Where are the Outside Mainstream and Independent Research forums?

  • Thread starter SeriousEngine
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In summary, the "Outside Mainstream" and "Independent Research" forums do not appear to be available. The Independent Research forum is a sub-forum listed under General Physics:
  • #1
SeriousEngine
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Where are the "Outside Mainstream" and "Independent Research" forums?

Where are the "Outside Mainstream" and "Independent Research" forums? I can't find them. They aren't listed.
 
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  • #3
Holy cow! Talk about strict posting rules. I'm university educated but even I am not that strict. I appreciate the efforts to maintain the scientific integrity of physics forums. However I am interested in technical feedback in areas not related to my own formal education. Where should I post?
 
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  • #4
I did mention this in your thread, and quoted the physics forums guidelines to you. The only place that new or un-published theories can be posted is in the Independent Research forum.
 
  • #5
Talk about strict posting rules. I'm university educated but even I am not that strict.

It's about High Standards!
 
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  • #6
Ok. I'll give it a shot. But it's going to be difficult to learn anything meaningful if my post is rejected by the moderators.
 
  • #7
On second thought, I think posting here would require an unacceptable amount of reformatting and transcription from my original paper. I'm just not inclined to copy large sections of my paper onto the forum. I'd rather people read my paper than just skim a forum posting. As such, I can't be bothered to adhere to the forum posting guidelines. Your loss IMO.
 
  • #8
SeriousEngine said:
On second thought, I think posting here would require an unacceptable amount of reformatting and transcription from my original paper. I'm just not inclined to copy large sections of my paper onto the forum. I'd rather people read my paper than just skim a forum posting. As such, I can't be bothered to adhere to the forum posting guidelines. Your loss IMO.

Another option would be for you to pick out a key point or two, and ask a specific question about it (after having done a forum search to read any previous discussions on the question at hand). That won't require much extra work from you, and will preserve the very high productivity and integrity levels of the PF. Sound like a workable plan for now?
 
  • #9
A "key" idea eh? Ok. I'll try that. But if my post gets bounced I'm not going to learn anything.
 
  • #10
SeriousEngine said:
I'm university educated but even I am not that strict.
Are you imagining that the folks that make and enforce these "strict rules" are not univeristy educated?
 
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  • #11
I've decided not to post here. I think doing so would just give the moderator, who possibly has a sadistic inclination, another opportunity to squelch what she sees as excessive speculation. It's terribly boring without any kind of imagination whatsoever, and impossible to inspire learning of any kind. And plus, it would take too much effort.

Too bad. The thing is, without any means of airing my pet theories, I am guaranteed to think, in fact KNOW, that I'm right.

I'm NOT going to reformat my essay. And I'm NOT going to copy portions of it onto your message board. That way I'll maintain the "integrity" of my pet theory. I could care less about the integrity of a message board that merely references published articles. If that's all I wanted I would go to Google Scholar. PF is redundant without creative speculation. We don't learn anything if we don't extrapolate beyond what we know and test it.

If I wanted to vett my paper for publishing I would send it to a professional journal, not to Physics Forums.
 
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  • #12
SeriousEngine said:
I've decided not to post here. I think doing so would just give the moderator, who possibly has a sadistic inclination, another opportunity to squelch what she sees as excessive speculation. It's terribly boring without any kind of imagination whatsoever, and impossible to inspire learning of any kind.
We don't have any sadistic inclination. If it's excessively speculative, to the point where it wouldn't be approved for the IR forum, then it's probably lacking substance. The guidelines there are generally a very light version of what you'd need to get a journal publication...intended so a person can bounce around ideas without a fully formed theory if they so desire, and keep our main forums free of things that would confuse the students visiting our forum.

