr Sophie Hebden? PST final editorial board Friday 5th December - any papers still undergoing review after the final editorial board will count as unpublished Submission of press release and time management sheet Friday 12th December Submission of module marks to University Friday January 31st