And plus, it would take too much effort.
That's your call. If someone is serious about getting feedback, they put in the effort. If they don't want to put in the effort, then we in turn don't really want to put in the effort for them either. It's give and take. If you want us to give serious consideration to your ideas and critique/feedback, then you have to show us you're serious enough to put some effort into what you write. (When I'm saying "you" here, I mean more generally, anyone submitting to the IR forum, not necessarily you personally.)

Too bad. The thing is, without any means of airing my pet theories, I am guaranteed to think, in fact KNOW, that I'm right.
Yet you would prefer that over putting some effort into finding out if that is indeed the case. Hmmm.

I'm NOT going to reformat my essay. And I'm NOT going to copy portions of it onto your message board. That way I'll maintain the "integrity" of my pet theory.
Again, your call. If that's your feeling, why are you getting worked up and complaining to us about it? If it would require that much reformatting to submit, it's probably not appropriately suited to our forum anyway, so I'm not sure what the big deal is?

I could care less about the integrity of a message board that merely references published articles. If that's all I wanted I would go to Google Scholar. PF is redundant without creative speculation. We don't learn anything if we don't extrapolate beyond what we know and test it.
If that's how you feel, you don't need to stay. There are many people who find benefit in discussion about the existing literature to gain better understanding. It's the same reason professional scientists hold journal clubs, to discuss published literature and learn from everyone's thoughts on it something they might have missed in reading it alone. Reading the literature at a level where one can fully understand the content and adequately critique it is a skill every professional scientist needs time to learn, otherwise, you're limited to just taking everything said at face value, which is not always wise. We decided a long time ago that we are not going to try to be everything to everyone here. We know our strengths, and stick with it, and provide those services and discussion areas to those who feel they can benefit from it or enjoy it in some way.

If I wanted to vett my paper for publishing I would send it to a professional journal, not to Physics Forums.
If your paper is at that stage, then I don't know why you'd want to post it here anyway. Indeed, we are not a journal and not the place to publish a fully developed theory. If that's what you were expecting, we cannot provide it.
 
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  • #13
I've discussed my ideas elsewhere, but there wasn't sufficient expertise to really tell if it was flawed. That's why I wrote an essay, reducing it to the most coherent, intelligent form that I could manage, based on the extent of my knowledge about a subject outside of my own expertise. My paper is formatted according to European Space Agency conference standards. I put a lot of work into it. But I have no plans to enroll in a physics course. It would take too much time and money and it isn't my chosen profession. This is why I'm *****ing about having to reformat and/or copy and/or butcher my paper just to post it here and get feedback.

Your rules suck!
 
  • #14
SeriousEngine said:
Your rules suck!

Then go somewhere else. You've had a chance to air your gripes. This thread is now locked.
 

FAQ: Where are the Outside Mainstream and Independent Research forums?

1. What is the purpose of "Outside Mainstream and Independent Research" forums?

The purpose of these forums is to provide a space for scientists and researchers to share and discuss their work that may not align with mainstream or traditional perspectives or methods. This allows for a diversity of ideas and approaches to be explored and potentially contribute to the advancement of scientific knowledge.

2. How are these forums different from mainstream scientific conferences or publications?

Unlike mainstream conferences or publications, these forums are not limited by strict guidelines or criteria for research topics or methods. They also allow for open and critical discussions that may not be as common in traditional scientific settings.

3. Who can participate in these forums?

Anyone with a background or interest in science and research can participate in these forums. This includes scientists, researchers, students, and even members of the general public who are interested in learning about alternative or independent research.

4. What are some common topics discussed in these forums?

Topics discussed in these forums vary greatly and can include anything from alternative theories or hypotheses in various scientific fields, to unconventional research methods and findings. Some forums may also focus on specific topics, such as alternative energy or holistic health.

5. Are these forums considered to be valid sources of information?

The validity of information shared in these forums should always be critically evaluated, just as with any other source of information. While some research presented in these forums may not have been rigorously tested or accepted by mainstream science, it can still offer valuable insights and perspectives that can contribute to the overall scientific discourse.

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